An interactive performance in a city park asks visitors to ask questions about what the “American Dream” means to them and others. Touchstone Theatre will present its original play, “America Dreams,” at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Bethlehem Rose Garden.
“America Dreams” is a site-specific show 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.
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 what people have come to associate with the “American dream.” The scenes will include a mystic’s seance, an inventor’s showcase, a Wild West inspired puppet revue, and an American road trip.
Through these attractions, audience members will be encouraged to examine different long-held beliefs about America. Audiences will be able to explore questions of what it means to be an American in today’s society, such as “what happens when our stories, landscapes, and values are packaged and sold?” and “how quickly do we divide ourselves into ‘us’ and ‘them’?”
The production is part of Touchstone’s “UnBound Year-Round,” a new year-long reframing of its “Festival Unbound.”
The project began two years ago as the Touchstone ensemble looked ahead to the 250th anniversary of the country.
“We started the process by envisioning what America’s future might look like and dissecting the aspirations Americans have for themselves,” Prideaux said. “As we continued exploring, we became fixated on the polarizing forces in this country that are continually growing and creating a greater divide among 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 spend about two and a half hours engaging with all that the Promise Land Carnival has to offer. “America Dreams” ultimately wants audience members to challenge themselves by asking questions about their own American dream.
Tickets are pay-what-you-will. Guests are advised to wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. Chairs will be provided for those who need them, however, several sections of the piece will involve standing or moving from location to location.
Rain dates are at 3:30 p.m. April 25 and 26.
The rose garden is located at 725 Eighth Ave. in Bethlehem.
Theater school show
Civic Theatre School will present “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr.” at Civic’s 19th Street Theater, which is located at 527 N. 19th St. in Allentown.
The school’s students will take families on a magical ride as they bring the beloved story of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” to the stage. Bursting with unforgettable songs, colorful characters, and a flying car that will capture audience members’ imagination, this enchanting musical adventure is perfect for audiences of all ages.
They can follow the eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts, his adventurous children Jeremy and Jemima, and the delightful Truly Scrumptious as they restore an old race car and discover it has a mind of its own. Together, they set out on a high-flying journey to outwit the dastardly Baron Bomburst and his henchmen, proving that with a little ingenuity and a lot of heart, anything is possible.
From toe-tapping favorites like “Toot Sweets” and “Hushabye Mountain” to the show-stopping “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” this production showcases the energy, creativity, and spirit of its student cast. The audience will be swept up in the students’ passion and inspired by their performances as they transform this timeless tale into an unforgettable theatrical experience.
“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr.” is directed by JoAnn Wilchek Basist.
Performances will be at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at 3 and 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets cost $16.
Elvis tuner
Star of the Day Productions will present “All Shook Up Young@Part” at St. John’s United Church of Christ, which is located at 139 N. Fourth St. in Emmaus, Lehigh County.
“All Shook Up” is a hilarious and heartfelt musical with an original book by Joe DiPietro that is loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” It’s 1955, and a guitar-playing young man who changes everything and everyone he meets rides into a square little town. Featuring hits from Elvis Presley’s catalog, this musical fantasy will have audience members grooving to such classics as “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and “Don’t Be Cruel.”
“All Shook Up” is a vibrant, joyous celebration of the power of love, the power of music, and the power of community.
The cast includes Liam Griffith as Chad, Isabella Oviedo as Natalie/Ed, Ava Collier as Sandra, Jasper Smith as Dennis, Maya Reeves as Sylvia, Jack Yosy as Dean, Joelle Hilt as Lorraine, Abby Dorn as Matilda, and Gara Salijko as Earl.
Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets cost $18.
Horror musical
Northampton Community College’s theater department will finish its season with “Carrie: The Musical.”
The musical, based on Stephen King’s 1974 debut novel “Carrie,” tells the story of Carrie White, a bullied high school girl with telekinetic powers and her oppressive, religious fanatic mother, Margaret. When Carrie is humiliated at the prom, she unleashes her powers, causing chaos and destruction. The musical explores themes of bullying, religious extremism, and the consequences of not conforming to societal norms.
Written by Lawrence Cohen, with music by Michael Gore and lyrics by Dean Pritchford, “Carrie: The Musical” has had a legendary, troubled history.
It premiered in 1988 on Broadway, where it was a notorious flop, but despite its initial failure, it gained a cult following and a revised off-Broadway production in 2012 received mostly positive reviews.
The cast includes Abigail Murphy (Carrie), Christine Breiner (Margaret), Charlotte O’Keefe (Chris), Madisyn Bonilla (Sue), Christopher Tempel (Tommy), Seth Schaeffer (Billy), and Auqinay Jones (Miss Gardner).
Understudies are Angel D’Andria (Carrie), Wren Campbell (Margaret), Gabrielle Drivon (Chris), Maricel Wheatley (Sue), and Tiah Fontno (Miss Gardner).
The production is directed by Jessica Lopez-Barkl, an associate professor of theater.
Showtimes will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday
April 19, Lipkin Theater, Northampton Community College, 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem Township.
RSO finale
Eric Silberger
The Reading Symphony Orchestra will finish its season with “Majestic Horizons: Tchaikovsky & Dvořák” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Santander Performing Arts Center, which is located at 136 N. Sixth St. in downtown Reading.
The RSO will present an evening of passion, virtuosity, and expansive symphonic beauty. Internationally acclaimed violinist Eric Silberger will add electrifying brilliance to Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto,” a tour de force of lyricism and fire. The program peaks with Dvořák’s beloved Symphony No. 9 from the New World, a powerful tribute to American spirit and European tradition, filled with unforgettable melodies and emotional depth. There will be a special side-by-side appearance by the RSO’s Reading Symphony Youth Orchestra.
The RSO is conducted by Andrew Constantine.
Tickets cost $25.
African dance
Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University in Bethlehem will present Compagnie Multicorps and choreographer Marcel Gbeffa’s “Didę: Rise Up” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in Baker Hall. Part of Zoellner’s Presenting Series, this powerful contemporary dance work blends tradition, sculpture, and movement in a striking celebration of African culture and spiritual heritage.
“Didę: Rise Up” immerses audiences in the mystical world of the Gèlèdé tradition of Benin, where dancers embody transformed feminine energies through movement and ritual expression. Created by choreographer Gbeffa, the performance bridges ancestral tradition with contemporary dance innovation, exploring themes of transformation, spirituality, and cultural memory.
Compagnie Multicorps is known for creating innovative dance works that merge African traditions with contemporary performance forms. Through powerful choreography and visual artistry, the company explores themes of identity, heritage, and cultural dialogue while bringing global dance traditions to new audiences.
Tickets cost $20.
Side by side concert
Scott Shelsta
The Allentown Band will perform its “Side by Side Concert-America 250” at 4 p.m. on Sunday at Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown.
The band, under conductor Ronald Demkee, will perform side by side with 50 top musicians from area high schools.
The concert will feature guest conductor Loras Schissel, Virginia Grand Military Band, and senior musicologist at Library of Congress, and guest soloist Scott Shelsta, principal trombone of the United States Army Band.
The first half of the program by the Allentown Band will include John Williams’ “Liberty Fanfare,” Morton Gould’s “Symphony for Band (West Point),” Arhur Pryor’s “Air Vari” featuring Shelsta on trombone, and Thomas Knox’s “American Pageant” with Schissel conducting.
The second will feature the band and the students on John Philip Sousa’s “Sesquicentennial Exposition March (1926),” Clare Grundman’s “A Bernstein Tribute,” Hoagy Carmichael’s “Star Dust” featuring Shelsta on trombone, Richard Rodgers and Robert Russell Bennett’s “Victory at Sea,” and Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” with Schissel conducting.
The concert is free, and no tickets are required.