Hannah Joy Snyder

On Thursday, January 20, I had the pleasure of seeing a phenomenal show that I have been waiting to see for about two years!   It was well worth the wait!  The ACT of Connecticut has struck gold with NICKEL MINES, an emotionally intense musical based on the true story of an Amish school shooting, perpetrated by an outsider, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on October 2, 2006.  The use of song, interpretive dance, and dialogue are all combined to tell the story.  It is not presented in a strict linear time sequence, yet it somehow brilliantly flows together in an ideal way, parts of the story taking place in 2011.   With book by Shannon Stoeke and Andrew Palermo, and music & lyrics by Dan Dyer, this show which is also directed and choreographed by Andrew Palermo stars an extremely talented ensemble cast, backed by an amazing live band.  The depth, power, messages, and entertainment value of this production are all so strong that it is difficult to put them into words.  Not only was I highly entertained, but by God’s grace, I feel like I left the show a better person than who I was when I entered, more focused on my own need to forgive others.

NICKEL MINES is a new musical centered around the 2006 Lancaster, PA Amish schoolhouse shooting in which a lone gunman shot ten girls (five fatally) before taking his own life. This breathtaking piece of theater explores multiple perspectives from that fateful morning, is a living memorial to the young girls who tragically lost their lives, and is a powerful exploration of community, perseverance, and hope.