(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Mile Square Theatre presents The Young King, an imaginative, immersive adaptation of Oscar Wilde's beloved fairy tale, re-envisioned for young audiences and families weekends from February 19 – March 8, 2026. It was adapted by Nicki Bloom and directed by Misti B. Wills. The Young King invites audiences to step inside the story, encouraging reflection and dialogue among children, families, and educators alike.

In The Young King a peasant boy's life is forever changed when he is discovered to be the heir to a great kingdom. Surrounded by unimaginable beauty, luxury, and power, he soon discovers that the splendor laid at his feet comes at a devastating human cost.

Through vivid storytelling, music, and direct audience engagement, the play explores compassion, responsibility, and moral courage—values as important today as when Oscar Wilde first penned the tale.

"What makes this adaptation really exciting to me is that it is completely immersive and interactive. The experience you're going to have when you come to our theater is like nothing you've ever experienced before." — Chris Cragin Day, Artistic Director, Mile Square Theatre.

Performances take place Thursdays at 7:00pm; Fridays at 7:00pm; Saturdays at 5:00pm; and Sundays at 3:00pm. Tickets may be purchased online at www.milesquaretheatre.org. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the theater a half hour before the performance.  Mile Square Theatre is located at 1400 Clinton Street in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Running Time: Approximately 80 minutes, no intermission. Recommended for: Adults and Children over 6 years old.

The Ensemble Cast includes: Joe Bliss, Jasmine Hawkins, Mikey Miller, and Lindsay Thurber. The Production Team features: Christine Lemme - Stage Manager; April Bartlett - scenic design; Chris D'Angelo - Lighting Design; Q Le - Costume Design; Caroline Eng - Sound Design; Nate Hamm - TD; and Daisy Torralba - Properties.

Misti B. Wills is an award-winning director based in Manhattan. Select Off-Broadway credits include Brilliant (Broadway Bound Festival at Theatre Row) and My Real Mother (New York Musical Festival, Signature Theatre). Regional credits include The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Ovation Recommended, Sister Act (5 Star Theatricals, LA; Best Director and Best Overall Production in Subscriber Awards), Little Women: The Musical (Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre), Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (Greenville Theatre, SC), My Fair Lady (Forestburgh Playhouse), and Bocon! in Boston. Additional NYC credits include the NYC premiere of A Pound in Your Pocket, Floyd Collins, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Elvira: The Immigration Play, Ordinary Days, Shake the Earth, The Drunken City, Afterlight, The Winter's Tale, Songs for a New World, and Twelfth Night. Wills holds a M.A. in Theatre Education from Emerson College and has served on the acting faculties of The New York Film Academy and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She is a member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Joe Bliss is thrilled to be back at Mile Square Theatre! A New York–based actor, Joe has a B.A. in Music and Computer Science from Colgate University and a Masters in Musical Theatre Performance from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Recent credits include Murder for Two (Portland Stage, Cortland Repertory Theatre, Prather Productions), SPAMALOT (Priscilla Beach Theatre), and Something Rotten (The Gallery Players). He's grateful for the love and support of John, his family and friends, and this wonderful production and crew.

Jasmine Hawkins is an actor, writer, and creative producer whose work bridges the sacred and the stage. A graduate of Emerson College's BFA Acting program, she trained in Shakespeare, Meisner, and devised theatre under artists such as Timothy Douglas and Nicole Lewis. Credits include Baltimore (Emerson College), As You Like It (Amoeba Productions), and Looking Glass (Violet Mirage Theatre). Her creative producing and casting work includes collaborations with Playwrights Horizons (Stereophonic), the Boston Pops (Ragtime in Concert), and Express Newark (Finding Joy). Hawkins is developing her first original television project centered on the interior lives of young women of color—continuing her exploration of legacy, artistry, and self-definition. A recipient of the Isabelle Stanford Award for Artistic Excellence and the ArtsEmerson Cutler Fellowship for Creative Producing and Community Engagement, she remains committed to building work that challenges convention and uplifts voices too often unheard. She is thrilled to join the cast of The Young King by Oscar Wilde—a timeless reflection on compassion, power, and the cost of beauty.

Mikey Miller is a Jersey City–based actor, writer, and educator. He is over the moon to be returning to Mile Square Theater after originating the roles of Otto and the Christmas Gremlin in MST's 2024 world-premiere production of The Christmas Show Must Go On. Credits include Fiddler on the Roof (Motel), Into the Woods (Jack), Clue: The Musical (Professor Plum), and The Foreigner (Ellard). Next up: Annas in Jesus Christ Superstar with Spotlight Repertory Theatre. When Miller isn't acting, he can be found guiding high schoolers through the college applications process or searching for the world's best cookies and cream milkshake. He holds a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania.

Lindsay Thurber is thrilled to be performing at Mile Square Theater for the first time! A recent graduate of Syracuse University's Musical Theater BFA program, she was last seen as Beth in Little Women at Shenandoah Summer Music Theater. Other credits include Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof (SSMT), Philoclea in Head Over Heels (SU Drama), a swing in Cinderella (Syracuse Stage), and Lucy in a staged reading of The Myth of the Mountain (SU Drama). Thanks to Misti, Chris, and Jaime Baker.

Founded in 2003, Mile Square Theatre is a nonprofit professional theatre dedicated to producing bold, relevant, and engaging theatrical work for audiences of all ages. MST enriches the region through professional productions and innovative arts education.