Northern Stage’s youth-led production of “Amélie” will be hitting the stage July 29 through Aug. 3. A musical centered around human connection and the quirky, endearing escapades of a young woman deciding to embrace those around her, “Amélie” will tug at the heartstrings and remind audience members of the joy that comes from connecting with others.
Kevin David Thomas, creative director of “Amélie,” spoke to the Standard this week about adapting the musical for a student-led production, and what he hopes viewers take away from the play.
“This year, we wanted to create a show that highlighted a story centered around humanity and kindness, that would bring people together,” said Thomas. “‘Amélie’ is a tale of a young woman who is extremely shy, very isolated, and avoids human contact at all costs. She then grows to find her voice and embarks on a journey of connecting with strangers and friends alike. Given the current state of America, we felt this was the perfect play. I thought a musical that radiated so much positivity and joy was necessary.”
Monet Nowlan, who will star as the titular lead in “Amélie,” echoed Thomas’ sentiment. “This is my final production at Northern Stage before I go to college in the fall, and I am so excited to end this chapter with a character as heartwarming as Amélie. My favorite thing about art, and specifically theater, is being able to share very relevant messages with others. I think this musical contains such an important message about kindness and human connection.”
For fans of the 2001 French film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, this musical adaptation will be a slight departure. Not only has it been stripped of its adult content, and made viewable for those of all ages, but it also utilizes original songs to progress the story and transport viewers to the surreal and magical world of Paris.
Thomas told the Standard, “The film is known for these quick visual cuts that add to the magic and quirkiness of ‘Amélie.’ On stage, we obviously couldn’t do that, so we leaned into utilizing our ensemble to transition and progress the story forward. Instead of a camera, we move characters around the stage to tell the story. In traditional theater, there is a standard cadence: a scene ends, lights go down, the set changes, and a new scene begins. For this production, we are breaking those structural rules and creating a seamless narration throughout. It has been an adventure exploring what that physical language is and how we can break those rules and still allow the audience to follow along.”
Experience this quirky and whimsical production of Northern Stage’s “Amélie” on Tuesday, July 29, through Sunday, Aug. 3.
For more on this, please see our July 17 edition of the Vermont Standard.
