TOUCHSTONE THEATRE
321 EAST 4TH STREET, BETHLEHEM, PA 18015 www.touchstone.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: 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 GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY OF PENNSYLVANIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF ENSEMBLE THEATRES.THE ENSEMBLE: 1) CREATES ORIGINAL THEATRE AND RE-IMAGINES SELECT TEXTS THROUGH A HEIGHTENED THEATRICAL VOCABULARY. 2) TOURS AND PRESENTS ORIGINAL AND ENSEMBLE-CREATED WORKS. 3) OFFERS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT INSPIRE STUDENTS OF ANY AGE TO DISCOVER THEIR UNIQUE CREATIVE VOICE AND PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY TRAINING TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF THEATRE ARTISTS. 4) TRANSFORMS AUDIENCES THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING PROJECTS.

TOUCHSTONE REACHED NEARLY 10,000 PEOPLE THROUGH ORIGINAL PRODUCTIONS AND ARTS-IN-EDUCATION RESIDENCES IN 2019-20. IN PRODUCTION, THE THEATRE CELEBRATED ITS' 39TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH A 10-DAY ARTS AND COMMUNITY FESTIVAL CALLED FESTIVAL UNBOUND; PLUS, TWO IN-PERSON MAIN STAGE PRODUCTIONS; ONE SECOND STAGE OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE; AND A VIRTUAL 15TH ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS' FESTIVAL. EDUCATION COMPLETED TWENTY-ONE THEATRE ARTS RESIDENCIES BOTH ONSITE AND VIRTUALLY FOR LOCAL ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND OFFERED CAMP TOUCHSTONE AND TEEN ENSEMBLE PROGRAMS VIRTUALLY, REACHING HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR AND SUMMER MONTHS.

TOUCHSTONE IS A PROFESSIONAL, ENSEMBLE-BASED THEATRE OFFERING A SEASON OF ORIGINAL PRODUCTIONS CREATED BY ITS RESIDENT ENSEMBLE OF ARTISTS, AS WELL AS PRESENTING NEW WORK BY VISITING GUEST ARTISTS. IN THE 2019-20 SEASON, TOUCHSTONE PRODUCED ONE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION AND PRESENTED ONE GUEST PRODUCTION BEFORE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS BECAME NECESSARY. THE COMPANY THEN SHIFTED TO ONLINE AND OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING, PRESENTING TWO ADDITIONAL EVENTS. TOUCHSTONE TYPICALLY OFFERS A "PAY-WHAT-YOU-WILL" TICKET OPTION, OPENING UP THE THEATER'S UNIQUE PROGRAMMING TO AUDIENCES OF ALL INCOME LEVELS. COMMUNITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS ARE REGULARLY PRODUCED AND FOCUS ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY'S STRESSES AND SUCCESSES TO ILLUMINATE THE HUMAN CONDITION. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2019-20, THE THEATRE PRODUCED THE ARTS-BASED, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN FESTIVAL UNBOUND. THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING, THE 10-DAY FESTIVAL INCLUDED ORIGINAL MUSIC, THEATRE, SITE-SPECIFIC WORK, VISUAL ART, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, TALKBACKS, PUBLIC MEALS, AND PARTICIPATORY EVENTS TO UNLEASH THE POWER OF THE ARTS AND FOSTER INCLUSION IN CIVIC DIALOGUE THAT SHAPES THE COMMUNITY. THE THEATRE ALSO TOURS SELECTS PRODUCTIONS TO SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, THEATERS, AND FESTIVALS.

TOUCHSTONE PROVIDES TWO CORE ARTS-IN-EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO AREA SCHOOLS - YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS' LAB, GUIDING ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WRITING THEIR OWN ORIGINAL PLAYS USING THEATRE GAMES AND EXERCISES; AND BUILDING BRIDGES, WHICH EMPLOYS THEATRE-MAKING AS A MEANS TO BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE AND POSITIVE SELF-EXPRESSION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DEALING WITH EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, AND BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES. IN ADDITION, THE THEATRE OFFERS CAMP TOUCHSTONE AND TEEN ENSEMBLE, TWO IN-HOUSE SUMMER PROGRAMS THAT TEACH BASIC THEATRE SKILLS AND HOW TO CREATE ORIGINAL THEATRE COLLABORATIVELY. THE THEATRE ALSO OFFERS CUSTOM RESIDENCIES FOR SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, AND MORE BY REQUEST.

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