WILKES-BARRE — Comedian and actor, Kevin Hart is having a banner year. He starred in two feature films, “The Wedding Ringer” and “Get Hard,” along side Will Ferrell, and he’s awaiting the release of “Ride Along 2” in 2016. If that’s not enough, Hart also produced the BET series Real Husbands of Hollywood and embarked on a global tour that is being called the biggest ever to be done in the comedy industry.
At 7 p.m. Dec. 30, Hart will bring his What Now? Tour to the Mohegan Sun Arena to play for what is expected to be a nearly sold out crowd. The current leg of the tour will also see Hart play in Allentown, Atlantic City, and Hershey.
General manager of Mohegan Sun Arena, Brian Sipe, said the wildly popular artist’s upcoming show is generating buzz.
“A lot of people in the community are definitely talking about it,” Sipe said. “We’re expecting to have a very packed house on the 30th.”
Sipe referred to one of Hart’s gigs from earlier this year to explain how big the star has become.
“He played Lincoln Financial Field in the summer time and sold it out,” Sipe said. “He is from Philadelphia, so I think it was a great achievement for him. I think it shows just how great of an artist he is that as a comedian he’s selling out an NFL football stadium.”
Sipe called Hart’s tour the biggest comedy tour of the year and said his stop in Wilkes-Barre is a great thing for the market.
“I think we’ve proven that we can sell tickets,” Sipe said. “I think we’ve proven that we’re a must stop for every tour that’s out there.”
Vice president of marketing for Live Nation, Dave Niedbalski said the Pennsylvania shows are a kind of homecoming for Hart.
“Kevin is from Philadelphia and finishing the year out in the region is coming home for the holidays,” Niedbalski said.
To have Hart performing in Wilkes-Barre, Niedbalski said, is a privilege considering the demand for his live shows.
“To see Kev in our backyard is really special,” Niedbalski said. “He is a worldwide superstar on a global tour that is the biggest in comedy history.”
Niedbaski said getting Hart to Northeastern Pennsylvania is part of a larger movement in which top-shelf acts are coming to the region.
“Live Nation is building NEPA into a really special place for music,” Neidbalski said. “The Peach Music Festival, Country Megaticket and Camp Bisco are all larger than life events that create excitement around live music in the area. The concert bug is contagious for fans and artists alike.”
Sipe agrees with Niedbalski’s sentiment that the market is attracting the highest quality of artists, and he said the region’s consumers are to thank for that.
“I think it’s great that the Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Scranton market can show again that when these high caliber artists come to town that we’ll come and see them,” Sipe said.
He went on to say that the building of the market is a concerted effort on the part of several local venues and marketing organizations.
“It’s a great thing for me as the general manager to be able to talk to agents and promoters in L.A. or Nashville or New York and show them that these shows are selling tickets and that we are a great market,” Sipe said. “The Kirby Center is doing great things as well under Will Beekman’s leadership, so our market, as a whole, I feel is very strong.”
Tickets for the What Now? Tour are available online at ticketmaster.com, at the venue box office or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.
For more information about the tour, visit whatnowtour.com.
