Academy of Music Theatre opens season with original Pinocchio musical
The Academy of Music Theatre opens its youth season with an original musical written by its education director.
NORTHAMPTON — The Academy of Music Theatre's youth program opens its 2026-27 season on October 23 at 6:30 p.m. with "Pinocchio: My Puppet Pal," a new 30-minute musical created specifically for young performers ages 6 to 10.
The production follows Katie and her puppet companion Pinocchio on their way to a harvest festival, where they meet new friends and discover what true friendship means. The young actors, drawn from Pioneer Valley families, have been rehearsing since early September.
Kyle Lawrence, education director at the Academy of Music Theatre, directed, choreographed, and wrote the show. Lawrence said he typically selects scripts from Music Theatre International, which licenses established musicals, but decided to take a different approach this time. He expanded a piece he had written for a previous youth program, using the public-domain Pinocchio character to create an original version. "It's a character that people recognize but we could do our own version of it," Lawrence said.
For this younger age group, the production serves as an introduction to theater fundamentals. Lawrence explained that performers learn blocking, projection, and stagecraft while developing social skills through group work. "We're learning the basics about blocking and cheating out, projecting and working on those kinds of skills," he said. Working exclusively with the younger cohort allows for more individualized attention and larger roles as students discover theater.
Lawrence described the reward of witnessing young performers discover a passion for performance. "They still have that spark of excitement," he said. "It's so fresh and exciting to just be silly, to have fun and to put on a show about rolling a pumpkin to a festival and the magic of friendship."
Tickets cost $12 including fees and are available online, by phone at 413-584-9032 ext. 105, or in person at the box office Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. The Academy participates in the Card to Culture program, with limited seats available for eligible patrons.
The Academy of Music Theatre's youth season is supported in part by Hilltown Families. The lobby will host a giveaway before the performance, with winners announced at the show's end.