Touchstone Theatre Will Present Original Play AMERICA DREAMS in April 2026

Touchstone Theatre, the region's only ensemble-based theatre, will present America Dreams – an interactive, original, site-specific show co-written by Touchstone Ensemble Members Jp Jordan, Matt Prideaux, Christopher Shorr, and Mary Wright. In this immersive, theatrical experience, audience members will explore a roaming carnival with the power to transport people inside of America's dreams. This original performance will take place on April 18 and 19, 2026 at 2pm in the Bethlehem Rose Garden, located on Bethlehem's Northside. 

Set at the turn of the century, an aging Dust Bowl carnival called “Promise Land,” invites attendees to witness its whimsy and magic as a much needed escape. Guests will have the opportunity to explore five attractions, each speaking to a different facet of the quintessential “American Dream.” Through these attractions, audience members will be encouraged to deconstruct different long held beliefs about America, and explore vital questions of what it means to be an American in today's society: How do we remember our past? How do we envision the future? What happens when our stories, landscapes, and values are packaged and sold? When do our myths inspire us — and when do they mislead us? And how quickly do we divide ourselves into “us” and “them”?

Presented as part of Touchstone's community-centric programming series, UnBound Year-Round, and in partnership with LV250, this project began two years ago as the Touchstone Ensemble looked ahead at the upcoming 250th anniversary of our country. “ We started the process by envisioning what America's future might look like and dissecting the aspirations Americans have for themselves,” said Matt Prideaux, Ensemble Member and co-creator of the piece. “However, as we continued exploring, we became fixated on the polarizing forces in this country that are continually growing and creating a greater divide amongst its people. We sought to create a show that addresses the heavy topic of our American identity while also encouraging everyone to come together, despite their differences, and have a conversation with one another, in a fun, light, and playful manner.” 

Audiences can expect to walk through five attractions that each explore a different facet of what people have come to associate with an “American Dream.” From a mystic's seance, to an inventor's showcase; a Wild West inspired puppet revue, to a great America road trip; guests will spend about two and a half hours total engaging with all that the Promise Land Carnival has to offer. This unique, interactive, site-specific theatre piece ultimately wants audiences to challenge themselves through asking questions about their own American dream. 

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