Once Upon A Mattress (1980)

Once Upon A Mattress

  • Plot Synopsis:

    Due to an unhappy curse, King Sextimus is unable to speak. Meanwhile, his terror of a wife, Queen Aggravian, has taken over control of the kingdom. Most importantly, in an attempt to keep Prince Dauntless single, she has decreed that only the princess that can pass her test may marry her son. Further, no one else in the kingdom may marry until Prince Dauntless does. Lady Larken and Sir Harry are extremely disturbed by this fact since Lady Larken is now pregnant with Sir Harry's baby. Luckily, Sir Harry is able to find an amazing princess, Winnifred the Woebegone. She instantly catches the attention of Prince Dauntless, and in the end, is able to pass the Queen's supposedly impassable sensitivity test. When the Queen still tries to prevent the Prince Dauntless from marrying, he tells her to 'shut up' which ends up breaking the curse on the king. Now able to speak, King Sextimus regains his rightful position as leader of the kingdom, and all is well.

  • Show Info and Crew Members:

    Show Dates: March 28, 29, 1980
    Director: Larry A. Williams
    Choreographer: Jodi Roberts
    Costume Designer: Marie Roth
    Scene Design: Rick Eckhart
    Lighting: Charles Maurer

    Cast:

    Cathy Roth ... Princess Winnifred
    Greg Schuck ... Prince Dauntless
    Peter Nielson ... King Sextimus the Silent
    Suzette Nanovic ... Queen Aggravain
    Nancy Minnich ... Lady Larken
    Dennis Peters ... Sir Harry
    Lenny Bechtel ... Jester
    John Ortiz ... Minstrel
    Kurt Bellhorn ... Wizard
    Angela Leaver ... Kitchen Wench
    Tracy Millward ... Nightingale of Samarkand

    Director's Notes:

    With a little more than four weeks to rehearse, a very dedicated production staff and talented cast of characters, Larry Williams was able to make his debut as Musical Director. However, with his experience directing the SHS Senior Class Plays since 1977, adding vocals, orchestra, more than one set, presented a new & exciting challenge. With Suzette Nanovic, Cathy Roth, John Ortiz, Greg Schuck, Lenny Bechtel in the leading roles, Marie Roth with costumes, Mary Eckhart with crowns and hats, Rick Eckhart with scenery, Jodi Roberts with dance, and Dot Hemerly on keyboard, how could you miss! The show was hilariously funny and clever, despite Suzette loosing her skirt in Sensitivity and all of the boys having to wear tights. "Mattress" was based on the Hans Christian Anderson classic, "The Princess and the Pea."