Posted on May 4, 2026

Yocum Institute Announces 2026 Summer Library Tour: Digging Up the Past

Yocum Institute Announces 2026 Summer Library Tour: Digging Up the Past

From Yocum Institute for Arts Education

Yocum Institute for Arts Education is proud to announce its 2026 Summer Library Tour, featuring an original production titled, Digging Up the Past. This annual initiative brings live youth theater performances to public libraries and community organizations throughout Berks County, offering free, engaging arts experiences for audiences of all ages.

This summer’s production, Digging Up the Past, is an imaginative and interactive theatrical experience that brings history, mystery, and discovery to life. Blending science, storytelling, and global folklore, the show explores what happens when we uncover the secrets buried beneath us, whether ancient fossils, lost artifacts, or the hidden stories of cultures long forgotten.

Created and directed by Joel Richard Gori, the production invites audiences to become active participants. Through collaborative storytelling, engaging characters, and hands-on exploration, attendees will piece together clues and uncover narratives that connect the past to the present. From dinosaur discoveries to folktales from around the world, each moment reveals how what we find can reshape what we know.

Yocum’s Summer Library Tour continues its mission to engage communities through creativity and collaboration. Last year’s tour reached more than 500 community members, and all performances remain free and open to the public.

Audition opportunity

Yocum Institute is seeking curious and creative performers, ages 18 to 30, to join this unique ensemble-driven production. Participants will collaborate in building the show from the ground up, contributing ideas and bringing history-inspired storytelling to life in unexpected ways. Cast members will receive a stipend.

Auditions will take place on Tuesday, May 19, at 6 p.m., at Yocum Institute for Arts Education. Interested individuals are encouraged to complete an audition form online or contact Kristin Gehris at kgehris@yocuminstitute.org for more information.

Now booking partner organizations (July 6-24)

Digging Up the Past is now booking for its limited summer run from Monday, July 6, through Friday, July 24. Designed for flexibility, the production is ideal for libraries, senior living communities, community centers, and cultural organizations. Its interactive format and educational themes create an engaging experience that sparks curiosity and participation across all ages.

Organizations interested in booking a performance can contact Kristin Gehris, School & Community Engagement Director, at kgehris@yocuminstitute.org or 610-376-1576 ext. 230. Please note that a fee applies to host the production.




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Community Testimonials

Thank you and your staff for all you do to accommodate so many different shows, personalities, etc.!  Can’t be easy, but we really do appreciate it.

Martha

I wanted to thank you again for the opportunity you have created for our kids.  This experience is more than the TV show.  Eight students who probably never would have talked to each other were excited to execute a plan. Know that you make a difference.

Kristi

Fantastic work and thanks so much for the quick turnaround!  Always a pleasure to work with you and the rest of the BCTV team!

Jim

Thank you for always being receptive to my ideas. All of your efforts help me to help others and that is a blessing to me.

Adrean

Thanks for your commitment to communication far and wide, for your technical support, and tireless efforts to bring fresh programs to BCTV. Bravo!

Liz

Wish my town had a channel like this, very cool idea to bring the community together and give people a platform.

James

I am happy and proud to be a part of such a dedicated assembly of talent and purpose. Thank you for being a part of my efforts to promote theater and the arts in this region.

David