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A fascinating new documentary film looks at how the arts can grow organically in a place and become an integral and nurturing part of the community.
“Rooted,” which premiered at the South Side Film Festival in front of an audience of several hundred people, is an inspiring tale of how a community redefines itself after losing the industry that had once defined it.

Using a metaphor of trees reaching its roots down into the soil and its branches up to the sky, the film makes a stirring argument for cultivating local arts as a way to revitalize a community.
The place is Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which, beginning in 1850s, had been known as a steel town for being home to Bethlehem Steel, one of the largest steel-making companies in the world and a symbol of America’s manufacturing strength. In the 1970s, the fortunes of Bethlehem Steel were in decline and by 1982, Bethlehem Steel had shut down much of its operations. By 1995, Bethlehem Steel’s main plant in Bethlehem went dark, bringing an end to 140 years of steel-making in Bethlehem.
However during those years of change, more than 30 cultural non-profits, galleries, festivals, and creative businesses grew up in Bethlehem, creating a new identity and re-purposing abandoned structures.
As steel was declining, the arts were growing and the story of that rebirth told in “Rooted” is a template for positive change.
The film grew from a collaboration between SouthSide Film Institute and a group of Bethlehem artists which include Doug Roysdon of Mock Turtle Marionette Theatre; Dave Fry of Godfrey Daniels Folk Music Club; Bill George of Touchstone Theatre and Bridget George of Touchstone and Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
Filmmaker Aidan Gilrain McKenna created the 75-minute documentary drawing from more than 200 hours of interviews with more than 50 artists and community member, archival video of pivotal arts events from throughout the years, music, and photos.
The film’s heartfelt narration by Anisa George, an arborist and daughter of Bill and Bridget George, expands the metaphor of the arts community as trees rooted in Bethlehem’s fertile soil. Tying it all together are seven tree planting ceremonies honoring the artists that are shown in the film, and folk legend John Gorka’s song “Branching Out,” which becomes a defining theme for the film.
Throughout the film, the audience sees the ultimately triumphant struggles of many of the organizations. Godfrey Daniels, which opened in a former doughnut shop in 1976, nearly closed in 1983, but was saved by an emergency fund-raising drive that enabled Godfrey’s to buy its own building.
Bethlehem’s Ice House which was in disrepair and in danger of being torn down in 1989, was renovated with the city and community’s support into a venue for the arts.
While Touchstone Theatre was founded in 1981 as a traveling professional ensemble creating original movement-based theater, community support allowed it to renovate an abandoned 19th century firehouse into an intimate theater.
The film also touches on the many other arts organizations that have grown or thrived in the dust of Bethlehem Steel, from Bach Choir of Bethlehem, ArtsQuest, Young People's Philharmonic, Pennsylvania Youth Theatre and the commitment to the arts of Lehigh University, through its theater department and Zoellner Arts Center.
Ultimately, “Rooted” is an affirmation of how a strong arts identity can revitalize a community both economically and socially.
The film will be housed at the Special Collections branch of the Lehigh University Libraries as a resource. A trailer for the film can be found at https://youtu.be/Oitodx9hwa4

Theater artist Susan Chase brings her mother front and center in her joyful, heart-breaking one woman show, which premiered at Bethlehem’s Touchstone Theater March 20.

Chase, a former Bethlehem resident and Touchstone ensemble member, who now lives in Philadlephia, premiered her original solo show in Bethlehem, before she takes it off-Broadway and on tour on the East Coast.

The 90-minute performance uses spoken word, music, dance, and film to celebrate not just Chase’s mother, but all mothers

Written and performed by Chase, “Mother’s Day” is an evocative look into how one woman’s relationship with her mother has shaped her entire life.

Chase opens the show dressed as a witch and recalling the magic of the woods when she was a child.

Describing herself as a tomboy, she conjures up stories of exploring castles, hiding treasure maps, sneaking a smoke and dangerously scaling a fire escape.

Then she pivots and says she has realized that the magic was actually from her mother.
“Mothers are God-like,” she says. “They create us. But they also create a world, and place us in the center of that world.”

Chase is impassioned as she describes the all-consuming love between a young child and their mother.

She tells how her mother was a constant, reassuring presence who was always in “the other room,” and 
how her her mother swooped in just in time when she got her hands on matches and burned herself. Skillfully blending movement with home movies and old kodachrome photos that display on a video screen behind her, Chase weaves the heartfelt story of her life as seen through the filter of her mother.

Many of the stories are humorous, such as her childish horror when her mother changes her hair color  and when she realizes her mother wouldn’t go in the pool because she didn’t want to mess up her hair.

Chase is jubilant as she talks about dressing up in her mother’s 1960s era colorful matching ensembles.

Especially touching is when she dances in coordination with a video of her mother ice skating.

Chase admits she closely resembles her mother, and the old photos prove the point.

She also explores her mother’s sense of loss after Chase and her two sisters left home, and how she attempted to fill the space in her heart with shopping for trinkets.

However, when Chase got pregnant as a single mother, she explains she looked to her mother for approval and acceptance.

The later section of the play takes a darker turn as Chase painfully discusses how her mother spent her final years in a dementia facility, and details her frustrated struggles to see her mother during COVID shutdown.

Chase’ play is ultimately passionate and illuminating, inspiring viewers to revisit their own relationships with their mother.

Sydney Smith is multimedia designer and technical director and Justin Solonynka is accompanist. Gerard Stropnicky has provided directorial assistance.

Chase will perform “Mother’s Day” Off-Broadway 7 p.m. April 16 as part of the annual United Solo Festival in  Theatre Row. 410 W 42nd St., New York City. Tickets are available at unitedsolo.org/the-18th-annual-united-solo-theatre-festival/mothers-day/

Chase also is scheduled to perform the show on May 4 at Theater Exile, 1340-48 S. 13th St., Philadelphia. For tickets, call 215-218-4022 or go to www.theatreexile.org

She will be at StoneRidge Center, Mystic, CT May 11. For tickets and information, call 860-572-5600.

Chase says she will tour the play again in the fall and will be back at the United Solo Festival in September and in Worcester, MA in October.

For information on additional performances of “Mother’s Day,” go to www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570464436240.

About 1 of every 5 people is age 60 or older, but the last time you went to the theater, chances are you did not see that percentage of older actors on the stage.

The fastest growing population in the commonwealth is people age 65 and older, and many theater groups report that older patrons make up as much as 50 percent of their audiences.

 Seniors are bigger supporters of theater and other cultural activities like classical theater and dance, since they have more leisure time and disposable income than younger audiences. 

So why haven’t these devoted patrons been seeing themselves on stage?

Fortunately,  things seem to be changing as there has been a growing focus on the representation of older characters and actors in theater in recent years.

Overall, while there are still challenges in the representation of older characters and actors in theater, there is a growing movement toward more authentic and varied portrayals that reflect the richness of the aging experience.
Positive portrayals of older characters can challenge ageist stereotypes and promote a more nuanced understanding of aging. When audiences see older characters depicted with depth and agency, it can foster empathy and appreciation for the older generation.

Crowded Kitchen Players of Allentown has been on the forefront of the movement, by producing original plays with abroader focus on all ages and the issues that affect multiple generations.

Their newest play “Death by Lullaby,” written by CKP’s founder Ara Barlieb and running Oct. 11 to 26 at the IceHouse  in Bethlehem, follows a newly arrived retirement community resident who becomes suspicious when her fellow residents begin dying off from what she is being told are natural causes.

In the past, older characters  in plays have frequently been confined to stereotypes, such as the "wise elder," the "grumpy old man," “the grieving widow” or the "nutty grandmother."

These portrayals can limit the complexity and diversity of older characters on stage and restrict opportunities for senior actors, as they may be considered only for those types of roles rather than being cast in a broader range of characters.

Even Shakespeare, with his emphasis on historical stories, often relegates older characters to stereotypical or secondary roles. In Shakespeare’s "King Lear," the title character is depicted as mad and vulnerable, reinforcing the stereotype of older individuals as helpless and emotionally unstable.

Other well-respected plays follow suit. Neil Simon’s "The Sunshine Boys" features two men ho fit the grumpy old men stereotype and who are bitter and stuck in the past.  

Ivan Menchell’s "The Cemetery Club" features older women who often embody the stereotype of the grieving widow, focusing on their losses rather than their lives and ambitions. 

And in many plays, older characters are simply relegated to the background, as younger characters take center stage.

However,  as the population has been aging, there's been a shift in the demographic of audiences and artists that has led to more roles that resonate with both older performers and viewers, making stories more relatable.

There's also been a cultural shift towards valuing experience and wisdom, challenging the stereotype that only youngeractors can carry leading roles. Theaters are beginning to realize older actors bring depth and nuance that can enhance performances.

Recent years have seen a push for greater visibility of older actors and characters in mainstream theater. 

In the Lehigh Valley, local playwrights have been writing plays that put more focus on older people and offer more complex roles for older actors.

Barlieb wrote “Noelle, a Christmas Cocktail in Two Acts,”  that was produced by Crowded Kitchen Players in 2021 to address issues affecting the elderly population. The critically-acclaimed play focuses on the matriarch of a dysfunctional family who becomes the victim of a money-making end-of-life care system. 

Bethesda, Maryland-based playwright/composer and former Easton resident Charlie Barnett wrote  "The Spectre Of Death," about a 60-something death metal band, members of which are dealing with their physical decline, as they struggled to stay relevant in the music world.  The play was produced and staged by Crowded Kitchen Players in 2023.

In “Twilight in the Park” by Bethlehem playwright Paul Kodiak, he examined how the onset of dementia can rip apart families. The play, produced by Crowded Kitchen Players earlier this year, presents an Army veteran, who is struggling with dementia, and his wife who still loves her husband of more than 50 years but is helpless and frustrated by the changes she sees in him.

The shift is not just local. Nationwide, playwrights are increasingly creating works that center around older characters, providing opportunities for senior actors to portray diverse, complex roles. This includes exploring themes like identity, legacy, and inter-generational relationships.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning play "The Humans" by Stephen Karam, features older characters who have rich, complex lives and relationships, addressing themes of family, anxiety, and the realities of aging.

In Bess Wohl’s play "Grand Horizons," an older couple navigates their marriage in retirement, tackling themes of love, identity, and the challenges of aging with humor and depth.

And John K. Adams’ "The Golden Age" follows the lives of older characters in a retirement community, showcasing their struggles, relationships, and aspirations, challenging the notion that life diminishes with age.

Additionally, plays that focus on younger people are often being recast with older individuals.
Jason Robert Brown’s off-Broadway hit "The Last Five Years" originally focused on younger characters, but recent productions have included older performers, offering fresh interpretations of the struggles and growth within relationships.

Even Broadway is recognizing the contributions of older actors.

In September, Jen Silverman’s 2015 play “The Roommate,”opened on Broadway with septuagenarians 
Patti LuPone  and Mia Farrow in the lead roles.  The show, originally written about two 50-something women, is about a divorced woman from Iowa who takes in a lodger from the Bronx and how they uncover each other's desires to change their lives.

Many playwrights also are actively addressing ageism in their works. By creating narratives that challenge societal perceptions of aging, they help to normalize the presence of older characters on stage.

Older actors are increasingly featured in leading roles, reflecting a broader range of experiences. This visibility helps to reshape audience perceptions and highlights the talent and capabilities of older performers.

Production also are embracing inter-generational casting, which allows older actors to share the stage with younger performers. This not only enriches the story but also emphasizes the interconnectedness of different age groups.