Celebrating 20 Years of Young Playwrights at Touchstone Theatre

Get More LVWITHLOVE Content

Guests:

  • Mary Wright – Education Director & Ensemble Member, Touchstone Theatre

  • Krista Metter – Local Actor, Teaching Artist, and Touchstone Collaborator

In this episode of the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast, host George Wacker talks with Mary Wright and Krista Metter from Touchstone Theatre about the 20th Annual Young Playwrights’ Festival, taking place Sunday, May 18 at 3 PM at Northeast Middle School in Bethlehem.

This unique festival brings to life a selection of original one-act plays written by local elementary and middle school students—performed onstage by professional actors and community volunteers.

The Young Playwrights’ Lab began more than 20 years ago as an after-school program designed to foster literacy, confidence, and creative expression. Today, it’s impacted over 2,000 students and remains one of the most joyful, collaborative, and heartfelt nights of theater in the region.

🎟 Learn more + get tickets: https://touchstone.org/events/young-playwrights-festival/
🧠 Support the program through the Right to Future campaign at touchstone.org

Watch Episode

Watch On Youtube
———-
www.lvwithlove.comLV With Love Logo

Thank you to our Partners!
WDIY

Lehigh Valley Health Network

Wind Creek Event Center

Michael Bernadyn of RE/MAX Real Estate

Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub

Banko Beverage Company


🧠 Episode Recap

Celebrating 20 Years of Young Playwrights at Touchstone Theatre
What happens when you hand the script over to kids? You get mad scientists, Greek gods, talking sharks—and themes that hit surprisingly deep.

Mary Wright, who helped launch the program more than two decades ago, describes the festival as “a window into what kids care about right now.” With themes ranging from friendship and family to bullying and climate action, the work is wildly imaginative and undeniably heartfelt.

Touchstone’s Young Playwrights’ Lab uses improv games, writing exercises, and group collaboration to help students develop their own one-act plays. Each year, a handful of these are selected and professionally staged as part of the festival.

Krista Metter, who made her debut in last year’s production as a scene-stealing octopus, shares how being part of the cast made her feel “like a kid again”—and how the program builds deep community ties by giving young voices a real spotlight.

“It’s not just a performance,” says Mary. “It’s a celebration. A party. And the kids are at the center of it all.”

With over 100 plays written this year alone and countless community members stepping in to help with directing, costumes, and production—this event has become one of the Lehigh Valley’s most treasured arts traditions.

🌐 Learn more: https://touchstone.org/events/young-playwrights-festival/
🎧 Listen to the episode: https://lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com/podcast/youngplaywrights20
📲 Follow: @lvwithlove | @TouchstoneTheatre

Canoes, Poems, and Inclusive Art at Festival UnBound

Get More LVWITHLOVE content


Thank you to our Partners!

Lehigh Valley Health Network

WDIY

Wind Creek Event Center

Michael Bernadyn of RE/MAX Real Estate 

Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub

Banko Beverage Company

Hidden Bethlehem with Touchstone Theatre

Get more LVwithLOVE


Thank you to our Partners!

WXPN

Wind Creek Event Center

Michael Bernadyn of RE/MAX Real Estate 

Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub

We talk with Matt Prideaux of Touchstone Theatre about Hidden Bethlehem, a part of the upcoming Festival Unbound.

Do you know of a hidden gem, item, or location in Bethlehem and want to share it for sake of community art and theatre? Then click this link: www.touchstone.org/festival_unbound/hidden-bethlehem/

 

“WHAT IS HIDDEN BETHLEHEM? A chance for anyone in our community to shine a spotlight on the places and people in Bethlehem that they believe deserve to be seen and appreciated. There is a lot in Bethlehem that people love and frequent, but there are some truly wonderful places and people that not enough folks know about – share them with us!

Do you know a place in Bethlehem that you feel goes unseen? A person who brings joy to those around them, and who makes their neighborhood a little bit better everyday? Do you have a hidden talent that you want the world to know about? Tell us about somewhere or someone that you feel is overlooked or under-appreciated.”

 

Touchstone Theatre’s Christmas City Follies | Winter Vaudeville Returns to the Stage

Video Version Here

Get in touch with Lehigh Valley with Love

In this episode, we talk with Touchstone Theatre General Manager/Ensemble Member, Emma Ackerman; Artistic Director, James P. Jordan; and ensemble member and creator Samantha Beedle; to talk all things Christmas City Follies on the very stage it will be taking place.

Christmas Ciy Follies runs December 2 – 19, 2021!

“Kick off the holiday season with jingle bells, ukuleles, and the return of our annual winter vaudeville! Join us for the twenty-second iteration of this homegrown variety show, celebrating the season through music, merriment, and traditions new and old. Touchstone is ready to help you ring in the holidays!” – Visit www.touchstone.org for more information.

Tickets can be found here

 


If you’d like to learn more about the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast and the opportunities we can provide through sponsorship and collaboration, be sure to reach us at info@lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com

Or click here

Thank you to our sponsors!

Michael Bernadyn of RE/MAX Real Estate

Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub

Venture X

James P. Jordan | Touchstone Theatre | Don’t Stop Performing or Creating

This episode is brought to you by Made Possible in the Lehigh Valley 

Learn more about how they are telling Lehigh Valley stories and how it can help you!

——————————————————-

Welcome to the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast.

The aim of this podcast is to connect you to stories and personalities living in or affecting the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania, encompassing the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton and many other wonderful communities in-between.

We talk to business owners, musicians, authors, students, politicians, and maybe even you.

Get all of our links here.

Want to be a guest? info@lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com

Subscribe to the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast.

——————————————————-

We speak with James P. Jordan, Artistic Director at Touchstone Theatre in Bethlehem, about performing during COVID, adapting, thinking way outside of the box, and looking to the past for guidance.

Be sure to check out their website for upcoming performances.

LINKS

Touchstone Theatre Website

Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast Episode 85: Festival UnBound Discussion with JP Jordan, Artistic Director of Touchstone Theatre

Touchstone Theatre Artistic Director, JP Jordan, sat down with us to discuss the upcoming “Festival UnBound” event, growing up in Tamaqua, and how art can directly affect a community.

Festival UnBound is based on “Celebrating our home, Bethlehem, the Lehigh Valley, and commemorating twenty years of change since Touchstone’s Steelbound: Art of an Industry. Touchstone will, with our Community, National, and International Partners, forge a vision — through art — for our future,” according to the festival’s website.

JP has has helped produce over seventy productions since arriving at Touchstone, serving in multiple capacities including director, designer, composer, actor, and playwright.

Get more information on Festival UnBound here and watch a preview video below or link here.


Subscribe to the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast.

This episode features the Song “Goodbye Syndrome” by Sunsets North. (www.sunsetsnorth.com)