Main Street Theater (MST) is back! The Theater for Youth will open first with Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School this summer at MECA at TBH. The MainStage will open in late September at MST’s Rice Village location.
“We are so excited to be back in the theater creating with our incredible artists and preparing for the excitement of our younger patrons.” shared Vivienne M. St. John, MST Theater for Youth Artistic Director. “Junie’s spunkiness and energy make this perfect show for our re-opening!” Junie B. Jones is a much-beloved character from children’s literature – and on MST’s stage over the years. Performances will be held at MECA at TBH, 333 S. Jensen Dr., Houston, TX 77003:
- SATURDAYS: June 26 and July 10 & 24, 2021 at 7:00pm
- SATURDAY: July 17 at 10:30am & 1:30pm
- SUNDAYS: June 20 & 27 and July 11 & 25 and August 1, 2021 at 3:30pm.
Recommended for Kindergarten and older. All tickets are on sale via phone at 713.524.6706 or online at MainStreetTheater.com. Tickets are $20 - $28. Group rates are available. No children under 3 are admitted in the theater (including sleeping babies). (Performances are also available for summer camp groups and homeschools). Call 713.524.9196 ext 1 or visit the website.)
Main Street Theater also offers Accommodations Performances. There is a Sensory-Friendly/Relaxed performance July 17 at 10:30am.
About Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School
“Hello! It’s me . . . Junie B. Jones! I have been going to school for over one and a half entire years now. And I have learned a jillion things that will help you survive at that place.” The sequel to, Junie B. Jones the Musical, this is the wisecracking first grader’s newest adventure — writing her own survival guide with tips and tricks on surviving an entire day at school!
Recommended for Kindergarten and up. Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School is adapted from the JUNIE B. JONES series of books by Barbara Park. Book and Lyrics are by Marcy Heisler. Music is by Zina Goldrich.
About the Musical’s Creators
Marcy Heisler (Lyricist/Author) and Zina Goldrich (Composer) have been collaborating together since 1993. They were the first women ever honored with the Fred Ebb Award for Musical Theatre Songwriting, and Heisler was honored with the 2012 Kleban Prize for Outstanding Lyrics. Current projects include EVER AFTER, (Alliance Theatre), Junie B's Essential Survival Guide to School (Lucille Lortel, Off-Broadway), Hollywood Romance (Scott Sanders Productions) and a musical adaptation of a Universal Studios romantic classic (Universal Stage Productions). In 2012, Goodspeed Opera House premiered The Great American Mousical, based on the bestselling book by author/director Julie Andrews. In 2016, Goldrich and Heisler continued their collaboration with Andrews, contributing songs to her Netflix series Julie's Green Room. They earned 2009 Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Lyrics and Music for their musical Dear Edwina, a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Theatreworks USA's JUNIE B. JONES (based on the popular children's book) and a Helen Hayes Award nomination for their Kennedy Center production of SNOW WHITE ROSE RED (and FRED). They have provided original songs for The Disney Channel, Disney Interactive and Feature Animation projects, Disney Theatricals, PBS, Nickelodeon, and others. As performers, they have toured domestically and internationally with The Marcy and Zina Show. November 2009 marked the release of MARCY AND ZINA: The Album on Yellow Sound Label. They are both active members of The Dramatist Guild, and have served as contributing writers to Dramatist magazine.
About the Production
Jimmy Phillips directs Junie. Steven Jones is the music director. Megan Jankovic reprises the role of Junie at MST. The rest of the cast includes Joshua Mendiola-Garcia, Sloane Teagle, Jordi Viscarri, and Maryann Williams. The design team is Liz Freese (set design), Hudson Davis (lighting design), Danielle Hodgins (costume design), Shawn W. St. John (sound design), and Lauren Davis (properties design). Kaylee Sarton is the stage manager.
