High School is Killing Me

 Classroom arrest, is God the one giving the test. 

All my fellow IB students know my pain all too well. Exams finish one week, EE due the next, three separate IAs due after, my English oral the week after, and it never ever ends. In between the endless internal assessments, unit tests, homework assignments, and college applications, I often found myself going back to the same lyrics in my head 'High school is killing me'. This is a line from another Starkid musical from the Hatchetfield trilogy (I know you're all sick and tired of me talking about Hatchetfield, but you should be grateful it's not a fourth article about Hamilton). This is the third musical in the series, entitled 'Nerdy Prudes Must Die'. Because I don't hate myself, I will be shortening 'Nerdy Prudes Must Die' to NPMD. 

NPMD is something that can only be described as a wild ride. The story follows a bullied boy, Peter Spankoffski falling in love with a popular girl, Stephanie Lauter. However, there is so much going on in the background, Peter's friends Richie and Ruth have so much going on for them as well, with Richie longing to feel like he belongs and Ruth wishing to be in the spotlight for once. Meanwhile, a hyper Mormon, Grace Chastity is running around trying to hide her desire for the mean quarterback bully, Max Jagerman. From this description, it seems like a normal high school movie, but I can assure you, from eldritch forces to zombie boys, Hatchetfield refuses to be normal. 

The show is visually stunning, it is one of the highest produced show in the trilogy, with stunning sets and costuming. While I want you to watch it as soon as possible, there is something you must do before. Even if it technically isn't required, watching the two stage musicals that came before it (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals and Black Friday) as well as the online musicals (Nightmare Time 1&2) will deeply enrich your viewing experiences. There are so many callbacks and references, especially in character heavy songs like Hatchet Town where almost every character is a recognizable face from a pervious Hatchetfield installment. 

I watched this the second it streamed on YouTube, and didn't hesitate to wake up at 3AM to watch this, and trust me when I say I don't regret it. I was fully screaming at all the references, engulfed in the joy that was watching this beautiful trilogy wrapped in a stunning set and even prettier costumes. 


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