Fresh Voices has been a staple of Touchstone's apprentice program, which has fostered more than 70 theatre artists over the last 20 years. This season marks the second year of Touchstone's partnership with Moravian College, converting the longstanding apprenticeship into an MFA-granting program.
The Fresh Voices showcase performance annually gives apprentices an opportunity to explore and create their own solo and ensemble-based original theatre. This year's Fresh Voices features five short solo pieces (15 minutes each) and one longer group piece (30 minutes), broken up into three different tickets to accommodate the performances' different venues and the need for COVID safety.
"Fresh Voices is a remarkable performance every year," says Touchstone Ensemble Member Emma Ackerman, "but in this year, themes like isolation, transformation, and how we recover from difficulty and disaster are more meaningful than ever. Our MFA class has really explored these ideas with grace and intelligence in their art-making, and we're so excited to share what they've been working on."
The first ticket option takes place indoors at the Touchstone Graduate Hub with The Conversation Parlor by Matt Prideaux - a one-on-one interactive performance exploring the lack of intimacy that we've all faced over the past year. Whether you need someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, or a nice big hug, this performance seeks to provide you what you might be lacking, and hopefully help you to feel a little less alone.
The second ticket option performs in Touchstone's black box theatre space and features Salvage by Abbie Jean Litman and Baby Teeth by Kat Anderegg. Salvage is a storytelling piece that explores the beauty that lies in brokenness and the journey of reconstructing the fragments of oneself. When something is broken, do you fix it, throw it away, or create something new' Baby Teeth takes you into a mysterious world of reflection, memory, and the folklore we create around ourselves. A journey into the inner abyss inspired by Carl Jung, who said: "Be silent and listen... you wanted to accept everything, so accept madness."
The third ticket features three performances outside on Touchstone's new Barrio Stage. Hello, My Name Is Eloise by Jessica Boothe is a storybook come to life about the struggles of moving to a new city. Eloise, the cat, learns about her fears and the world around her. Speak In Starts by Sara Group is a fast-paced autobiographical romp through various Shakespeare plays and characters that have left a serious impression. However familiar you are with the bard (or not), "it'll be fun, I promise," says Group. After Everything by the MFA class of 2022 is a story of a group of people exiled and bound together by a silencing mark, who discover new landscapes and a possible savior. Largely a movement-based piece, it examines the consequences that come with getting what you want, and how to find moments of joy when things seem hopeless.
Audience members are encouraged to find out more about this eclectic collection of performances and plan a day around it; pick one ticket or all three of them, based on comfort level with being indoors, and choose your own adventure. Please note that all performers are fully vaccinated.
Touchstone's season is sponsored locally by season sponsor RCN. WDIY provides media sponsorship and Working Dog Press provides print sponsorship.
Fresh Voices runs June 4th and 5th, 2021. In case of rain, outdoor shows will take place on June 6th. Tickets are a suggested donation of $10. For more information about ticketing and safety protocols, please visit touchstone.org.