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 Once Upon a Mattress - Fred  "ZOW"

YouTube - Once Upon a Mattress Opening for a Princess ZOW

Zion Opera Workshop is a community theater located in Lehighton, PA. It has become a local tradition for Lehighton, and over the years has attracted many from surrounding areas as well. For over 30 years, ZOW has been putting on musicals every year in which members from the community and beyond participate.

For our 40th annual production we are proud to present "Once Upon a Mattress", a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers.


In this hilarious tweaking of the fairy tale, "The Princess and the Pea", the domineering and talkative Queen Aggravain has proclaimed that no one in the kingdoms shall marry until her son, Prince Dauntless finds a wife. However, she has managed to sabotage every princess that has come along seeking to marry him.

When Sir Harry and Lady Larken learn that they are going to be parents, married or not, Sir Harry goes off to find a princess and brings back Princess Winnifred from the swamps. The queen is horrified and immediately begins to scheme, but Winnifred, with some help from Sir Harry, the King, the Jester, and the Minstrel, isn't going to be quite so easy to get rid of.

Performance dates are Thursday, March 4th, Friday, March 5th, and a matinee AND evening show on Saturday, March 6th. All shows begin at 7:30pm (the Saturday matinee begins at 2:00pm).

Tickets are $10 each. There is a discount of  $1 off each ticket for groups of 10 or more on Thursday evening and Saturday matinee performances only. You can get tickets from any cast/crew member, or at Carbon County Music and More. You can also call Box Office Manager Sue Yeastedt at 610-377-4667. Hope to see you there!
 

   

Some of the performers in the Zion Opera Workshop production of "Once Upon A Mattress" include, front l-r, Olivia Haydt, Andrea Nicolo, Mikayla Blakeslee, Evy Heckman; second row l-r, Elyse Kistler, Jessica Schafer, Martha Cox; third row l-r, Samantha Cerimele, Sarah Nanovic, Laura Cressley, and back l-r, Casi Reichard, Katherine Sabol, Linda Muffley, and Carol Ahner.

 

Bob Fatzinger, center, plays King Sextimus in the Zion Opera Workshop "Once Upon A Mattress" being staged March 4, 5, and 6 at Zion United Church of Christ, Lehighton. Other performers are Brent Harris, left, the minstrel, and Marcus Kunkle, the jester

ron gower/times news

The annual performance of Zion Opera Workshop in Lehighton, which this year is "Once Upon A Mattress," will be held March 4, 5, and 6 at Zion United Church of Christ in Lehighton. A special matinee performance is set for March 6. Among the starring roles in the production are, l-r, Eric Werley as Sir Harry, Alissa Grell as Lady Larken, Mindy Tkach as Princess Winnifred, Michelle Stoudt as Queen Aggravain, and Mike Muffley as Prince Dauntless. Tickets can be purchased from any Zion Opera Workshop member or at Carbon County Music and More.

 

RON GOWER/TIMES NEWS

Zion Opera Workshop, a community theater, presents "Once Upon A Mattress" on March 4, 5, and 6 in Zion United Church of Christ, Lehighton, with a special matinee performance on March 6. Tickets can be secured from any cast member or at Carbon County Music and More in Lehighton. Among cast members are, front l-r, Kane Zerbe, Dylan Krum, Josiah Behrens; second row l-r, Adam Reichard, Michael Warkala, Darrin Wagner; back l-r, Sean Maloney, Justin Plocinik, Steven Pierre, and Jim Blakeslee.

If you are interested in joining in the fun, please talk to any of our cast members for information!  You can also call 610-377-9077 days or 610-377-9122 evenings and ask for Brad.  We'd love to have you!  No experience necessary; just a friendly disposition and a desire to work hard and have a lot of fun!

See full size image

You can now also visit us on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/zionoperaworkshop#!/group.php?gid=2230990747&ref=ts

 

 

In 1970 Paul R. Smith, the director of music at Zion UCC in Lehighton created Zion Opera Workshop. The groups first presentation was the Musical "Amahl and the Night Visitors" for Christmas. The show was a great success and Zion Opera Workshop was off and running to the successful group that it is today.

Each year since then, Zion Opera Workshop has presented a Broadway style musical every spring. Shows have ranged from "Fiddler on the Roof" to "Oklahoma" and have been accompanied by a full orchestra. It was Paul Smith's dream to offer Lehighton and the surrounding areas a great quality musical for a price that is basically unheard of anywhere. The goal of the group was not to make money. In fact, the group has been non-profit since its inception and has become one of the most popular and successful evangelisms at Zion United Church of Christ.

Each spring, Zion Opera Workshop opens Smith Auditorium in Derr Hall for its annual production and warmly welcomes nearly 1,000 people to see the production. For 38 years, Paul Smith, with his wife Linn constantly by his side continued this tradition of quality musicals. They retired after their 38th year but the group lives on through many of the people that the Smith' s have worked with for many years.

This year, Zion Opera Workshop will present the play, "Once Upon a Mattress" which is an interesting tale of the well known story of the Princess and the Pea. This show will be presented on Thursday, March 4th, Friday March 5th and Saturday, March 6th. This year, because "Once Upon a Mattress" is celebrating its 50th anniversary and extra matinee will be presented on Saturday, March 6th.

Main characters in the play include Prince Dauntless, played by Michael Muffley, Princess Winifred played by Mindy Tkach, Queen Aggravain, played by Michelle Stoudt, King Sextimus, played by Robert Fatzinger, The Minstrel, played by Brent Harris, The Jester, played by Marcus Kunkle and the Wizard played by Dave Zimmerman. Mr. Zimmerman also serves as the stage director for the show. Bradly R. Cressley, director of music at Zion United Church of Christ serves as the musical director for the show. Cindy Mack is the rehearsal pianist and joins ZOW's orchestra for the performances.

The cast is rounded out by a highly talented group of players from Lehighton and the surrounding areas. It consists of a very nice mix of students and adults. All aspects of the show from costumes to choreography to stage design are accomplished by the volunteer efforts of the group.

Tickets will be available in February and will sell for just $10.00 each. Tickets will be available from any cast member of Zion Opera Workshop, at Carbon County Music and More, 199 South First Street in Lehighton or by calling box office manager Sue Yeastedt at (610) 377-4667 between 6:30 and 8:30 weekdays.

 

 

Zion Opera Workshop

“Once Upon A Mattress”

Cast list:

 

MINSTREL                                  BRENT HARRIS

WIZARD                                     DAVE ZIMMERMAN

LADY LARKEN                            ALYSSA GRELL

PRINCESS WINNIFRED                  MINDY TKACK

QUEEN AGGRAVAIN                    MICHELLE STOUDT

KING SEXTIMUS                          ROBERT FATZINGER

SIR HARRY                                 ERIC WERLEY

JESTER                                        MARCUS KUNKLE

PRINCE DAUNTLESS                     MICHAEL MUFFLEY

PRINCESS #12                            SAMANTHA CIERMELI

SIR STUDLEY                              MATT POIRER

LADY ROWENA                           JESSICA SCHAFFER

LADY LUCILLE                            LAURA CRESSLEY

LADY MERRILL                           EVALINA HECKMAN

LADY BEATRICE                          CAROL AHNER  

SIR LUCE                                   DARRIN WAGNER

LADY H                                     MARTHA COX

LADY MABELLE                           TEAH GARRISON

1ST KNIGHT                                JIM BLAKESLEE

2ND KNIGHT                               JUSTIN PLOCINIK

3RD KNIGHT                                ADAM REICHARD

SIR HAROLD                               SEAN MALONEY

 

LADIES IN WAITING:  KATIE SABOL, CASSANDRA REICHARD, TEAH GARRISON, MIKAYLA BLAKESLEE, ELISE KISTLER, SARAH NANOVIC, ANDREA NICOLO.

 

KNIGHTS/SOLDIERS:  DAVE KRUM, DYLAN KRUM, KANE ZERBE, STEVEN PIERRE, JOSIAH BEHRENS, MICHAEL WARKALA, JONATHAN RODGERS.

 

 

 

 

 

      

 

 


Zion Opera Workshop History

1970 Amahl and the Night Visitors 1983 The Music Man 1996 Guys and Dolls
1971 Oklahoma! 1984 Hello, Dolly! 1997 Hello, Dolly!
1972 Fiddler on the Roof 1985 Bring Back Birdie 1998 Brigadoon
1973 Carousel 1986 Carousel 1999 State Fair
1974 The Music Man 1987 My Fair Lady 2000 Once Upon a Mattress
1975 Annie Get Your Gun 1988 Annie Get Your Gun 2001 Damn Yankees
1976 The Most Happy Fella 1989 The Sound of Music 2002 Li'l Abner
1977 Fiddler on the Roof 1990 Damn Yankees 2003 Bye, Bye Birdie
1978 South Pacific 1991 South Pacific 2004 Crazy for You
1979 Bye, Bye Birdie 1992 Here's Love 2005 My Fair Lady
1980 Oklahoma! 1993 The Most Happy Fella 2006    State Fair
1981 Brigadoon 1994 Cinderella 2007 Oklahoma!
1982 The King and I 1995 The King and I 2008 Anything Goes

                                                  
2009 South Pacific                    2010 Once Upon a Mattress

 
 

 

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This page was last edited 04/12/2010