Austin Peay State University students Alysia Norales and Cameron Tillett are bringing history to the stage through what is believed to be the first ever Belizean musical, based on the real-life story of a woman named Nora.

The musical, titled Nora, has been in development for nearly six years and tells the story of Nora Parham, a woman who lived in Belize during British colonial rule and was executed after being accused of killing her abusive husband.

The story takes place during a time when Belize was still known as British Honduras and under British rule. Nora, a mother of eight children ranging from infants to teenagers, was in an abusive marriage with a police officer, a position that at the time was seen as highly respected.

According to Norales, the situation escalated one day after her husband came home angry and began attacking her. In an attempt to escape, Nora threw a kerosene iron at him and ran. Moments later, he went outside, lit a cigarette and caught on fire, later dying from his injuries.

Despite his own statement explaining what happened, officials changed the narrative.

“They modified it to make it seem as if she set him on fire on purpose,” Norales said.

Nora was put on trial in front of an all-male jury and ultimately sentenced to death. The decision sparked outrage across the country, with thousands protesting and calling for mercy, especially because of her children.

Even with public support and letters sent to officials, Nora was executed in 1963. She later received a posthumous pardon, but many people still believe the inaccurate version of her story.

“Nora is a Belizean musical that we’ve been working on for the past five, almost six years,” Norales said.

The story highlights a deeper history that both students said is often misunderstood or lost.

“A lot of Belizean history is missing and undocumented, people tend to manipulate or tell false versions of the things that happened in Belize”

For Norales and Tillett, telling this story is not just about theater, but about where they come from. Both students grew up in Belize and said their experiences shaped the way they see the story today.

“Belize is such a laid back place… the people are so diverse and just super warm and friendly,” Norales said.

She explained that even without the same resources as the United States, her upbringing was meaningful.

“I was a very, very happy child growing up in Belize,” Norales said.

Tillett said that connection to home is something they carry with them, even while studying abroad.

“I really do appreciate a lot of the things Belize has… even though we have less,” Tillett said.

That connection is what drives the musical. The goal is to share Nora’s story in a way that feels real, while also correcting the narrative that has followed her for decades.

“The point of the musical is to basically tell the truth about the story… and clear her name from any wrongdoing,” Norales said.

Bringing the project to life has not been easy. Both students said they had no formal theater background and had to teach themselves how to write and produce a full musical while balancing school and leadership roles on campus.

“All the music is original… we wrote it and produced the instrumentals for it as well,” Tillett said.

They also worked to blend traditional Belizean sounds with theatrical storytelling, which added another layer of difficulty.

“We wanted to make it feel like home, but also feel like something you can find on Broadway,” Tillett said.

The musical will be performed as part of the APSU Fringe Festival on May 2 at 7 p.m. in the Lab Theatre located in the Trahern Building.

As the performance approaches, Norales said the impact of the story goes beyond the stage and into how people remember it.

“If you’re singing those songs and you know the lyrics… then you know her story,” Norales said.