Touchstone Begins Rehearsals For World Premiere of The Whitman Piece

After an extensive and far-reaching collaborative writing process, Touchstone Theatre begins rehearsals for co-founder Bill George's new work, The Whitman Piece. The play makes its world premiere on April 7 at the Charles A. Brown Ice House in Bethlehem, PA.

Originally conceived as a theatrical work in 1992, playwright George began brainstorming more specifics for the piece in spring of 2009 and started crafting the characters and story arc the following winter. The play is slated for production to cap off Touchstone's landmark 30th anniversary season.

True to the ensemble spirit of Touchstone, the crafting of the script has been a process influencing and influenced by the company members of Touchstone and the local artistic community. The Whitman Piece underwent a private reading over the summer, an invited reading in September, an extensive workshop process in the fall, and most recently, two public readings in January. Audiences were invited to share their thoughts, and the feedback given has helped shape the final draft of the script.

George adds, "There are different ways to create dramatic work, and Touchstone often tailors the process to the product, but at the heart of all our work is the sense of ensemble, collective creation. In this bringing to life The Whitman Piece, I have relied on any number of partners but most heavily on Jp and Lisa Jordan, my Ensemble mates who have supported me throughout, and Christopher Shorr, the director, who has been an invaluable partner in marrying my crazy inspiration to a practical vision of what can be effectively staged."

The Whitman Piece tells the story of a small theatre company struggling to create a transcendent play about the great American poet Walt Whitman and the Civil War. It's a story of people chasing a dream: artists fighting to create, a husband and wife trying to raise a family, the playwright holding to his sanity by a thread, as the wolf knocks at the door, threatening the joy and beauty they seek to create. Comedy, philosophy, tragedy, and insanity intertwine as the artists strive to understand and capture the nature of the ever-elusive American Dream.

In a curious case of life imitating art, Bill George will be performing in The Whitman Piece as well, playing the part of Danny, a playwright struggling to recover from loss and rekindle his muse. The cast and production team are a combination of Touchstone company members, Moravian College students, and local performing artists.

As the rehearsal process begins, director Christopher Shorr of Moravian College will be tasked with moving the show forward, taking the collaboration of the last year and a half and putting it on its feet. "We've watched this story evolve on the page over the course of the last eighteen months. It's exciting to get to breathe life into it," says Shorr. "I've been working with a team of inventive designers to create a world for the characters to inhabit - lighting, scenery, music, choreography - it's all taking shape. Now a dozen talented actors join the process. Harnessing this much creative energy is a wonderful challenge. It feels like the final leg of a race, and I'm ready to dig in and go for the finish line!"

Rehearsals for The Whitman Piece begin March 1. The show will run from Thursday April 7 through Sunday April 10 at the Charles A. Brown Ice House. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 610-867-1689, or online at www.lvartsboxoffice.org

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