BETHLEHEM, Pa. — In what promises to be a trip down memory lane for many, a new documentary shines light on the beginnings of the city's vibrant arts community.
"Rooted," a 75-minute film, features never-before-seen interviews with nearly 50 artistic directors, actors, musicians, community leaders and filmmakers who came together and used art and culture to revitalize the region after the decline of the steel industry.
It will debut on the closing day of the Southside Film Festival, a six-day event that features more than 80 films and shorts.
"Rooted" will premeire at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 15, at Zoellner Arts Center.
Tickets, at $12 each (entry is included for Southside Film Festival all-access passholders), are available at the Zoellner Arts Center website.
Bethlehem's 'depth' and 'authenticity'
The creative forces behind "Rooted" are Doug Roysdon of the Mock Turtle Marionette Theatre; Dave Fry of Godfrey Daniels Folk Music Club; Bill George, co-founder of Touchstone Theatre; and his George's wife, Bridget, of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and Touchstone Theatre.
The four friends appear in the film and share their contributions to the arts scene starting in the mid-1970s.
The project also features posthumous tributes and footage of arts advocates such as Barbara Pearson, founder of the People's Theatre Co.
There are notable moments in the documentary, evident in one clip featuring footage of "Steelbound," a play produced by Touchstone Theatre in 1999 that speaks of the decline of the steel industry in the city.
"Whether the community is much smaller or much larger than Bethlehem, it continues to be a measuring stick for me in terms of the depth and the authenticity."Bill Rauch, inaugural artistic director of Perelman Performing Arts Center
"Steelbound" was directed by Bill Rauch, the inaugural artistic director of Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York City.
"The entire community of Bethlehem pulled together in the most remarkable way," Rauch says in the clip.
After Touchstone, Rauch went on to work for the arts scene in Oregon for 12 years before his role at Perelman.
Footage in "Rooted" also includes interviews with Kashi Johnson, chairwoman of Lehigh University's theatre department; Greg Fungfeld, 39-year artistic director and conductor at the Bach Choir of Bethlehem; Cuban artist Ricardo Viera, a Lehigh University professor and co-founder of the People’s Theatre Co.; and Jill Dunn, artistic director of the Pennsylvania Youth Theatre.
'We have a Dave Fry'
In another clip, Silagh White, who sits on the Bethlehem Area School Board, discusses some of Bethlehem's artistic earmarks.
White served as the director of arts at Lehigh University from 2003-18.
" What's Bethlehem's signature?" she said. "It could be a little bit of the Pennsylvania Dutch food. "It could be this incredible sound of music that you hear almost every night because of all of these outdoor concerts happening in the summer.
"It could be other things that happen, right as rain. Touchstone's Follies. It's not Christmas until you go see the Follies, or it's not May until you go see the Bach Choir's 'B Minor' Mass in the Packer Chapel.
"A community will have a statue. We have a Dave Fry, and Dave Fry is everywhere, and Dave Fry is about getting people to sing, and Dave Fry will do it anywhere and with anyone at any time.
"That is a treasure, and that to me is a signature of Bethlehem."
Tree planting, donations for film
Filming for "Rooted" took place last year and included a ceremonial planting of trees at seven locations in the city, including at the Central Moravian Church, Yosko Park, Godfrey Daniels and Touchstone Theatre.
The film’s budget is about $50,000, and a campaign for donations continues.
After its Father's Day premiere, “Rooted” will be available to rent and eventually be housed at the Special Collections branch of the Lehigh University Libraries.
