New York, NY, Nov. 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — This past November, the first class of the New York Film Academy (NYFA) Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre program performed the hit comedy musical “Once Upon a Mattress” at the academy’s New York City campus in Battery Park. Performances were conducted by students of the BFA program alongside current students and alums of the academy’s long-standing 1 and 2-Year Programs in Musical Theatre.
The musical comedy “Once Upon a Mattress” is an adaptation of the nineteenth-century fairytale “The Princess and the Pea” by Hans Christian Anderson. Based on the book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer, the musical’s score was composed by Mary Rodgers with lyrics written by Marshall Barer. NYFA’s performances were directed by Johanna Pinzler, and choreographed by NYFA instructor Michelle Potterf, with musical direction by Emily Croome. Costume design by DW, set design by Matthew Imhoff, lighting design by James Hovett, and sound design by Nick Leek.
The story of “Once Upon a Mattress” follows Queen Aggravain, who decries that no couple can marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, finds a bride. 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, appeared. Carried on a wave of song, hilarity, and melody, this spin on the classic tale “The Princess and the Pea” has audiences splitting their sides.
The popular musical comedy has a long history of off-Broadway and Broadway performances, as well as television adaptations. NYFA’s performance marks the first musical comedy showcased by the school’s first class of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre, which launched in the Fall of 2023. In the four-year degree program, students learn from industry professionals with Broadway-level experience as performers, music directors, directors, and choreographers and gain additional experience in musical performance and acting for the screen under the tutelage of television and film professionals.
NYFA Musical Theatre faculty include Department Chair, Kristy Cates (Wicked, Finding Neverland, Charlie and Chocolate Factory); Ricardo Coke-Thomas (Book Of Mormon); Robert W. Schneider (Author: Fifty Key Musicals); Joshua Zecher-Ross (Be More Chill, Once Upon a One More Time); Karl Maier (Pippin); Kathy Calahan (Mary Poppins); Taylor Gordon (Radio City Spectacular); Michelle Potterf (Chicago, Crazy For You, Will Rogers Follies); Jennifer Swiderski (Mamma Mia, The Drowsy Chaperone); Nick Cartell (Les Miserables, Scandalous, Jesus Christ Superstar); Katie Adams (Wicked, Urinetown, Grease); Todd Buonopane (Spelling Bee, Grease, Cinderella, Chicago); Wysandria Woolsey (Parade, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast); David Solomon (Tootsie, Side Show, 9-5, The Mystery of Edwin Drood); Stephen Nachamie (She Loves Me); Charissa Bertels: (If/Then, A Christmas Story).
Performing in the ensemble alongside BFA students was Mario Greiner, a recent graduate of NYFA’s long-standing 2-Year Musical Theatre program in New York City. Mario starred in the recently aired NYFA episode of The College Tour, available to stream on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. The episode highlights ten students who present their stories of how they arrived at NYFA, their studies, student life, collaborative work, and access to equipment and facilities during their studies across the three U.S. campuses.
Following a longstanding series of high-quality musical performances by students of the Musical Theatre program at the New York City campus, “Once Upon a Mattress” marks the first performance by the BFA students. In past years, students of the 1 and 2-Year Musical Theatre programs performed “The Addams Family,” “Head Over Heels,” “Starting Here, Starting Now,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” “Sweeney Todd,” and “Godspell,” among many more titles.
NYFA’s student and alum performance of “Once Upon a Mattress” was performed in agreement with Concord Theatricals
About NYFA
New York Film Academy (NYFA) is a leading film, media, and performing arts college that offers intensive undergraduate and graduate degree programs, certificates, and workshops across a multitude of areas of study in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Gold Coast (Australia), Florence (Italy), Beijing (China), and more. NYFA also offers online programs to provide unparalleled “Hands-Online” education experiences that allow aspiring storytellers across the world to access valuable industry knowledge from anywhere.
For more information, visit nyfa.edu.
- New York Film Academy Musical Theatre BFA Students and Alums Perform ‘Once Upon a Mattress’
- New York Film Academy Musical Theatre BFA Students and Alums Perform ‘Once Upon a Mattress’