
November 17, 2022
Season 12 Episode 46 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Pottery of Zahava Friedman, Double Edge Theater, Cider Days, The Performance Project
Meet pottery artist Zahava Friedman, whose clay pieces draw inspiration from the natural world. Explore the fall line-up at Double Edge Theater. Apple cider makers and cider brewers converge to celebrate all things cider at Franklin County Cider Days. Through the power of theater and performance art, the Performance Project strengthens communities and engages youth leadership in western Mass.
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Connecting Point is a local public television program presented by NEPM

November 17, 2022
Season 12 Episode 46 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Meet pottery artist Zahava Friedman, whose clay pieces draw inspiration from the natural world. Explore the fall line-up at Double Edge Theater. Apple cider makers and cider brewers converge to celebrate all things cider at Franklin County Cider Days. Through the power of theater and performance art, the Performance Project strengthens communities and engages youth leadership in western Mass.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> COMING UP, WE'RE CONNECTING YOU WITH THE CREATIVE PE CREATIVITY AND CULTURE WHY -- IN YOUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING AT POKER WHO FINDS INSPIRATION IN NATURE.
>> THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT CLAY AND THE WHEEL IN PARTICULAR THAT REALLY GRABS ME AND I'M NOT SURE HOW TO PUT WORDS ON THAT, BUT IT'S A MAGICAL FEELING.
>>> WE'LL EXPLORE DOUBLE EDGE THEATRE'S FALL SEASON.
>> THE ROOT OF IT WAS THIS KIND OF METO FORKAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY ABOUT HOW WE DEAL WITH MONSTERS AS A REALITY AND METAPHOR IN OUR LIFE.
>>> AND SIDER DAYS COMES TO FRANKLIN COUNTY.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF APPLES THAT AREN'T SO GREAT TO EAT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO FERMENT AND ADDIES AND THE THEY MAKE THEIR OWN HOME BLENDS OF HARD CIDER.
>> JOIN US FOR THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS WE EXPLORE THE KRAFTE, THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, UP NEXT ON "CONNECTING POINT."
>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.
¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> WELCOME AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR "CONNECTING POINT," YOUR SOURCE FOR KRAFT -- CREATIVITYTIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY.
I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.
WE EXPLORE ALL THAT THE REGION HAS TO OFFER AND TODAY WE'RE COMING FROM YOU FROM LAKE CONGAMOND IN SOUTHWICK, MASSACHUSETTS, RIGHT ON THE CONNECTICUT BORDER.
IT'S WELL KNOWN AND LOVED FOR ITS OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WE START OFF OUR SHOW TODAY IN HAM SHIRE COUNTY.
-- HAMP SHIRE COUNTY.
ZAHAVA FRIEDMAN STARTED MAKING POTTERY AS CHILD AND HAS BEEN CAPTIVATED BY IT EVER SINCE.
PRODUCER DAVE FRASER VISITED FRIEDMAN IN HER STUDIO IN TELLHAM -- IN PELHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, AND BRINGS US HER STORY.
>> THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT CLAY AND THE WHEEL IN PARTICULAR THAT REALLY GRABS ME AND I'M NOT SURE HOW TO PUT WORDS ON THAT.
BUT IT'S A MAGICAL FEELING.
¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >> THIS ALL STARTED WAY BACK WHEN I WAS 10 OR 11 YEARS OLD AND MY MOM TOOK ME TO MY FIRST POTTERY CLASS.
I LOVED THE PROCESS SO MUCH THAT I JUST DID IT ANY CHANCE I COULD GET.
AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT I'M A MIXTURE -- I'VE BEEN DIRECTLY TOP -- TAUGHT BUT I'VE DONE A LOT OF SELF-TEACHING THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR.
>> IT ALL STARTS WITH A LUMP OF EARTH.
NEEDING IT LIKE -- KNEADING IT LIKE BREAD TO ALLOW AIR BUBBLES TO ESCAPE.
THEN IT'S THROWN ON THE WHEEL AND USING STEADY HANDS AND FREQUENT LOU BRICK CASE -- LOU WERE CASE WITH WATER, SHE TRANSFORMS IT INTO PART.
>> THE THROWING PART OF IT IS VERY THERAPEUTIC AND IT'S ALMOST MINDLESS WHERE SOMETIMES NOT ALWAYS, BUT A LOT OF TIMES IT FEELS LIKE THE CLAY IS ALMOST THROWING ITSELF T. IT'S THE ONLY TIME IN MY LIFE THAT I'M KIND OF IN A ZONE AND FULLY PRESENT AND NOT THINKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS.
I'M JUST COMPLETELY 100% LIKE WITH THE CLAY.
AND THAT IS A RARE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
MY HEAD IS USUALLY IN FIVE DIFFERENT PLACES AT ONCE!
>> IT TAKES FRIEDMAN ROUGHLY 20 TO 75 MINUTES TO THROW A POT DEPENDING ON ITS SIZE AND FORM.
PULLING IT UP FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP, EVENLY DISTRIBUTING IT SO THAT THE PIECE ELONGATES IN THE -- AND THE WALLS THIN.
>> CENTRIFUGAL CORS FORCE, IT PULLS THE WALLS AND YOU'RE FORMING THE CLAY BASED ON THAT SPINNING MOTION.
>> ONCE IT IS REFINED AND COMPRESSED, ANY EXTRA CLAY REMAINING AT THE BOTTOM IS TRIMMED AWAY AND THE WET POT IS SET ASIDE TO DRY BEFORE THE NEXT STEP.
>> WHAT THAT DOES IS IT REALLY EVENS OUT THE MOISTURE IN THE CLAY, SO THAT WHEN I GO TO CARVE IT WITH THE EXACTO KNIFE, IT'S VERY ANN AND IT CARVES -- EVEN AND IT CARVES NICE AND SMOOTHLY.
I'M WAITING FOR IT TO BE LEATHER HARD BEFORE I'M CARVING IT.
IF IT'S TOO SOFT, I'M GOING TO WORK THE TO THE -- WARM THE POT.
THE -- WARP THE POT.
I'M NOT USING A PATTERN.
I'M FOLLOWING THE FORM OF THE POT ITSELF.
WHEN IT'S COMPLETED, IT WILL HAVE CUTS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE WHOLE ENTIRE BODY.
AND ONCE YOU PUT THAT TEALIGHT IN THERE AND PUT IT IN THE DARK, IT REFLECTS THE LIGHT FROM THE CARVINGS OUT TO THE WALL.
>> ON OTHER PIECES THAT ARE NOT CARVED, SHE USES A TECHNIQUE CALLED SCRIFITO.
INVOLVES APPLYING LAYERS OF COLORS OR UNDERGLAZE AND SCRATCHING OR THE -- SCRATCHING OFF PARTS OF THE CLAY TO REVEAL THE CLAY COLOR UNDERNEATH.
THE KILN IS A TWO-STEP PROCESS.
THE TEMPERATURES ARE LOADED IN, MAKING SURE THAT NO POT IS IN CONTACT WITH ANOTHER.
THE FIRST FIRING IS TO BISK, WHICH HER COOKS THE CLAYT A 1800 DEGREES.
THE SEX FIRE IS MUCH -- SECOND FIRE IS MUCH HOTTER AND THAT CONVERTS THE GLAZE INTO GLASS.
THE GLAZE FIRING TAKES ABOUT SIX TO SEVEN HOURS AND ACCORDING TO FRIEDMAN, IT IS THE MOST STRESSFUL AND THE MOST REWARDING PART OF THE PROCESS.
>> YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF WHAT HAPPENS IN THE KILN AND YOU PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THESE PIECES.
AND ONCE THEY'RE IN THE KILN, IT'S UP TO THE KILN.
SO I HAVE A KILN GOD WHICH IS A LITTLE CLAY CREATURE THAT I SEPARATED AND GOES INTO THE KILN -- THAT I CREATED AND IT GOES INTO THE KILN AND BLESSES THE FIRINGS.
I THINK THERE'S A RESURGENCE IN POTTERY, BUT IT'S AN ANCIENT CRAFT AND ART.
AND ORIGINALLY IT WAS MEANT TO BE FUNCTIONAL.
AND IT'S EVOLVED INTO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE TURNED INTO ART OVER THE YEARS.
¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >> AND IF YOU JOINED THAT STORY -- ENJOYED THAT STORY, YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT POTTER ZAHAVA FRIEDMAN IN A DIGITAL EXTRA.
>> MY WHOLE LIFE I'VE BEEN IN COOPERATIVE STUDIOS.
BUT IT'S BEEN A DREAM TO HAVE A HOME STUDIO.
EVEN AFTER MY FIRST CLASS AS A 10-YEAR-OLD, I THOUGHT SOMEDAY I WANT TO DO THIS WHOLE PROCESS AT HOME.
I'LL STEP BACK AND SEE IF I NEED TO REORIENT.
>> THAT DIGITAL EXTRA IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.
>>> FOR 40 YEARS, DOUBLE EDGE THEATRE HAS BEEN A SANG YOU TOO WE'RE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS -- SANCTUARY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
THE FALL SEASON OFFERS THREE PIECES THAT REPRESENT THE INNER MONSTERS OF US AS INDIVIDUALS, USING PUPPETRY AND SHADOWS TO EXPLORE THE STRUGGLES OF NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE IMPACT OF HOSTILITY TOWARD LGBTQ+ PEOPLE.
"CONNECTING POINT'S" ION HANE SPOKE WITH THOSE INVOLVED TO FIND OUT HOW THIS WORK REPRESENTS AND AMPLIFIES THE REPRESENTATION OF OUR DIFFERENT GROUPS STRONGLYIEM BEDDED IN OUR SOCIETY.
>> -- STRONGLY EMBEDDED IN OUR SOCIETY.
>> IT WAS A SMALL GROUP.
NO MORE THAN SEVEN AT TIMES, EVEN LESS AT TIMES.
AND IT HAS BEEN IN MY -- WHAT I PERCEIVE FROM WHAT THE AUDIENCE HAS BEEN SAYING, NOT ONLY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO -- BRAZILIANS TO SOMEHOW SURVIVE COVID AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, DURING COVID AND A LITTLE BIT BEFORE COVID IS THE REALITY OF THIS WORK.
BUT THAT WE HAVE GROWN ESTHETICALLY.
>> JEREMY, YOU YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR AND THE DESIGNER FOR LIGHTNING.
WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THIS PIECE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF SUCH A STRONG WORD?
THIS NAME FEELS ENCAPSULATES WHAT THE EXPERIENCE OF THIS EXPECTATION WILL BE.
>> THAT'S HOW I NAMED IT.
I NAMED IT -- I THINK FOR SOME MARKETING REASONS, JUST TO BE HONEST.
WE NEEDED A NAME AND I HADN'T MADE THE SHOW YET.
[LAUGHTER] AND I DECIDED TO BE OKAY WITH THAT AND NAME IT THE THING THAT I -- LIKE I WAS, I'M JUST GOING TO BOLDLY CALL THIS LIGHTNING AND THEN SEE WHAT I MAKE THAT IS -- BRINGS ME THAT FEELING.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CHALLENGE TO MYSELF TO BE LIKE, YOU BETTER MAKE SOMETHING THAT REALLY MAKES YOU FEEL AWAKE, BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG NAME.
THE METAPHOR AND THE REALITY OF IT ARE BOTH VERY STRONG, WHICH IS SOMETHING I THINK I WAS ART PARTICULARLY AND -- ARTISTICALLY AND PERSONALLY LOOKING FOR IN LIFE.
THE SEEDS OF THE WORK ITSELF ARE -- IT'S PARTIALLY AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL, ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT SOMETHING ANYONE ELSE WOULD EVER UNDERSTAND AND I'M NOT -- FOR THIS WORK MAKING THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF IT IS ALL IN METAPHOR, SO IT'S NOT ANYTHING ELSE THAT ANYONE WOULD EVER RECOGNIZE AND I'M DOING THAT INTENTIONALLY.
I DON'T WANT TO SHARE MY LIFE STORY IN AN EXPLICIT WAY.
AND I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT LIFE EXPERIENCE IN AN EXPLICIT WAY.
JUST FOR MYSELF.
BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE WORK ABOUT IT.
SO THIS PERFORMANCE WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR MYSELF AS AN ARTIST I EVER JUST TRIED TO GO ALL IN ON MAKING SOMETHING THAT IS MY MEMOIR.
AND I KNEW I COULDN'T DO IT ALONE.
SO I'M REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE FOUND FOUR DIFFERENT KIND OF ECLECTIC ODDBALLS WHO I HAD NEVER -- GROUP HAD NEVER WORKED TOGETHER BEFORE.
SOME OF THEM I HAD NEVER WORKED TOGETHER WITH IN ANY CONTEXT BEFORE WE COMMITTED TO EACH OTHER TO MAKE THIS.
BUT WE ALL HAD IN COMMON WAS A DESIRE TO BE MAKING SOMETHING.
AND SO IT'S ALSO ABOUT THAT.
AND I HOPE CERTAINLY THAT ALTHOUGH THE ROOT OF IT WAS THIS KIND OF METAPHORICAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY ABOUT HOW WE DEAL WITH MONSTERS AND INTERNAL ONES, I DEEPLY HOPE THAT THEY EACH -- MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE WORK IS WHEN I HEAR THEM TALKING ABOUT IT, THEY'RE NOT LIKE JEREMY, SING, OR JEREMY DECIDED TO DO THIS PART OR SHE SUGGESTED -- LIKE THEY'RE FULLY TALKING ABOUT THEIR OWN WORK AND THEIR OWN -- LIKE EACH OF THEM WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT DESCRIPTION OF THE PIECE.
AND THAT I HOPE IS HOW -- INHERENTLY IN THE MAKING OF IT AND THE DNA OF IT.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK, SAMANTHA.
FOR SOMETHING ELSE, YOU ARE NOT ONLY THE WRITER BUT ALSO THE PERFORMER.
AND IN THIS PIECE, WE FOLLOW THE STORY OF AN INCARCERATED NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN ON DEATH ROW AS SHE SEEKS CONNECTION IN HER FINAL MOMENTS HOW IT BECOMES MEANINGFUL TO YOU AS A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE CREATING SOMETHING ELSE.
>> SO I FIRST WROTE THIS PIECE WHEN I ATTENDED THE EUGENE O'NEIL THEATER CENTER, IN CONNECTICUT.
AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS JUST A TEX-BASED -- TEXT-BASED PIECE.
THERE WASN'T ANY MUSIC OR ANYTHING ELSE.
I CAME TO DOUBLE EDGE SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND I THOUGHT I SHOULD DEVELOP THIS PIECE MORE WITH ASPECTS OF WHAT DOUBLE EDGE HAS TAUGHT ME, WHICH IS MORE OF THE PHYSICAL REALM OR THE VISCERAL IMAGINATIVE SORT OF THING.
AND SO I STARTED DEVELOPING IT HERE.
DEVELOPING THE PIECE HERE AND WHAT HAS BECOME OF THAT IS THERE'S MORE OF A SENSE OF THE MULTIPLICITIES OF REALITY THAT NATIVES EXPERIENCE ON A DAILY BASIS, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH BEING MIXED OR, YOU KNOW, JUST WALKING IN TWO WORLDS, SO, SO TO SPEAK, IN, YOU KNOW, THIS WORLD AND THE NATIVE WORLD.
SO AS WE FOLLOW LUCY, SHE UNEXPECTEDLY FINDS FREEDOM THROUGH DANCE, THROUGH HUMOR, THROUGH CONNECTION WITH THE AUDIENCE.
THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF AUDIENCE INTERACTION IMPROV TYPE OF STUFF.
AND YEAH, JUST BASICALLY REFLECTING ON WHAT IT IS TO BE INDIGENOUS IN 2022.
>> AND TRAVIS, YOU DESIGNED AND YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR OF RAINBOW EXODUS.
AND THIS IS A COMPELLING AND STRONG PIECE THAT TELLS THE STORY OF A MAN AND HIS JOURNEY TO ESCAPE THE CONFINES OF THEIR CONSERVATIVE UPBRINGING IN POLAND WHERE PEOPLE ARE INCREASINGLY BE HOSTILE TOWARD THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.
HOW THE RAINBOW EXODUS CAME TO BE?
>> IT CAME OUT OF A PROPOSAL TO MY PARTNER, KARO.
WE'RE LIFE PARTNERS AND HE WAS TALKING A LOT ABOUT ACTIVIST YICK WORK THAT HE WANTED TO DO ON THE STREETS.
AND I SORT OF SAID TO HIM, HEY, WHY DON'T WE TRY TO MAYBE DEVELOP SOMETHING REALLY INTIMATE AND PERSONAL.
AND SO THROUGH THAT, AND THROUGH ALL THE THINGS HE TOOK ON THE PROPOSAL, REALLY.
AND HE BEGAN WORKING ON THIS PIECE RAINBOW EXODUS.
AND EARLY ON WE KNEW WE WANTED IT TO BE SOMEWHERE THAT WAS -- THAT WAS DAILY AND CONCRETE, A PLACE WHERE TRAVEL IS ALWAYS HAPPENING.
AND SO WE STUMBLED UPON A BUS STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IN WHOAVICH, CHIS HIS HOMETOWN, AND IT'S THE NICE HE DECIDES I'M LEACHING POLAND.
I'M GETTING OUT OF HERE AND I'M GOING TO START A NEW LIFE WHERE I CAN BE GAY, HAPPY, AND FREE.
AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS IN OUR EXPERIENCE OF TRAVEL IS THAT TRAINS GET DELAYED, BUSES GET DELAYED.
SO BASICALLY, THE BUS GETS DELAYED AND HE'S STRANDED NOW FOR, LET'S SAY, A LONG TIME AT THIS BUS STOP.
AND WHAT BEGINS TO DEVELOP FOR HIM IS -- IS A LOOKING BACK AT HIS PAST, THINKING ABOUT HIS FUTURE, AND SO I LIKE TO SEE RAINBOW EXODUS AS A PIECE THAT IS SORT OF IN BETWEEN THE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE MOMENT, IN BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL.
AND SORT OF WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THAT IN-BETWEEN PLACE OF BEING SORT OF STUCK BUT ALSO THEN FINDING OUT HOW TO BREAK FREE WITHIN THOSE RESTRAINTS AND BOUNDARIES.
IT'S A REALLY INTENSE PIECE.
I THINK ALSO IT BEING A PIECE THAT I'M DOING WITH MY LIFE PARTNER, IT'S EXTREMELY PERSONAL AND WE HAVE HAD MANY GREAT GROATDS IN -- GROWTHS IN FLIGHT, ALSO FIGHTS.
AND I THINK THIS PIECE IS THAT.
IT'S A FIGHT AND A FLIGHT AT THE SAME TIME.
¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> EVERY WEEK "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY, THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.
YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE ANYTIME FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND CONTENT.
FROMTH.
>>> NOVEMBER IS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, AND IN THIS WEEK'S DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE, WE OFFER A A LOOK AT A CURRENT EXHIBITION AT THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS BY LOCAL ARTISTS APRELL MAY, WHICH EXPLORES THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF NATIVE COMMUNITIES IN OUR REGION.
>> BUT AS AN ADULT I WONDERED WHAT WOULD THE IMPACT BE IF MY KIDS COULD SEE THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE KNEW AND WE'VE SEEN IN CEREMONIES AND IN EVENTS AND AT POW WOWS AND I REALIZED THAT THIS IS THE IMAGE THAT KIDS SEE FIRST, BECAUSE THE FIRST PLACE THEY GO TO WHEN THEY'RE NONSCHOOL AGE IS THE LIBRARY AND THE MUSEUM.
>> YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.
>>> FRANKLIN COUNTY CIDER DAYS IS A THREE-DAY EVENT WHERE APPLE CIDER MAKERS AND HARD CIDER BRUSHFIRES CONVERGE WITH TATETINGS AND WORKSHOPS AT FARMS AND CIDER MILLS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
FOR HARD CIDER MAKERS, IT'S A CHANCE FOR THEM TO PURCHASE MASS QUANTITIES OF CIDER FOR THE FERMENTING PROCESS, AND IN MASSACHUSETTS, THERE ARE ONLY A FEW FARMS WHO MASS PRODUCE ON THAT LEVEL.
"CONNECTING POINT'S" BRIAN SULLIVAN PAID A VISIT TO THE PINE HILL ORCHARD IN IN COLRAIN TO SOAK IN THE 50S -- FESTIVITIES.
>> A LOW-LYING FOG COVERS OVER A LINE OF CARS.
BUT AS THE HAZE ASCENDS AND LARGER CROWDS ARRIVE, THE DAY BEGINS TO TRULY MAKE SHAPE FOR THE CELEBRATION THAT IT IS.
IT'S SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, THE SECOND OF THE THREE-DAY EVENT KNOWN AS FRANKLIN COUNTY CIDER DAYS.
PINE HILL IS JUST ONE OF OVER A DOZEN STOPS ON THIS TOUR THROUGH THE COUNTY, AND MANY OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE STOPPED HERE HAVE DONE SO FOR ONE SPECIFIC REASON.
>> EVERYBODY KIND OF DOES SOMETHING AGO BUT -- A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND WE PRESS A LOT OF SPECIAL BLENDS OF APPLE CIDER WITH DIFFERENT APPLES THAN WE WOULD NORMALLY USE IN OUR REGULAR PRODUCTION FOR HARD CIDER MAKERS.
>> THE DOORS OFFICIALLY OPENED AT 9:00 A.M., ALTHOUGH MANY OF THE VENGZ HERE IN LINE STARTED SHOWING UP ONE AND EVEN TWO HOURS PRIOR.
THE FUNNY THING IS, NO ONE SEEMS TO MIND.
THEY GET A CHANCE TO STRETCH THEIR LEGS OUT, GET SOME SAMPLES, AND GET A RUBDOWN ON WHAT -- RUNDOWN ON WHAT BLENDS ARE AVAILABLE WHEN THEY MAKE IT DOWN TO THE PRESSING ROOM.
THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF DRIVING UP IN THE CAR AND WAITING IN LINE DIDN'T START UNTIL 2020, DUE TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.
OF A HASSLE BACK THEN.
TURNS OUT, IT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY EFFICIENT METHOD.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WHILE SOME PEOPLE MAY BE ARRIVING HERE FROM JUST ONE OR TWO TOWNS AWAY, THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE MADE A REAL JOURNEY TO GET HERE.
>> IT'S ABOUT A FOUR--HOUR DRIVE.
THIS MORNING I GOT UP AND LEFT AT ABOUT 4:00 A.M. [LAUGHTER] I WAS REFERRED HERE BY A FRIEND WHO DOES THE SAME THING.
I TRIED IT ONE YEAR AND I JUST -- I LIKED IT SO MUCH, I ENJOY TRAVELING AS IT IS.
SO I LIKE DOING THE TRIP.
I BRING MY DOG WITH ME EVERY YEAR.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE SCUBA -- ROTARY CLUB IN NEW JERSEY.
SO I LIKE DOING IT SO MUCH WHEN I COME PICK UP CIDER, I PICK UP CIDER FOR EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE CLUB AS WELL.
>> THE LAST TIME THAT WE WERE HERE, THEY WERE PRESSING CIDER, BUT IT WAS MOSTLY FOR RETAIL.
WHAT HARD SIEK CIDER MAKERS ARE PICKING UP TODAY IS DIFFERENT.
AND WITH JUST UNDER 4,000 GALLONS AVAILABLE, FOLKS WANT TO GET IT WHILE THE GETTING IS GOOD.
>> IT'S A SPECIAL BLEND THAT WE MAKE WITH APPLES THAT ARE MORE FRIENDLY JUST FOR HARD CIDER MAKING.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF APPLES THAT AREN'T SO GREAT TO EAT BUT THEY DO CAN WHEN YOU SQUEEZE THEM INTO THAT JUICE, INTO THAT -- THEY CALL IT JUICE.
INTO CIDER.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GREAT FOR THEM TO FERMENT, AT YEAST TO, AND THEY MAKE THEIR OWN HOME BLENDS OF HARD CIDER.
PEOPLE START LINING UP HERE ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE WE OPEN.
AND THEY WAIT IN LINE AS LONG AS THEY HAVE TO TO GET DOWN BACK AND GET THEIR SPECIAL CIDER.
>> OF COURSE, THE DAY IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST FILLING UP CONTAINERS WITH CIDER.
IT'S A PARTY.
AND NOT JUST FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE HARD CIDER.
BUT ALSO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO PREFER IT AS THEIR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE.
WITH THE FOOD TRUCK UP AND RUNNING, THEY CAN FIND THE PERFECT CIDER TO PAIR WITH THEIR LUNCH.
AND WITH MUSIC PLAYING UNDER THE TENT, IT WAS A CHANCE FOR ARTIFACT CIDER TO CELEBRATE THEIR LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH PINE HILL ORCHARDS.
>> WE CALL PINE HILL OUR HOME ORCHARD.
WHEN WE STARTED ARTIFACT CIDER NINE YEARS AGO, WE CAME UP HERE TO PINE HILL AND MET WITH BRADY AND MAT AND TOLD THEM WE'RE LOOKING TO GET A SMALL AMOUNT BECAUSE WE WANTED A SPECIFIC BLEND OF APPLES AND THEY'VE BEEN EXTREMELY ACCOMMODATING AND WILLING TO WORK WITH US AND EXCITED.
THEY'VE GROWN TO NOW BE OUR LARGEST SUPPLIER AND WE'RE ACTUALLY THEIR LARGEST CUSTOMER.
SO WE BUY THE MAJORITY OF APPLES FROM THEM THAT THEY USE FOR JUICE.
AND THEY'VE BEEN INCREDIBLE PEOPLE AND INCREDIBLE PRODUCT.
THEY GROW SOME AMAZING FRUIT.
>> INTERESTLY ENOUGH, HARD CIDER IS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN SERVED HERE IN NORTH AMERICA SINCE THE 17TH CENTURY.
IT STILL ATTRACTS A NICHE MARKET.
FOR THIS ONE AND THE OTHER STOPS FEEL LIKE MEETINGS OF A VERY SPECIAL CLUB.
>> WHAT I LOVE IS THAT PEOPLE GET TO FEEL THE PASSION, THE EXCITEMENT THAT EXISTS FOR CIDER AND THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE HERE THAT HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO THIS RELATIVELY SMALL PART OF THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY.
IT'S NOT NEARLY AS BIG AS WINE OR BEER, NOST -- NOT AS WELL KNOWN.
BUT WE LOVE THE PRODUCT AND THERE'S SO MUCH TO LEARN.
SO I THINK THAT'S CONTAGIOUS FOR ME, GETTING TO TALK TO PEOPLE THAT -- WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN DRINKING CIDER AND MAKING SIDER FOR A DECADE OR THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE HAD ONE.
IT'S FUN TO GET TO SHARE THAT.
¶ ¶ >>> INITIALLY BEGINNING AS A LIMITED SERIES OF THEATER WORKSHOPS AT THE HAMP SHIRE JAIL AND HOUSE OF COLLECTIONS, THE PERFORMANCE PROJECT IS STILL AROUND OVER 20 YEARS LATER.
THROUGH PERFORMANCES, PROJECTS, AND VISUAL ARTS CREATED AND INSPIRED BY THE YOUNG PARTICIPANTS, THE PROJECT ENGAGES ITS MEMBERS AND AUDIENCES TO BRING AWARENESS TO SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES.
I SPOKE WITH THE CO-DIRECTORS FROM THE PERFORMANCE PROJECT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THEIR WORK.
>> WE HOLD YOUTH AT THE CORE OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN -- [INAUDIBLE] ULT BUT WE HAVE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS.
WE WANT ARTISTS TO COME.
WE WANT THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO COME.
WE WANT SCHOLARS TO PARTICIPATE, ACTIVISTS TO PARTICIPATE, TEACHERS TO PARTICIPATE, AND WHEN WE HAVE OUR PERFORMANCES, WE'RE REALLY -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE INVITING THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL.
SO WE HOPE THAT IT IS A COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVE.
>> YOU MENTIONED FIRST-GENERATION, WHICH ARE COMPONENTS OF THE PERFORMANCE PROJECT.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THOSE PROGRAMS.
HOW DID THEY COME ABOUT AND WHO ARE THEY FOR AND WHERE DID THE NAMES COME FROM?
>> THE NAME OF THE COMMUNITY IS MEANT TO ENCOMPASS ALL IDENTITIES.
SO INITIALLY, WE THOUGHT OF FIRST GENERATION AS BEING THE FIRST IN ONE'S FAMILY TO BE GROWING UP IN THE UNITED STATES AND SPEAKING ENGLISH.
THE IDENTITY IS EXPANDED TO A YOUNG PERSON WHO CAN IDENTIFY ANY FIRST IN THEIR LIFE.
SO IT MIGHT BE THE FIRST TO BE AN ACTIVISTIST, MIGHT BE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO BE GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR GOING TO COLLEGE.
THAT'S FIRST GENERATION.
>> NAMED AFTER THE SOUTH AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY, WHICH REALLY SPEAKS TO THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF HUMAN BEINGS AND HOW WE CANNOT EXIST IN ISOLATION.
IT'S SOMETIMES GETS TRANSLATED TO I AM BECAUSE YOU ARE OR HOW WE -- EACH ONE BENEFITING FROM LIKE US COMING TOGETHER REALLY MAKES US ALL THRIVE.
SO THAT'S VERY INTENTIONAL IN HOW WE COME TOGETHER IN OUR MENTORING, IN OUR BEING AND EXISTING WITH EACH OTHER.
>> TALK TO ME ABOUT SOME OF THE CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC WORKS THAT YOU DO WITH THE PERFORMANCE PROJECT AND HOW THAT HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL AND BENEFICIAL TO THE MEMBERS.
>> WHAT AUDIENCES SEE WHEN THEY COME TO SEE THE PERFORMANCES ARE THE FINAL PRODUCT OF STORIES THAT ARE BEING TOLD.
BASED ON THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF ENSEMBLE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.
>> WE'RE LAUGHING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE WORLD AND ALL THE WAY HOME.
AND HONESTLY, I LOVE HER.
>> IT'S VERY POWERFUL FOR THEM AFTER PERFORMING WHEN AUDIENCE MEMBERS STAND YOU HAVE AND SAY, YOU JUST TOLD MY STORY, OR, I HAVE NEVER BEEN THROUGH THAT -- I'M NOT FROM BHUTAN, I'M NOT FROM NEPAL, OR -- OR ETHIOPIA, BUT I HAVE HAD A VERY SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.
SO THERE'S KIND OF A COMMON HUMANITY.
>> THEY REALLY CLAIM FULL AUTHORSHIP OVER THEIR PERFORMANCES.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO OFFER PEOPLE THIS CREATIVE FREEDOM?
>> I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO -- TOP EXPERIENCE BEING WITNESS -- TO EXPERIENCE BEING WITNESS IS WHAT WE PROVIDE BECAUSE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE PART OF JUST THE BACKGROUND, EVEN WHEN THEY WERE IN SCHOOL OR AT HOME, THEY'RE IN THE AT THE FOCAL POINT AND WHEN THEY COME TO US, THE SPACE FOR THEM IS THERE FOR THEM TO BE SEEN, HEARD, AND INVITED IN A WAY THAT GETS THEM -- OH, THEY'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN ME WHO I AM AND WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
>> WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE CREATIVE ARTS TO YOU THINK -- THAT PROVIDES THIS AVENUE FOR RELATIONSHIP AND COMMUNITY BUILDING AND WHAT CONVERSATIONS DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE BEGIN HAVING AFTER THEY WITNESS ONE OF THE PERFORMANCES?
>> WE HOPE THAT THE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCES YOUNG PEOPLE AS TEACHERS.
WHEN THEY'RE IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND SO THE POWER DYNAMIC IS FLIPPED IN THAT MOMENT.
AND THE AUDIENCES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE POWER AND POTENTIAL OF YOUTH.
>> WHEN WE CREATE A SPACE THROUGH CONSISTENCY, THROUGH NURTURING WITH CARING WORDS AND PHRASES AND -- AND JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKING THE SPACE CONNECTION TO HAVE AND -- THEN OUR WHOLE SOCIETY BENEFITS.
¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ >>> AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "CONNECTING POINT."
REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND ALL OF THE STORIES THAT YOU SAW IN THIS EPPOD -- EPISODE, AS WELL AS EXCLUSIVE FEATURES, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT, AND SO MUCH MORE ONLINE ANYTIME AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.
OUR THANKS TO THE SOUTH OF -- TOWN OF SOUTHWICK FOR HOSTING US TODAY AND PLEASE BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN EVERY WEEK RIGHT HERE HORPOUR STORIES OF THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY, THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.
I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.
THANKS FOR WATCHING AND TAKE CARE.
>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" PROVIDED BY -- OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.
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Connecting Point is a local public television program presented by NEPM