Winter, 2012. Theatre de Jeunesse, a local theatre arts organization for Mid-Ohio Valley high school and early college aged young people, has selected the musical comedy “Once Upon A Mattress” as the summer production for 2012. Performances will be in mid-July at the Hermann Fine Arts Center in Marietta, Ohio. (Theatre de Jeunesse is not associated with Marietta College.)

The show’s music was written by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It opened off-Broadway in May 1959, and then moved to Broadway. The play was written as an adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea”. It marked the Broadway debut of later stage and TV legend Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred. A Broadway revival starring Sarah Jessica Parker opened in 1996, and the production was nominated for the 1997 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. It was produced for television first in 1964 and again in 1972 with Ms. Burnett reprising her role both times. She appeared as the imposing Queen Aggravain in the 2005 The Wonderful Word of Disney version with Tom Smothers as King Sextimus. This version was also released on DVD.

Pre-audition Open House, auditions, and technical student sign-ups will be held at the locations and times listed below. There is no charge to participate in the program, and no previous experience is required. If under age 18, a signed Parental Consent form is required to audition and a completed and signed Audition Information form or Technical Registration form is recommended.

Technical student sign-ups and pre-audition Open Houses provide interested students and their parents/guardians the opportunity to meet the staff, ask questions about the program and the production, and review the audition music. They will be held:

Saturday, March 31, 2012
1:00 to 3:00
Hermann Fine Arts Center
500 Butler Avenue (corner of Fourth and Butler)
Marietta, Ohio 45750

Sunday, April 1, 2012
1:00 to 3:00
Parkersburg Academy
1800 38th Street
Parkersburg, WV 26104

Technical student sign-ups and auditions will be held:

Saturday, April 14, 2012
1:00 to 4:00
Thomas Hall Room 320 (Park at Hermann Fine Arts Center
500 Butler Avenue (corner of Fourth and Butler)
and walk up College Mall to Thomas Hall on left at Putnam Street)
Marietta, Ohio 45750

Sunday, April 15, 2012
1:00 to 4:00
Parkersburg Academy
1800 38th Street
Parkersburg, WV 26104

Monday, April 16, 2012
6:00 to 8:00
Parkersburg Academy
1800 38th Street
Parkersburg, WV 26104

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Theatre de Jeunesse does not discrimiate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, mental or physical challenge, or national origin in its programs or policies.

Trivia

Who was awarded the first Nobel Prize for literature?

“in special recognition of his poetic composition, which gives evidence of lofty idealism, artistic perfection and a rare combination of the qualities of both heart and intellect”

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