U OUGHT TO KNOW.

Byline: -- Evan Henerson

Where U can see her: Live concert version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's ``The Sound of Music,'' Friday through Sunday at the Hollywood Bowl and as Susan Mayer's (Teri Hatcher) daughter, Julie, in ABC's ``Desperate Housewives.''

Where U've seen her before: Numerous TV appearances, including a stint as a child genius on ``Boston Public'' and in the films ``New York Crossing'' and ``Highball.'' Her Broadway credits include ``Jane Eyre'' and ``Les Miserables.''

`Sound'-ing it out ... again: The much-loved tale about nun-turned-governess Maria and those singing Von Trapps is pretty much in Bowen's blood. She played 7-year-old Marta von Trapp in the Broadway revival opposite Richard Chamberlain and then again on tour.

``I wouldn't have done it so long if I hadn't had such a blast doing that show,'' says Bowen. ``Every night, singing the music, I was never one of those people who was like, `Gosh, I can't hear that music anymore.' I just loved it.''

In the three-night Hollywood Bowl engagement -- expanded this year from a single-shot event -- Bowen plays the eldest Von Trapp daughter, Liesl. You know, the one who, as the song goes, is ``16 going on 17.''

``It's very strange for me to have Liesl's lines coming out of my mouth,'' says Bowen. ``I'm like, `This is not right. I'm supposed to be Marta.'

``I'm joking that in about 15 years, I'll be Maria, and then in another 15 years I'll be the Mother Superior,'' she continues. ``I'll keep traveling through the show. It's like the never-ending `Sound of Music.'''

A houseful of musical kids? Yeah, she gets it: The Columbus, Ohio, native is the youngest of six, all of them in show business. On a family trip to New York, three of Andrea's siblings booked Broadway shows.

Andrea herself took her place under the lights at age 6, playing young Cosette in Broadway's ``Les Miserables.'' As family legend has it, when she learned she had won the part, young Andrea got down on her knees and uttered, ``Thank you, God! Finally!''

``My parents planned on raising a family in a little suburban town. It was just going to be a normal life and then out popped all of us, who just wanted to sing and dance and perform'' she says, ``I remember watching (my siblings) and thinking, `That looks like so much fun.' It's basically like playing and having these imaginary characters in your heard and getting to act them out. Of course when you're 6 or 7, you do that anyway.''

The older Bowens -- including brothers Graham, Cameron and Alex and sisters Jillian and Jessica -- are spread out across the entertainment industry -- some in theater, others focusing on music.

``I still want to do everything,'' says Andrea Bowen. ``Theater, animation, movies, TV. I love it all so much I think I want to just do it all until I die.''

Desperately seeking Wisteria Lane info? Ask someone else: Practically from the get-go, Bowen has been besieged by fan requests to give up the dirt on the upcoming twists and turns of ``Desperate Housewives.''

Julie Mayer will, of course, be getting older, possibly getting involved in a relationship and maybe showing some signs of rebellion against single mom Susan (Teri Hatcher). But where the show's plot is concerned, Bowen doesn't know much else. And what she does know, she ain't spilling.

``I always tell them, `You know, the truth is you don't want to know because it will ruin it. You would much rather watch the show every Sunday and be shocked than to know everything in advance. So I'm doing you a favor by not telling you,''' she says. ``As far as the mystery stuff, which is what people want to know about, I have no idea of what's going to happen, and I'm just as excited to find out.''

< Wisteria-mania: With two seasons in the can, Bowen is still adjusting to the intense ``Housewives'' public interest, and the accompanying attention from fans and paparazzi.

``We were on location filming all day, and the paparazzi were just everywhere. One lady had her big long camera lens sticking through the fence,'' says Bowen. ``I'm lucky that I don't have to deal with all of this on a daily basis, whereas all the women ... Teri tells me these stories. Her daughter was only 6 when the show premiered, and she used to get scared when people would come out with the long cameras and things flashing in her face.''

Mother-daughter bonding, off screen and on: Bowen says she has found a musical theater kindred spirit in screen mom Hatcher. Hatcher, who toured the country in ``Cabaret,'' will catch Bowen's ``Sound of Music'' engagement but doesn't figure to be performing in front of 50,000 people anytime soon.

``She says she can't imagine doing anything at the Bowl because it's so daunting and scary,'' Bowen says of Hatcher. ``But she's really talented and incredible, and she grew up as a dancer. It's nice -- she'll start singing some musical theater song, and I of course will chime in.''

Where U can see her: Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday. [phone] or visit www.hollywoodbowl.com.

Where U can get more info: www.Andrea-Bowen.com.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

(color) Who: Andrea Bowen, actress

City: Encino

Age: 16