Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people resigned themselves to the idea that there would be no spring musicals. John Matusek, gifted support teacher at Penn Manor High School, had other ideas.

After hearing the quote "So many people are hanging by the thinnest of threads. Treat people well; you could just be that thread," Matusek knew he had to do everything in his power to make a musical happen at Penn Manor High School. He wanted to empower the students and give them ownership of the show. As a group, they turned lemons into lemonade.

Not only was this project impacted by the pandemic, but the stage at the high school was undergoing renovations. After putting on their thinking caps, the cast and crew found a flexible version of a musical that both was appropriate for their audience and could be done remotely. "Now. Here. This. (Flexible Version)" follows a group of friends as they journey through time and share stories about friendship, death, school, life, and more. In addition to performing in the musical, students helped direct, edit, film, and choreograph the show. The cast and crew didn't just make a musical - they made a movie.

Prior to this project, none of the cast or crew members knew how to make a movie. As a result, they encountered several obstacles. Rather than allow these setbacks to stop them, they focused on the process and not just the product. Collectively, the team put thousands of hours of work into the project. Through it all, the team's enthusiasm for the show and the theater program was evident.

Some of the students talked about their experiences.

"It was pretty fun to work with a group and think up how we wanted the scene to look," said junior Colin Rost. "We managed to make it work even though we weren't in person."

"This was a workshop experience, and with all the input we, as students, were encouraged to put in, we were able to make it a great show, or 'movie,' if you will," explained sophomore Carley Weber. "It's been an incredible experience that I feel has empowered me to not only be more confident, but also try new things. This experience has planted memories I think will stick with me for a very long time."

"Being part of this musical was an experience unlike any other for me," said junior Emily Witmer. "Since so many opportunities were canceled for high-schoolers, I wasn't expecting to even have a show this year, but I'm so glad that we did."

"Now. Here. This. (Flexible Version)" is based on the book by Hunter Bell and Susan Blackwell with music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen. The free show will stream Friday, April 9, and Saturday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 11, at 3 p.m. Reservations can be made at http://www.showstreamr.com/school/penn-manor.

"This was truly a labor of love," added Matusek. "As we are nearing the end of production, I couldn't be prouder of my team, these kids, and our final product."