NORTHAMPTON — The latest season for the Academy Youth Productions is kicking off on Friday, Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. with “Pinocchio: My Puppet Pal.”
Audience members are invited to follow Katie and her puppet pal Pinocchio as they journey to the Harvest Festival. Along the way, they meet new pals and learn what it is to be a “real friend.”
The Academy of Music Theatre’s youth program’s new show is a brand-new 30-minute musical performed by children ages 6-10. The young actors in the Academy Youth Productions performances are the children of Pioneer Valley families, and they have been rehearsing this show since early September.
Academy of Music Education Director Kyle Lawrence is director, choreographer of the show and told Reminder Publishing when looking at a show to take on for the youth productions, the program typically picks something from Music Theatre International, licenser of many world renowned and beloved musicals and plays.
This time though, in looking for something different, Lawrence decided to add the duty of playwright to his responsibilities and decided to expand upon a piece he wrote at a previous youth program he worked for and expand on it for this upcoming production. With “Pinocchio” in the public domain, Lawrence added it was exciting to take it and make it into something new in this show for the youth performers.
“It’s a character that people recognize but we could do our own version of it. I wrote it and put it together for them and I’m very excited to bring it to life here in my home theater now,” Lawrence said.
In putting together a production with 6 to 10 year olds, the typical age group to kick off the Academy Youth Productions season, Lawrence said it’s more of an introductory to doing a show for the kids.
“We’re learning the basics about blocking and cheating out, projecting and working on those kinds of skills,” Lawrence explained. “There’s also the social skills they’re working on. How to do things in a group, that comes up a lot in rehearsals. Working together.”
Lawrence added that when working with the younger age group only as opposed to a youth production featuring all youth ages, they get more hands on experience and can get experience taking on bigger roles as they learn what it takes to put on a show.
“It’s really nice when we have only the littles together because it really can be adapted and featured towards them both in who’s playing the lead role and the main characters, as well as like how the rehearsal runs,” Lawrence added.
In working with younger children, Lawrence added that it is rewarding to often see the spark of passion from them as they discover a love for the craft and grow a foundation as performers.
“We get the work done and have fun because doing a show, doing a play is fun. But they still have that spark of excitement, not that everybody loses it, but 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. It’s fun,” Lawrence added.
The Academy will be hosting a giveaway in the lobby before the performance, and winners will be announced at the end of the show.
Tickets for “Pinocchio: My Puppet Pal” are $12 including fees and can be purchased online at aomtheatre.com, by calling the Academy box office. at 413-584-9032 ext. 105, or in person during box office hours Tuesday through Friday 3-6 p.m.
The Academy of Music participates in the Card to Culture program, and there are limited Card to Culture seats available for this performance. For more information, call or visit the box office.
The Academy of Music Theatre’s 2026-27 youth season is supported in part through the generosity of Hilltown Families.
In looking forward to the upcoming show, Lawrence added he is grateful to be part of providing these opportunities to the youth in the community and helping them find that energy and joy for performance at such a young age.
“I’m excited for it to be shared with audiences. It’s very exciting, especially being the playwright in the room to see the kids get excited about the show and seeing what jokes they really love and what songs they get stuck in their heads, what songs they’re getting stuck in their families heads,” Lawrence said with a laugh. “The parents tell me that all the families are listening to it at home and even kids who aren’t in the show are singing it with them. It’s really fun to see that coming together and we’re excited to share that with an audience.”
