Home > News > CAROL BURNETT RETURNS TO UCLA AS REGENTS' PROFESSOR TO DIRECT MUSIC DEPARTMENT PRODUCTION OF “ONCE UPON A MATTRESS.”

CAROL BURNETT RETURNS TO UCLA AS REGENTS' PROFESSOR TO DIRECT MUSIC DEPARTMENT PRODUCTION OF “ONCE UPON A MATTRESS.”

Carolyn Campbell (ccampbel@arts.ucla.edu) (310) 825-6540
For Immediate Use Tuesday, February 16, 1999.

Actress/comedian Carol Burnett will be in residence in the UCLA Department of Music as a regents’ professor during winter quarter and will guest direct the Musical Theater Workshop’s production of “Once Upon A Mattress.” Burnett, who created the role of Winnifred Woe-Begone on Broadway forty years ago, is one of America’s most beloved performers and one of UCLA’s most prominent alumni.

“Once Upon A Mattress” performances are scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays, February 26, 27, and March 5, 6 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3:00 on February 28 and March 7 in Schoenberg Hall on the UCLA campus. Tickets are $15 (reserved seating) $8 students and seniors. For ticket information contact, the UCLA Central Ticket Office (310) 825-2101.

The show, a hilarious version of the Princess and the Pea story, features great comedy, funny songs and dances and is one of the most often-produced shows in American musical theater. Burnett televised the show twice, once in black and white and once in color, and will be forever associated with its leading role.

“To have Carol Burnett return to UCLA to direct our students is a magical combination,” says Musical Theater Workshop director John Hall. “Carol is able to spot the individual strengths of the students and she works to develop those qualities without ever insisting that they copy the Broadway or television performances.”

Burnett has been a long-time supporter of the UCLA Musical Theater Workshop. She established the Carol Burnett Musical Theater Award twenty years ago and has faithfully maintained her annual support of young talent at UCLA. Many winners of her award have gone on to star on Broadway, in national touring companies and in regional theaters across America and Europe.

Her recent performance in Stephen Sondheim’s “Putting It Together” at the Mark Taper Forum paired her with one of her UCLA winners, Susan Egan, who made her Broadway debut as the original Belle in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”

“Carol Burnett has had an enormous impact on musical theater performance in America,” said Hall. “For her to make her directing debut at UCLA and to share her gifts and insights with our students creates a wonderful, positive atmosphere for these young performers.”

Burnett has been so impressed with the talent she found at UCLA that she has picked a double cast of students for the performances. It commands a very intensive work schedule for her as a regents’ professor, but allows twice as many students to have the opportunity to study with her. In addition to her directing duties, Burnett’s residency will also include a Q&A forum with UCLA students.

“Carol Burnett’s appointment as a regents’ professor is a significant milestone for our music program,” said Daniel Neuman, dean of the School of the Arts and Architecture. “Not only is she sharing her extraordinary talents with the students in this quarter’s workshop, but has enabled many young artists to pursue their dreams through the support of her scholarship fund.”

The University of California Regents’ Professors program is a system-wide program designed to bring luminaries from various fields into the classroom environment to interact with UC students. Past Regents’ Professors hosted by UCLA include architect Frank Gehry; astrophysicist Dr. Floyd Decker; business entrepreneur David H. Murdock; playwright, poet and essayist Cherrie Moraga; computer scientist Dr. Alan Kay, and physicist Dr. Vitali Goldanksi.


Contact: Carolyn Campbell
Phone: (310) 825-6540
Email: ccampbel@arts.ucla.edu