Thursday, March 14, 2019
Two Mahoning Valley natives will be in the spotlight this weekend.
Dena Massaro Williams, a graduate of Boardman High School, will be seen on “One Night for One Drop” at 8 p.m. Saturday on CBS.
“One Night for One Drop” is a special performance by Cirque du Soleil that raises money for One Drop, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to providing access to safe water.
Massaro, a graduate of the Dana School of Music, plays the cello in the show, which was filmed March 8 at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas resident has been a cellist and singer for Cirque du Soleil’s “O” show for more than 11 years and performs five nights a week with it at the Bellagio.
Massaro and her Cirque colleagues donate their time and talent to the philanthropic performance for One Drop. This is the third year she has participated in it.
Also on Saturday but in New York City, Boardman native Larry Kennedy and his band, the Jellybricks, will have a song release party at the Hard Rock Cafe, hosted by Little Steven.
The Jellybricks song “Brooklyn” is being released on Little Steven’s Wicked Cool Records.
Little Steven is Steven Van Zandt, host of Little Steven’s Underground Garage syndicated radio show and guitarist for Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.
Van Zandt also fronts his own band – Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul – and is also known for playing the role of Silvio Dante on HBO’s “The Sopranos.”
Little Steven is an arbiter of cool – and real – rock on his radio show, and the Harrisburg, Pa.-based Jellybricks have become proteges of his.
The pop-rock band’s songs have been regularly featured on his show in recent years.
So, when will the Jellybricks next visit Youngstown? Nothing is on the schedule at this time, but lead singer-guitarist Kennedy knows they are overdue.
DILETTO INTRODUCING NEW MOSCATO WINES
Late last year, Jacqueline Shell was pictured in The Vindicator with a bottle of Diletto Winery’s Cranberry Moscato.
That was the first fruity Moscato produced by the Boardman winery, which Shell owns, but not the last.
The Cranberry Moscato proved to be very popular, and it got Shell and her team wondering why wineries don’t make other fruit moscato blends.
“So we did,” said Shell.
Since October, Diletto has come up with four more Moscato varieties: Blueberry, Blackberry, Strawberry and Peach.
Diletto, which is in a small strip plaza at 8578 Market St. (the former Antone’s banquet center, just north of Western Reserve Road), will have a Moscato launch party tonight from 6 to 8:30 p.m., featuring samples of all five flavors.
The event will also feature a hot appetizer buffet, music by One Cello, a basket raffle and vendors offering clothing, purses, jewelry, music, candles and more. Call 330-330-8844.
Guy D’Astolfo covers entertainment for The Vindicator. Follow him on Twitter at @VindyVibe.