Latest in a series of posts on the Arts in Bethlehem
Gadfly bets that when many of you think of the Arts in the Valley, you think of ArtsQuest, Pennsylvania Shakespeare, the State Theater, and so forth.
Big-name productions. Lots of advertising. Lots of splash. Lots of foreign talent.
Gadfly bets that some of you may know of Touchstone Theatre, but few of you have attended a performance there.
A shame.
Touchstone is one of many distinctive Arts treasures in Bethlehem.
Founded in 1981, Touchstone Theatre is a professional not-for-profit theatre dedicated to the creation of original work. At its center is a resident ensemble of theatre artists rooted in the local community of Bethlehem. . . . The Ensemble . . . transforms audiences through community-based theatrical productions and community-building projects.
Original work . . . resident ensemble . . . rooted in the local community . . . community-building projects.
Remember the 10-day Festival UnBound? (Deargod, look at this video, and I dare you not to glow with pride at this Bethlehem extravaganza!)
Frankly, Gadfly has not been good at recognizing and patronizing these home-grown treasures.
But that is changing.
Gadfly has become familiar with and inspired by a project that you will hear more about later, a project about the Arts of the Local Culture, about the Resident Arts Community.
Native talent.
A month ago, Gadfly went to an original play at the Ice House that he wrote you about, and Sunday to a wonderful performance (playing this week too) at the Pennsylvania Playhouse.
And on Sunday March 8, 2PM he’s going to Edith Piaf: Hymn to Love at Touchstone.
Gadfly has two tickets for that performance he can’t use.
Here’s his offer: he would like to give the two tickets to someone who has never attended Touchstone Theatre in return for a short post on Gadfly about the show or the experience of going to Touchstone.
What say? Contact Gadfly via the Contact link on Gadfly or at ejg1@lehigh.edu.
