Grant Made To Support Steel Festival
For Immediate Release
Public Relations Division
Public Affairs Department
1170 Eighth Avenue
Bethlehem, PA 18016-7699
(610) 694-3711 - Phone
(610) 694-1509 - Fax
BETHLEHEM, Pa., May 7, 1999 -- A leadership gift of $25,000 was given this afternoon by the Bethlehem Steel Foundation to Touchstone Theatre in support of the theatre's Steel Festival to be held this September in Bethlehem.
Standing at the historic 1870s iron foundry at the western edge of the 1,800-acre site, Bethlehem Steel Corporation chairman and chief executive officer Curtis "Hank" Barnette presented the gift and said:
"As we stand here today -- in a time that is in the middle of what this facility was and what it will become -- it's appropriate to celebrate the past industrial strength and contributions that this plant and its people made to this region, the nation and the world. They helped build America, transport America and defend America.
"That is why Bethlehem Steel, through its Bethlehem Steel Foundation, is pleased to support this timely and important project known as the Steel Festival, conceived by and coordinated by Touchstone Theatre," he said.
Bethlehem Steel anticipates that the staging of the cornerstone production of the Festival, Steel Bound, will be held on plant property. The play, an adaptation of Prometheus Bound, will depict the strength of the product and the people who made steel and "how people need to change, reflect and remember. We have high expectations that the play will convey the tremendous accomplishments of this plant and its people, and we believe Steel Bound will be a tribute to an entire community that helped make this plant successful and viable for many, many years," Bethlehem's chairman said.
"Art and expression take many forms. Touchstone has been recognized for its leadership in community-based theatre that celebrates cultural diversity, promotes inclusion of all parts of the community and makes people think about their world through sensitive and enlightening productions. We hope this leadership gift will encourage others, both as corporations and as individuals, to support the Festival," Mr. Barnette said.
The corporation has been working with Touchstone and its artistic partner, Cornerstone Theatre of Los Angeles, to adapt the classic Greek play to suit the Bethlehem plant. "We have established a close relationship with the artists as they develop their piece to sensitively tell the story of change and rebirth in the City of Bethlehem. The production of Steel Bound on Bethlehem plant property is consistent with our development efforts of Bethlehem Works to retain certain key buildings or themes while promoting new opportunities," said Stephen G. Donches, vice president, public affairs, and president, Bethlehem Steel Foundation.
Touchstone Theatre's Steel Festival: The Art of an Industry is a nine-day performing and visual arts festival that will be held in five different venues in the City of Bethlehem on September 9 through 19. In addition to the production of Steel Bound, the theatre, with its community partners of Lehigh University, the City of Bethlehem and Godfrey Daniels, is promoting other festival components that include:
Pouring the Sun, a production based on conversations with four generations of steelworkers by nationally recognized storyteller Jay O'Callahan at Lehigh University's Zoellner Arts Center;
Songs of Steel, a show of original songs based on the lives and work of plant employees by award-winning Bob Franke and the Lehigh Valley Singer/Songwriters at Godfrey Daniels Coffeehouse and other venues;
Steel Choir, composed of community members who will sing various songs about the plant, work and life in Bethlehem at various churches within the city;
Images of Steel, an exhibit at Zoellner's galleries of the photos of Joe Elliot, a Muhlenberg College art professor, who took photos in the plant from 1990 until 1998;
Art of Steel, an exhibit throughout Bethlehem of images of the plant from many facets of the community and in many media, and
Stories of Steel, a production for children by Touchstone Theatre staged at the Ice House and the theatre about the history of steelmaking in this city and the lives of the people who worked at the plant.
Further information about the Festival can be obtained by calling Touchstone's Steel Festival toll-free number at 1-877-STEELFEST (1-877-783-3533) or the theatre directly at 610-867-1689.