FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Presents “Once Upon a Mattress”
Hagerstown, MD (February 19, 2025) – Barbara Ingram School for the Arts (BISFA) proudly announces
tickets are now on sale for their annual all-school musical production, Once Upon a Mattress.
Performances will take place at The Maryland Theatre on April 5th and 12th at 7:30 p.m., and April
6th and 13th at 2:30 p.m.
This regally hilarious adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea promises to
entertain audiences of all ages. Adults will delight in the classic slapstick comedy, while
children will be captivated by the whimsical characters, elaborate fairytale costumes, and stunning
set design handcrafted by the BISFA theater department.
Once Upon a Mattress premiered off-Broadway in 1959, launching the career of Carol Burnett.
Following in Burnett’s shoes as the unlikely future princess will be Fae Ward. Ward most recently
graced The Maryland Theatre’s stage as Pugsley Addams in last year’s The Addams Family Musical. Her
counterpart, Prince Dauntless, will be played by Nathan Lushbaugh, who audiences will remember as
the title character in 2023’s The SpongeBob Musical and as the uptight future father-in-law to
Wednesday Addams, Mal Beineke, in The Addams Family Musical.
This year’s production marks BISFA’s 14th all-school musical since the school opened in 2009,
following previous successes like The Wizard of Oz, Shrek, The Little Mermaid, and last year’s The
Addams Family Musical. This production coincides with a recent Broadway revival starring Sutton
Foster, Michael Urie, and Ana Gasteyer. A cast recording of the revival is scheduled for release on
March 28, 2025, just one week before BISFA’s opening night.
Tickets for Once Upon a Mattress range from $10 to $30 and can be purchased online at
https://www.mdtheatre.org/once-upon-a-mattress or by calling 301-790-2000.
About Barbara Ingram School for the Arts
The Barbara Ingram School for the Arts is a Five-Star, public high school in Hagerstown, Maryland,
providing 350 students with a rigorous, comprehensive, college preparatory curriculum rooted in
intense, pre-professional training in the arts. The school produces approximately 50 recitals and
performances each year, spanning vocal, instrumental, creative writing, photography, visual arts,
computer game design, and dance. The annual musical is a highly anticipated event, open to
auditions from the entire student body.
Contact:
Rob Hovermale, Principal Hoverrob@wcps.k12.md.us 301-766-8845
Ally Sirbaugh, BISFA Foundation Executive Director allys@barbaraingramfoundation.org
240-347-4934