Nashville Children's Theatre Breaks New Ground with ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

Producing theater for younger audiences since 1931, Nashville Children's Theatre is the oldest children's theater in the United States, so you'd think the company had already done everything - at least once. But this summer, thanks to a new initiative of NCT's education department, students in grades 6 through 12 will perform a fully-staged production of Once Upon A Mattress July 29 and 30 as the culmination of the Emerging Actors summer drama camp.

Previously, it has been customary for NCT drama camps to conclude with a small performance for family and friends, but the Emerging Actors camp is described as "a wider-reaching experience that takes the students into new, grander territory as they rehearse for a month and then perform for the public. "

 "Our most advanced students have been clamoring for a full production of their own," says Alicia Fuss, NCT director of education, "and we are very excited to finally work on a show that is all them. Once Upon a Mattress is a fun show that provides our cast of 20 middle and high schoolers with a variety of acting challenges as well as the chance to see what it's like to perform in a professional theatre."

Once Upon a Mattress has music by Mary Rogers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer, and is based on Hans Christian Andersen's tale The Princess and the Pea. 

In Once Upon a Mattress, Queen Aggravain has decreed that nobody in her kingdom may marry before her son, Prince Dauntless does. However, she sabotages every princess that comes along. When two of her subjects, Sir Harry and Lady Larken, learn that they are going to be parents, wed or not, Harry goes off to find a princess for Dauntless to marry. When Harry returns and presents Princess Winnifred of the swamps, the queen is horrified and immediately begins to scheme against her. But Winnifred, with help from Sir Harry, the King, and the Jester, won't be quite so easy to get rid of.

Alicia Fuss directs the production, with Shawn Knight as musical director.

In addition to the performers all being students, the set for this show has been designed and built by the students in NCT's Scenic Design and Painting camp and students in NCT's Project Costume camp contributed to the costumes.

Once Upon A Mattress will be performed Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m. and on Saturday, July 30 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person and can be reserved in advance at nashvillechildrenstheatre.org.

Once Upon a Mattress is funded by support from The Tennessee Arts Commission and the Metro Nashville Arts Commission. For more information, please visit www.nashvillechildrenstheatre.org or call  (615) 254-9103.

 

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