Written by Journalism student, Jasmine T.
New Life Academy Theatre is known for its quality productions, talented actors, and beautiful sets, much of which is attributed to the leadership of NLA drama director Mrs. Janette Bach.
Mrs. Bach was hired as the New Life Drama Director in 2016 and was hired as a teacher in 2018.
Mrs. Bach participated in theatre throughout High School and went on to major in theatre in college at North Central University. Through her time in theatre at North Central, she met her now husband, Alan Bach.
Mrs. Bach said, “Alan and I both did theatre together at North Central. I knew that I wanted to take the education track after college, and he knew he wanted to take the performance track. When we were newly married, he performed on a cruise for a year, and then we moved to New York so that he could pursue theatre.”
There were many unexpected changes throughout Mrs. Bach’s early career and life. She said, “We were in New York for almost three years auditioning and trying out different things. I was a nanny during this time. After three years of Alan being told ‘no’ over and over again, he started to audition in Minnesota via video.”
After moving back to Minnesota, Alan Bach was hired at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre and Mrs. Bach was hired at New Life as the Drama Director. She said, “For the longest time I thought that performing was my gift, but in theatre, that’s only half the job. Performing requires an ability to bounce back, even when being told no. I began to discover that while I may be built for performance, I was not built to take continual criticism.”
Bach continued, “I love directing kids. I love being in lighthearted, silly environments, where students feel free. I feel closest to heaven in terms of freedom in Christ that we could all be dorky and be in a safe space and not a place of judgment, but a place of playing. And I think that kids and students are evidence of that in my classroom. And that’s why I started to love directing kids.”
Mrs. Bach feels like the Lord created her to direct and teach. She said, “I believe that you know that you’ve chosen the right career path when for the majority of the time, you leave feeling energized. I am so busy, yet usually leave work feeling excited, and not drained, which I believe shows that the Lord created me for teaching and directing.”
Bach works hard to help develop and grow her student’s confidence in not only their theatre abilities but also confidence because of their identity deeply rooted in Christ.
Seventh grader Maya T. was cast in the middle school musical theatre production “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” directed by Mrs. Bach. Maya said, “Mrs. Bach has helped me gain confidence which has helped me be better in many areas life outside of musical theatre, such as dance and school.” She continued, “My singing and acting has improved so much because of Mrs. Bach, and I am seriously considering continuing to do theatre in high school.”
Students are not the only people that Mrs. Bach has an impact on. Assistant director Ms. Carly Allen works alongside Mrs. Bach during the high school theatre performances. She said, “One of the things I love most about working with Mrs. Bach is that she gives space for people to discover their own giftings and abilities but also their own understanding of who they are in Christ. I have learned so much from her about how to be a better teacher, friend, and director, and more about how to love God and others.”
New Life Theatre has had a lot of success throughout the past several years under Mrs. Bach’s leadership. The New Life One Act has had three third-place finishes, two second-place finishes, and two first-place finishes in sections. The 2023 One Act, “Writer’s Block,” and this year’s One Act “Nevermore” both received starred awards at State.
Mrs. Gina Kortuem has written the One Acts ever since 2019, when she wrote “A Grimm Story.” She said, “If it wasn’t for Mrs. Bach, we wouldn’t have original One Acts. In 2019 she told me I should write the next one act, to which I was highly skeptical. I didn’t think I could do it, but she saw something in me.”
The fall high school musical, “Beauty and the Beast,” was the most highly attended New Life musical in recorded history. Several members of the “Beauty and the Beast” cast also received awards for their performances. Hennepin Arts Spotlight Education gave the overall production an Honorable Mention, two Individual Outstanding Performance awards, two individual Honorable Mention awards, and eight Evaluator Shout-Outs.
Bach said, “The awards are success in the way that I think the world measures success, which I think is great, but I feel like success is me pushing my kids to do their best and to teach them that through their walk with the Lord, that what whatever they do, they should be giving 100%. In that way, we’re pursuing excellence not for the sake of glory on earth, but more so that we use our time and give our best for the Lord’s glory, and not the approval of others.
Senior student and actress Sophee S. said, “Mrs. Bach has been so impactful throughout my theatre journey, and I truly couldn’t have asked for a better director. She has inspired me to want to become a better person and follower of Jesus in and out of the New Life community. Before every rehearsal, she or Ms. Allen gives a small devo, and those 5-minute devotions impact me more than they could ever know. I am so blessed to have Mrs. Bach as both my director and teacher, and I can’t wait to see how much she impacts the underclassmen’s lives like she did mine.”