Gnome Hunt Around Doylestown Could Win You Free Tix To CB High School Theater Show

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Great Doylestown Gnome Hunt starting March 26 could win gnome seekers free tickets to Central Bucks High School West's production of the whimsical musical "Amélie."

While "Amélie" is not about gnomes, there is a gnome character, and producer Suzanne Safran thought the tiny creatures represented some of the fun of the play while also getting community members involved.

“We are living through difficult times and I knew I wanted to select a show that was positive, bright and full of hope and kindness,” director Jessica Bostock said.

The cast has hidden six gnomes in Doylestown businesses, and the 10 teams who find all six gnomes will win a four-pack of tickets to the musical, running March 31 through Apr. 3. Each business destination will offer a special promotion for gnome hunters, and there will be a small prize at the end for all participants.

The first clue will be posted the morning of March 26 at 9 a.m. to the Drama Club Facebook page and Instagram account, and to the Doylestown Patch, Safran said. Gnome hunters will get their next clues as they get to each destination, and should take a picture with the final gnome at the end of the hunt and email it to harlequinclubproducer@gmail.com before March 27 at 4 p.m.

All teams who have completed the hunt and submitted a photo by the deadline will be entered into a drawing for the free tickets, and winners will be notified on March 27 by 8 p.m.

The hunt also represents a great opportunity for collaboration between school theater and local businesses, both of which have been impacted greatly by the pandemic.

"We have kept them performing and active the whole two years [since COVID]," Safran told Patch in an interview, saying she was grateful for students' resiliency through cancellations followed by digital and masked performances.

The musical, based on the 2001 French art film written by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant, is characterized by similar themes. After an isolating childhood with protective parents, Amélie embarks on her own personal journey of “good deed doing” to find her way as a young woman in contemporary Paris.

Beautiful music by Daniel Messé, book by Craig Lucas, and heartwarming themes of kindness and courage make Amélie the perfect show for our times, Safran detailed in a news release.

"It's kind of the story of how she learns to connect with people after having been so isolated as a child," Safran said. "But it’s done in a very playful, fun way. I also feel like the show is very much about taking chances and living the life you want to live."

The Harlequin Club is among the first local schools to present the show, which has been available for licensing since 2019.

"Amélie" will run at Central Bucks West High School at 375 West Court Street in Doylestown from Thursday, March 31 to Sunday, April 3. Curtain time is 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and there is a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Tickets can be found online.

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