Dear Friends,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for being here to support the cast and crew of Once Upon A Mattress! As always, I am honored and humbled to be able to work with such a talented group of students and coworkers.
When our directorial team sat down last summer and talked about what show to do this year, we had to think long and hard about what made sense. Our theater students possess all sorts of unique talents, some traditional and some less so. Once Upon A Mattress has given us the opportunity to feature a large number of cast members in lots of quirky ways. Double casting, while challenging at times, also promotes strong relationships among cast members, and I've loved watching performers challenge and elevate each other in their shared roles.
One of the things I love most about theater is the way it offers a temporary escape from reality. The past school year has been stressful on many levels, and rehearsal has served as a place for us to laugh and connect. Collingswood is a special place because we encourage students to participate in lots of activities; some of our cast members are balancing not only play rehearsals and academic responsibilities, but also mock trial meetings, colorguard practices, basketball games, and track meets. It is my hope and belief that our theater rehearsals, while rigorous, provided an opportunity for cast members to breathe, to be themselves, and to have fun in the midst of all the stresses of their daily lives as high-achieving, well-rounded high school students.
I hope that this production allows you to escape for a little while, and to recognize the beautiful themes hidden beneath the surface of this silly tale--that you don't have to be traditional to be good; that your voice matters; and that love can be found in unlikely places--even in the swampiest of swamplands!
Enjoy the show!
Sarah Whitman
