Jay Thompson News

If you thought you knew the story of 'The Princess and The Pea,' you may be in for a walloping surprise! Did you know, for instance, that Princess Winnifred actually swam the moat to reach Prince Dauntless the Drab? Or that Lady Larken's love for Sir Harry provided a rather compelling reason that she reach the bridal altar post haste? Or that, in fact, it wasn't the pea at all that caused the princess a sleepless night? Carried on a wave of wonderful songs, by turns hilarious and raucous, romantic and melodic, this rollicking spin on the familiar classic of royal courtship and comeuppance provides for some side-splitting shenanigans. Chances are you'll never look at fairy tales quite the same way again. Performances run May 4th thru May 20th, 2018 at Little Theatre Off Broadway, 3981 Broadway, Grove City, Ohio.  For reservations/more info visit:  http://www.ltob.org or call 614-875-3919

Thought-provoking dramas, inspirational stories, heartwarming tales and comedies are all a part of Hershey Area Playhouse's 2018 season.

Theater Works' concludes the season with the musical comedy, Once Upon a Mattress continuing May 5-14. This hilarious retelling of The Princess and the Pea  will have you looking at fairy tales in a whole new way! Queen Aggravain has ruled that none may marry until her son, Prince Dauntless marries. However, she has managed to sabotage every princess that comes along with impossible tests! 

Theater Works brings a grand collaboration between MasterWorks and YouthWorks for the musical comedy Once Upon a Mattress, a hilarious retelling of The Princess and the Pea. The original Broadway production marked the debut of Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred.

Today in 1959, Once Upon a Mattress opened at the Phoenix Theatre, where it ran for 244 performances. Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. The play was written as an adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. Once Upon A Mattress marked the Broadway debut of later stage and TV legend Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred. Also featured were Joseph Bova, Allen Case, Jack Gilford and Matt Mattox. Jane White played the role of Queen Aggravain, becoming the first African-American actress to portray a white character on the Broadway stage.

Gettysburg Community Theatre, the non-profit 501c3 organization located in the original Elks Lodge building at 49 York Street within the first block of Lincoln Square in historic downtown Gettysburg, opens its second production of their 8th season with the zany musical Once Upon a Mattress. The production will perform at GCT at 7pm on February 26, March 11, 12, 18 and 19, and also at 2pm on February 27, 28, March 6 and 13.

SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard and SAG Awards® Committee Chair JoBeth Williams will announce the honorees for Outstanding Action Performances by Film and Television Stunt Ensembles

Today in 1996, the first Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress opened at the Broadhurst Theatre, where it ran for188 performances. Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. The play was written as an adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. Once Upon A Mattress marked the Broadway debut of later stage and TV legend Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred.

Transport Group's revival may be the best reason to venture down to the Lower East Side since Yonah Schimmel learned how to make a knish.

She's famous for being one of Broadway's funniest supporting players, but now she takes on a classic leading role.

The outrageous Broadway clown tweets about rehearsing ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, seeing ALLEGIANCE and more.

The actor's glamorous alter-ego is an expression of individuality he was told to keep hidden while growing up.

Transport Group will soon present Once Upon a Mattress, starring Jackie Hoffman (On the Town, Difficult People, Hairspray) as Princess Winnifred and John 'Lypsinka'Epperson (Lypsinka's The Boxed Set, The Passion of the Crawford) as Queen Aggravain. The production, which is directed by five-time Drama Desk Award nominee Jack Cummings III, features Jessica Fontana (Cinderella) as Lady Larken, David Greenspan (The Patsy) as The King,Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (A Little Night Music) as The Minstrel, Cory Lingner(On the Town) as The Jester, Zak Resnick(Piece of My Heart) as Sir Harry, Jay Rogers (Howard Crabtree's When Pigs Fly) as The Wizard, and Jason SweetTooth Williams(Things to Ruin) as Prince Dauntless, with Vivienne Cleary,Richard Costa, Michael De Souza,Tim Dolan, Jack Donahue,Amy Griffin, Sarah Killough, Kristen Michelle, Ali Reed,and Doug Shapiro.

Transport Group will soon present Once Upon a Mattress, starring Jackie Hoffman (On the Town, Difficult People, Hairspray) as Princess Winnifred and John 'Lypsinka'Epperson (Lypsinka's The Boxed Set, The Passion of the Crawford) as Queen Aggravain. The production, which is directed by five-time Drama Desk Award nominee Jack Cummings III, features Jessica Fontana (Cinderella) as Lady Larken, David Greenspan (The Patsy) as The King, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (A Little Night Music) as The Minstrel, Cory Lingner(On the Town) as The Jester, Zak Resnick (Piece of My Heart) as Sir Harry, Jay Rogers (Howard Crabtree's When Pigs Fly) as The Wizard, and Jason SweetTooth Williams(Things to Ruin) as Prince Dauntless, with Vivienne Cleary,Richard Costa, Michael De Souza, Tim Dolan, Jack Donahue,Amy Griffin, Sarah Killough, Kristen Michelle, Ali Reed,and Doug Shapiro. The company just met the press and you can check out a photo preview from the special day below!

Transport Group has announced that casting has been completed for its upcoming revival of Once Upon a Mattress, which stars Jackie Hoffman (On the Town, Difficult People, Hairspray) as Princess Winnifred and John "Lypsinka"Epperson (Lypsinka's The Boxed Set, The Passion of the Crawford) as Queen Aggravain.  The production, which is directed by five-time Drama Desk Award nominee Jack Cummings III, features Jessica Fontana (Cinderella) as Lady Larken, David Greenspan (The Patsy) as The King, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (A Little Night Music) as The Minstrel, Cory Lingner(On the Town) as The Jester, Zak Resnick (Piece of My Heart) as Sir Harry, Jay Rogers (Howard Crabtree's When Pigs Fly) as The Wizard, and Jason SweetTooth Williams (Things to Ruin) as Prince Dauntless, with Vivienne Cleary, Richard Costa, Michael De Souza, Tim Dolan, Jack Donahue, Amy Griffin, Sarah Killough, Kristen Michelle, Ali Reed,and Doug Shapiro.

Students will soon be able to take the stage in new, age-friendly versions of the classic musicals OKLAHOMA! and ONCE UPON A MATTRESS.

Transport Group, the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and OBIE Award-winning theatre company, by special arrangement with Tony Award winning producer Larry Hirschhorn, will give a private developmental lab presentation of Benny & Joon, a new musical. Based on the 1993 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture starring Aidan Quinn, Johnny Depp, and Mary Stuart Masterson, written by Barry Berman and Leslie McNeil, Benny & Joon features a book by Kirsten Guenther (Breaking Through), music by Nolan Gasser (chief musicologist of pandora.com), and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein (Little Women). Under the direction of Transport Group Artistic Director and five-time Drama Desk nominee Jack Cummings III, the cast features Andrew Samonsky as 'Benny' (Queen of the Mist), Hannah Elless as 'Joon' (Bright Star),Colin Hanlon (Submissions Only), Mamie Parris (See Rock City & Other Destinations), Zak Resnick (Piece of My Heart), Tally Sessions (House of Blue Leaves), Natalie Toro (A Tale of Two Cities), and Jason SweetTooth Williams (Things to Ruin). John DiPinto will music direct.

Tickets are now on sale for Transport Group's revival of the classic musical ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, starring Jackie Hoffman as Princess Winnifred and John 'Lypsinka' Epperson as Queen Aggravain, running November 23 - January 3, 2016 at Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street.

As twisted fairytales go, Once Upon a Mattress may be the most twisted of them all! Join Columbia Children's Theatre's (CCT) YouTheatre as 150 children present the 1959 Broadway smash that made Carol Burnett a star today, July 31st - August 9th.

As twisted fairytales go, Once Upon a Mattress may be the most twisted of them all! Join Columbia Children's Theatre's (CCT) YouTheatre as 150 children present the 1959 Broadway smash that made Carol Burnette a star July 31st - August 9th.