The Friends of Hopewell Furnace invite the public to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Bill of Rights with a presentation of Fragile Freedom, an original play by the international playwright Christine Emmert. In keeping with the season, the performance will be complemented by a demonstration of how to make a Belsnickel. The free program is slated for Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. in the Hopewell Furnace Conference Center.
The Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, was ratified on Dec. 15, 1789. The ratification marked the beginning of a series of amendments that protect the rights of American citizens. These rights are celebrated in Fragile Freedom. Performing her own work, Emmert will take us on the journey from the country’s early history to the present day with tears, laughter, and many companions including Sojourner Truth, Mark Twain, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others. Along the way there will be new names that are not so easily recognized, but are nonetheless, important spirits in shaping a true democracy.
Playwright/director Christine Emmert is a writer, actress, director and educator. She holds a Masters in Humanities. Adapted with Katherine Mallon-Day, she performed THE YELLOW WALLPAPER to enthusiastic audiences at the Philadelphia Fringe this summer. In July, as part of Hopewell Furnace’s Outreach Program, Christine took FRAGILE FREEDOM to the Susan B. Anthony House in Rochester, N.Y. She wrote and continues to perform FROM OUT THE FIERY FURNACE, a play that has been touring the Tri County Area for more than five years. Her novel, THE NUN’S DRAGON, is presently out on Amazon Kindle.
For the past 16 years, Berks County resident Rosalie Birt has donated a Belsnickel doll to Hopewell Furnace. Ms. Birt holds a trademark for her product which has delighted generations of Hopewell Furnace visitors. She will be bringing some 40 dolls to the program and be available to talk about how the dolls are made.
The Belsnickel is a Pennsylvania Dutch version of Santa Claus. Legend has it the Christ Child rode a mule into town on Christmas Eve bearing gifts. He was joined by Pelze Nicol, a bearded boy with a blackened face who brought sweets for the good children and switches for the mothers of bad children. Over time, Pelze Nicol became Pelznickel, even Pelsnickel, and finally Belsnickel.
While at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site visitors are encouraged to go into the village, tour the buildings and learn about the iron making industry and why Hopewell Furnace is important to our nation’s history and the development of our democratic freedoms.
The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday including Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day. It is closed on other federal holidays. On Mondays and Tuesdays while the visitor center and the village are closed, the grounds and restrooms remain open. The park is located five miles south of Birdsboro, PA, off of Route 345. For more information stop by the park’s visitor center, call 610-582-8773, visit the park’s web site at www.nps.gov/hofu, or contact the park by e-mail at hofu_superintendent@nps.gov.
From Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
