Sugarcreek set teaches actors Pennsylvania Dutch for upcoming series

Cast members of the eight-episode UPtv series Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries spent weeks in Sugarcreek and other Holmes County locations learning local Pennsylvania Dutch dialect nuances while production moved through town. The training, led in part by a local Amish woman serving as an on-set adviser, focused on pronunciation, regional vowel shifts and characteristic turns of phrase — for example, rendering "Mom" closer to "mem" — to anchor performances in the county's living language and customs.

Producers said the TV series is an expansion of the franchise that began with a popular book series and an initial feature film, and the television release is planned for April. Filming integrated local places and people into scenes and employed community advisers to vet language and depictions of Amish traditions. That coordination shaped everything from line delivery to staging of domestic and communal settings, reflecting a production decision to prioritize cultural fidelity over convenience.

Local involvement extended beyond dialect coaching. Young cast members reported that working closely with advisers and neighbors changed their perspective and deepened their respect for Holmes County culture. The presence of a production crew also brought practical impacts to Sugarcreek: storefronts and public spaces were used for scenes, and residents served as background actors and logistical collaborators. While exact economic figures from the shoot have not been released, such location work typically generates short-term spending on lodging, food and local services and places the town in front of a broader television audience.

The move from books and a feature film to an eight-episode series signals growing market interest in Amish-themed narratives and franchise development. For Holmes County, that trend carries both opportunity and trade-offs. Increased visibility can boost visitor traffic and farm-country tourism, supporting local hospitality and retail firms. At the same time, community leaders and cultural advisers must balance potential economic benefits with the need to protect everyday life and religious practices, a balance the production aimed to respect by consulting advisers throughout filming.

For residents, the immediate takeaway is practical: expect to see Sugarcreek and familiar local scenes on television when the series premieres in April, and anticipate a renewed wave of interest in the town's culture and small businesses. Longer term, the series puts Holmes County in a broader conversation about how place-based media projects can support local economies while requiring careful stewardship of cultural representation.