Students help create new version of Broadway musical

Drama students at Palmyra High School are enjoying unique access to expert professionals in theatre. The students have been working with the composers and writers of the 2017 Broadway musical Amélie to create the first-ever high school version of the show. The show, presented on the Palmyra Middle School stage in mid-September, is a pilot before it is released to the general public.

The school’s musical director, Jasmine Bucher was interviewed by Broadway World about the experience: “This has been an incredible experience for our students and the Palmyra School District,” said Bucher, a 2018 Tony Award Honorable Mention for Excellence in Theatre Education. “The students have provided input on content changes, key alterations, and orchestration needs. This type of access to the creative process is a rare experience and has been an integral part of their theatre education.”

The school also will be performing Amélie: High School Edition as part of two other events. This first is during Palmyra’s Great Give, a community day of giving during which the students will perform with the assistance of a sign-language interpreter. They will also perform the show during the Pennsylvania State Thespian Festival in January of 2020 on the mainstage at the York Strand Theater.