Bringing world class performers to Sullivan County is part of the Bethel Woods mission, but the performing arts center didn't have to look far for its latest act.

The first of its new education series, WoodsTalk: Live was held Saturday evening, a talk with Amber Tamblyn and Nina Burleigh about writing, acting, directing, and life in the midst of the #MeToo movement. Both women are well-known across the country, and both have homes in Sullivan County.

Tamblyn, the actress and writer best known for her starring role in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movie and more recently for her outspoken advocacy for women in the entertainment industry, calls Eldred home. Burleigh, a national correspondent for Newsweek Magazine and author of five books, including The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Italian Trials of Amanda Knox, hails from Cochecton.

Bringing these two women together to kick off the series was a means to focus on strong role models, says Laura Moran, Bethel Woods' arts and humanities education manager.

Bethel Woods looked for “women who have honed art into a profession despite the odds, women who have ‘Broken Boundaries,' Moran added. “We concentrated on how creative engagement gives form to individual identity, how artistic communities help young artists grow, that together we can open the doors to originality but it is up to us individually to walk through.”

After listening to Burleigh and Tamblyn read from their books and viewing Tamblyn's directorial debut, Paint It Black, the audience got the chance to listen as Burleigh interviewed Tamblyn.

“I believe we're in the middle of a revolution, and I refuse to call it by any other name,” Tamblyn said of women and men in both Hollywood and the publishing industry making headlines as they find their strength to name their abusers. As one of the founders of Time's Up, a legal defense fund which she helped create for those who have experienced sexual harassment or related retaliation in the workplace, Tamblyn told Burleigh what women need most now are more allies, more men willing to say “no, that's not ok,” when they see something wrong in the workplace.

“There's a lot of work left to do, and many people need to participate,” she said.

But she was quick to point out that there are misperceptions about the movement too.

“There's this perception that we can't have fun anymore,” Tamblyn said. “You're just not a very inventive flirter if your version of flirting is you have to stick your hand up a woman's skirt!”

Tamblyn and Burleigh followed their talk with a question and answer session, and Tamblyn's offer to sign copies of her book of poetry, Dark Sparkler.

“The goal of these events is to make sure participants leave with a creative spark, an understanding that imagining new possibilities is the first step to creating new possibilities - whether personal, community, or worldwide,” said Bethel Woods' Chief Executive Officer, Darlene Fedun. “WoodsTalk: Live is a place to foster community dialogue, experience shared moments and be plain old fun. Who doesn't love trying something new?”

The next WoodsTalk event will be held May 31 at 7 p.m. featuring local mixologists Josiah and Zeke, for a demonstration and tasting of Mezcal.