EVENTS

History isn’t a static thing. It’s not just something that happens from the top down. History is created every single day by each of us. The choice we make to participate in the day-to-day means we are all part of the story of this place. 

Twenty five years ago, Touchstone Theatre produced The Southside Experience, a multi-media live theater production celebrating 100 years of history of the Southside of Bethlehem as told by the real stories of the people who lived it. Touchstone returns to this seminal work in its ongoing exploration of creative place-making through the stories of ordinary people; the heartbeat of a community.  

Ensemble member Mary Wright, the original writer and director of the piece, returns to helm this new version of The Southside Experience. This reimagined piece weaves new material into the old, including an updated multi-media experience that allows audiences to see, hear, and feel what it is that makes the Southside of Bethlehem such a unique and vital part of the city.

WHAT TO EXPECT

PARKING/TRANSPORTATION: There is a small parking lot directly behind Touchstone Theatre that will be available for you to park in. If that is full, there is nearby street or lot parking (here is a link to Bethlehem parking options). Recommended options include: 1) Mechanic Street Parking Lot between Webster & Taylor Streets and Mechanic Street and the Greenway 3 min walk or 2) the Polk St. Garage (400 Block E. 3rd St.) 3 min walk. Additionally, there is a bike rack next to our theatre in Parham Park. We are adjacent to the South Bethlehem Greenway bike path/pedestrian trail, as well as five LANTA routes: GREEN, BLUE, 103, 105, and 605.

ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: Accessible seating and a non-gendered, ADA accessible bathroom are available. Touchstone strives to create an environment where all members of our community feel welcome. Please contact (610) 867-1689 or via email at touchstone@touchstone.org to request accessibility accommodations in advance.

[Image description: A black and white photo looking down a street on the Southside of Bethlehem, PA. The street fills the middle of the image, with rows of cars and houses on either side of the road. Criss-crossing above the road are innumerable telephone wires. At the end of the road, we see twisted and rusty metal parts of the Steelstacks jutting into the air. Behind that, in the far distance, is the rolling hill of the Northside of the city. Throughout the image, snow lies melting in between the cars, and a couple of birds fly about in the grey sky.]