After making its way across Europe where over 400,000 people viewed it, “Bernadette, The Musical” is making its debut in the U.S. on Feb. 19 at Chicago’s Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture.
Ahead of the musical’s U.S. premiere, EWTN Studios announced a partnership with Castletown Media to release an exclusive four-part series, “Bernadette, The Musical: Miracle in the Making,” telling the behind-the-scenes story of how the original French production was adapted for U.S. audiences.
The musical tells the true story of St. Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes — the 14-year-old girl who, in 1858 in Lourdes, France, encountered a series of apparitions believed to be the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The behind-the-scenes series takes viewers through performers’ auditions, rehearsals, and spiritual reflections that helped the cast portray the true story of Bernadette. The series also dives into how the production was adapted for an American audience — including the creative choices, artistic collaboration, and translation decisions.
“Being part of a project like ‘Bernadette, The Musical’ allows us to bridge the profound beauty of live theatrical expression with the boundless reach of digital storytelling. It’s a reminder that art in all its forms — physical and digital — connects humanity through story, wonder, and shared experience,” said Peter Gagnon, president of EWTN Studios, in a press release.
Pierre Ferragu, lead producer of the musical, added: “Our collaboration with EWTN Studios brings this extraordinary story to life for a global audience, opening access for those who are unable to attend in Chicago while honoring the musical’s emotional and artistic integrity.”
The first episode of “Bernadette, The Musical: Miracle in the Making” made its debut on EWTN’s streaming platform EWTN+ on Feb. 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, and is now available on EWTN+, EWTN’s YouTube channel, and ewtn.com. The series broadcasts on the EWTN channel on cable and satellite March 3 through March 6 at 5:30 p.m. ET.
In an interview with EWTN News, Ferragu shared that he hopes that by telling this story it’s “opening a door to anyone on a path of conversion — be it for very faithful, very devout and practicing Catholics, or people who are not religious at all.”
“I hope everybody will take that story and explore that path of ‘Here is the story of Bernadette. What do I take from it? Did she lie? Did she tell the truth? What did she really see? What does that mean to me?’ And hopefully by bringing that story to the audience, we can plant a seed in every heart.”
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