RHS Drama Club and it's honor society, Thespian Troupe #6662 are extremely grateful for the assistance of lending financial, and emotional support from the following:
District 234 Board of Education, Dr. Eric Lasky, Ms. Agnes Stankiewicz, Dr. Jen Kelsall, Mr. Tom Parrillo & The District 234 Board Members, Friends of Our Thespians (FOOT), the RHS Parent's Club, RHS Student Council, Amanda Patano, Megan Cantos, Peter McManus & Maine West Theatre, Maine South Theatre, Fremd Drama Club, Denise Kimberly, Colleen Poull, Bernie Moore, Allison Goodman, Amanda Patano & RHS Student Council, the entire RHS Maintenance Staff, Pat Rossi, Dan Valle, Jim Dudek, Dave McCormick, Karol Piorum, Elizabeth and Joe Ringelstein, Sir Speedy Printing in Edison Park, Alicia Smith, Brooklyn Smith, Margaux Smith, Violet Smith, Cindi Stazzone, Amy Dexl, Betsy Steinohrt, Robert St. John, Norridge Police Department, and all of the faculty, staff, family members, peers, students, and community members who have and continue to support us! We thank you!
After twenty-five years of teaching and directing high school theatre productions, I’m bound to repeat a few shows here and there. The first production of Once Upon a Mattress was in the fall of 2009. It was only the fourth musical that Thespian Troupe 6662 had produced since I arrived at the school in 2003. There had been a hiatus, as it was told to me, of about twenty-twenty five years of no musical productions at the high school. I’m proud to say that since 2003, RHS Drama and its honor society, Thespian Troupe 6662, have produced nineteen musicals in that span. It would have been twenty-one had that pandemic not stolen one and a redirection of a failed attempt at another musical not have happened. Much has changed since 2009. For one, you are seated in the redesigned and rebuilt Frances Bernero Auditorium. Tonight’s performance on the stage was once the lower section of the auditorium seating. Since 2022, we now include a live pit orchestra to accompany the performers instead of prerecorded music. We have an all LED lighting system, a powerful projector, a scene shop, prop and costume storage, and dressing rooms that do not flood. It’s been an amazing experience to see the transformation of both students and space. Finally, one last story. The first time with this show, we had student performers hold up letters to spell out Princess Winifred’s nickname, F-R-E-D. As it was, one memorable performance saw it as D-E-R-F, which became our slogan for some time. Just remember that in a live performance anything can happen. Just don’t “derf” it up! We hope you enjoy tonight’s revival of Once Upon a Mattress!
