PINOCCHIO: MY PUPPET PAL, BEETLEJUICE JR, and More Set For Academy of Music Theatre Season
The Northampton venue will also host a Thriller-themed community flash mob and a literary revue.
The Academy of Music Theatre has announced its 16th Annual Season Series for 2026-27. This season's lineup features an exciting mix of community dance, joyful Academy Youth Productions (AYP), thought-provoking theatre, and more family-friendly entertainment for all ages on the historic stage of the Academy of Music Theatre at 274 Main Street in Northampton, MA.
The Academy's Season Series and AYP lineup includes:
Pinocchio: My Puppet Pal (AYP)
October 23, 2026 | 6:00 PM
Ticket prices: $12.00 including fees
A new musical presented by the Academy of Music Youth programs! Follow Katie and her puppet pal, Pinocchio, as they journey to the Harvest Festival and along the way meet new pals and learn what it is to be a “real friend." Performed by kids ages 6 – 10. This production is sponsored by Hilltown Families and Tandem Bagel Company.
Beetlejuice, JR. (AYP)
October 29-30, 2026 | 6:30 PM
Ticket prices: $13.95 - $25.20 including fees
Based on the blockbuster motion picture turned Broadway musical, Beetlejuice JR. tells the story of a strange and unusual teenager named Lydia Deetz, who is grieving the loss of her mother and obsessed with death. Luckily for Lydia, she and her father move to a new house haunted by a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a delightful demon with a real zest for life. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter shows his true stripes, unleashing a (Nether)world of pandemonium. With music and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Eddie Perfect and a book by the Tony Award–nominated pair Anthony King and Scott Brown, Beetlejuice was nominated for eight 2019 Tony Awards, including Best New Musical. This production is sponsored by Hilltown Families and Tandem Bagel Company.
Thriller Parade
Friday, October 30, 2026, 5:00 PM and 5:15 PM
(Rain date October 31)
Participation cost: $20.00 including fees
This flash-mob-style community dance event will take place on the plaza in front of the Academy of Music. Participation is open to the public, regardless of dance experience. Participants will be granted access to a video in order to learn the dance, and will be given a wristband to denote them as an official Thriller Parade dancer. Thriller dancers will also need to attend a mandatory group rehearsal on Sunday, October 25, at 10:00am at the Academy of Music. Dancers will need to provide their own zombie costumes and makeup for the event. Attendance is free to watch the Thriller Parade on October 30. This production is sponsored by Whalen Insurance and Florence Bank.
Letters Aloud: Before They Were Famous
November 14, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Ticket prices: $27.43 including fees
Sometimes, being famous is all about hard work. And sometimes, it’s an accident. In either case, fame teaches you things—about yourself, about hard work, about enjoyment, about pride, and about your impact on the world and others. From humble beginnings to adoring fans to looking back on achievements and lessons learned, we chart the course of celebrity through the correspondence of luminaries like Bruce Springsteen, Oprah Winfrey, Elvis Presley, Emily Dickinson, Bruce Lee, Marilyn Monroe, and Tom Hanks. Expect to hear letters from and to a few celebrities who appeared on the Academy of Music stage as well in Postscript Productions' popular show. This production is sponsored by Hotel UMass and Keiter Construction.
KEVIN!!!!!
December 17, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Ticket prices: $19.68 - $30.83 including fees
Four actors perform a live, shot-for-shot parody of Home Alone. Critically acclaimed company Recent Cutbacks returns with their hilarious holiday blend of puppetry, live projections, and 90s nostalgia.
A Case for the Existence of God
March 12-13, 2027 | 7:30 PM
Ticket prices: $35.86 including fees
This play by Samuel Hunter (best known for his play The Whale), explores themes of human resilience and the search for meaning, which can be interpreted as a narrative reflection on the existence of God. The characters navigate personal struggles and relationships, suggesting that the quest for understanding and connection may serve as a case for the divine. While the play does not explicitly argue for God’s existence, it presents a poignant exploration of faith, grace, and human experience. This production is sponsored by Nirvana Noho.
DISNEY's Newsies JR. (AYP)
March 25-27, 2027 | Thursday and Friday at 6:30 PM, Saturday at 2:30 PM and 6:30 PM
Ticket prices: $13.95 - $25.20 including fees
You’ll be doing flips for the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of young newsies in Manhattan. When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsies’ expense, Jack rallies young workers from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right! Adapted especially for young performers, this musical features a Tony Award®-winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award® winner Harvey Fierstein, and includes rousing songs like “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “King of New York.” Newsies JR. is packed with nonstop thrills and a timeless message perfect for the whole family and every audience. This production is sponsored by Hilltown Families, Dr. David Gottsegen, and Tandem Bagel Company.
Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam (AYP)
April 2, 2027 | 6:30 PM
Ticket prices: $10.00 including fees
The Academy of Music Theatre presents the Fifth Annual Academy Regional Youth Poetry Slam on the Academy’s historic stage, where young poets perform original work for cash prizes. Hosted by Lyrical Faith, this is the only poetry slam in Western Massachusetts showcasing the talented and powerful voices from Pioneer Valley high school students! This production is sponsored by Hilltown Families and Tandem Bagel Company.
Best of Valley Voices Story Slam
April 3, 2027 | 7:30 PM
Ticket prices: $32.00 including fees
The Academy of Music Theatre celebrates their twelfth season of the Valley Voices Story Slam! Join us as we choose the winner of this community-favorite competition based on the art of first-person narrative storytelling. Appropriate for ages 13 and older. This production is sponsored by Berkshire Brewing Company.
Afeni
April 16-18, 2027 | 7:30 PM
Ticket prices: $30.85 including fees
This is the U.S. Premiere of this show, which is based on the experiences of Afeni Shakur, mother of the rapper Tupac Shakur, surrounding the events of the 1969 “Panther 21” trial and her involvement in the Black Panthers. During this trial, Shakur opted to defend herself, and her cross-examination of an NYPD detective brought to light that several undercover police agents had infiltrated the group and organized most of the unlawful activities for which members had been arrested. Shakur and her colleagues were acquitted in 1971, and this experience led to her lifelong dedication to social justice and activism. This production is sponsored by Nirvana Noho.
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (Theatre for Young Audiences Edition) (AYP)
May 28-29, 2027 | 6:30 PM
Ticket prices: $18.00 - $30.00 including fees
A 70-minute, one-act adaptation of the Broadway hit presented by the Academy of Music's Youth Productions! When teenager Percy Jackson discovers he's a demigod, he and his friends embark on an epic journey to find Zeus' missing lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods. Adapted from the best-selling book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and featuring a thrilling original rock score, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed mythical adventure "worthy of the gods" (Time Out New York). This production is sponsored by Hilltown Families, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, and Tandem Bagel Company.
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Covenant SpeakEasy Stage Company (9/25-10/17) |
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Monty Python's SPAMALOT Boch Center Wang Theatre (10/06-10/11) |
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The Norwegians Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre (9/04-10/04) |
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This Is Your Song: The Elton John Songbook Norton Singers (10/02-10/03) |
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Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest Huntington Theatre (1/21-2/07) |
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Teatro La Plaza's Hamlet Huntington Theatre (3/04-3/07) |
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THT Rep presents Hedwig and The Angry Inch The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts (2/03-2/21) |
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Covenant The Calderwood Pavilion (9/25-10/17) |
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THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE The Cape Playhouse (9/02-9/19) |
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Bat Boy: The Musical Umbrella Arts (9/25-11/08) |