Finley Musical on Stage on Friday & Saturday

The J. Taylor Finley Middle School drama club will present “Once Upon A Mattress Jr.” on Friday and Saturday, March 21-22 at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium. The cast and stage crew have been preparing and rehearsing for the production for weeks with final rehearsals set for this week before the curtain rises on Friday evening.

Tickets are priced at $10. Advance sale tickets can be purchased at Finley.booktix.com or by emailing drama club advisor and show director Susan Graber at sgraber@hufsd.edu. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Here’s a synopsis of the show: “Many moons ago in a far-off place, Queen Aggravain decreed no couples could marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, found a bride,” according to Concord Theatricals. “Princesses came from far and wide to win the hand of the prince, but none could pass the impossible tests given to them by the Queen. That is, until the “shy” swamp princess, Winnifred the Woebegone, showed up. Would she be able to pass the Sensitivity Test, marry her prince and help Lady Larken and Sir Harry to the altar? Carried on a wave of wonderful songs, by turns hilarious and raucous, romantic and melodic, this rollicking spin on the classic tale ‘The Princess and the Pea’ provides some side-splitting shenanigans. After all, a princess is a delicate thing.

“The students have been working hard since January on this production,” Mrs. Graber said. “This show is very different from last year’s because there are so many opportunities for the entire cast to be on stage performing together. We did a lot more songs with dance numbers this year. The students have really enjoyed the collaborative nature of the rehearsal process. We hope the Huntington community can join us for an entertaining night!”

The cast includes:

Dauntless: Brady Duke

Minstrel: Celia LoPorto

Jester: Ella Triolo

Queen Aggravain: Elena Prior

King: Gregory Brandine

Princess #12: Gabriella Zielinski

Lady Larken: Harper Cohn

Wizard: Katharine Lyons

Lucile: Imogen Thaler

Rowena: Angelica Cunningham

Sir Harry: Billy Oliva

Winnifred: Helena Sullivan

Knight 1: London Martinez

Knight 2: Sarina Kapoor

Knight 3: Grace Gonzalez

Beatrice: Luna Ramirez

Harold: Jack Oswald

Knights/Ladies: Allison Aguilar, Kellen Anderson, Angelina Araujo-Raymundo, Elisabetta Arra, Abigail Byers, Sutter Flynn, Anna Matarese, Jonathan Naborre, Scarlett Phillips, Ava Tortora, Abigail Van Horn

The crew includes Amelia Brown, Annabel Cassato, Mason Dasaro, Franny D'Eloia, Olivia Guerrero, Mia Marsala, Emily McCarthy, Vivian Morrissey, Franklin Mulvaney, Anthony Naborre, Jaden Scott, Gretchen Schmid and Katie Van Horn.

The production team features:

Theatrical and Artistic Director: Susan Graber

Assistant Director: Jessica Simms

Director of Light and Sound: Frank Battista

Costume & Character Make-up Coordinator: Susan Graber, Cast Members & Crew

Program Design: Mia Marsala, Emily McCarthy, Emily Rodriquez, Gretchen Schmid, Katie Van Horn

Light and Sound: Mia Marsala, Emily McCarthy, Vivian Morrissey, Jaden Scott, Gretchen Schmid, Katie Van Horn

T-Shirt and Playbill Cover Design: Celia LoPorto

Backstage Crew: Amelia Brown, Annabel Cassato, Francesca D’Eloia, Olivia Guerrero, Franklin Mulvaney

Mrs. Graber is a Finley music teacher who specializes in chorus. This is her seventh drama club production. She especially loves spending time with her family playing games and enjoys the outdoors.

Ms. Simms is a Finley art teacher. This marks her fourth year of working with the drama club. A ceramic sculptor, she loves creating new art in her free time. She also enjoys hiking through national parks and listening to podcasts.