September 3rd & 4th at 7pm
Music by Mary Rodgers
Book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer
Lyrics by Marshall Barer
Directed by Bryan Bergeron
Musical Direction by Kim Dickman
Choreography by Suzanne Childers
Costumes by Renee Dameron
Character List
PRINCESS WINNIFRED: Lead – F(20’s – 30’s). Vocal Range – Belt (A3 to D♭ 5), Dance Requirements: Light. Character Description: She is not the “classical” princess in any sense of the word. She can swim moats, lift weights and she prefers the swamps of home to a fancy castle. She is energetic, adventurous, independent and optimistic.
QUEEN AGGRAVAIN: Lead – F(50’s). Vocal Range – Alto (A3 to B4), Dance Requirements: Light. Character Description: Very protective of her only son, Dauntless. She is a strong character that takes the stage with her presence. She is over-bearing, lively, domineering, but should be played comically.
JESTER: Lead – M/F(20’s – 50’s). Vocal Range – Tenor (D♭ 3 to A♭ 4), Dance Requirements: Experienced. Character Description: Male or Female- Looking for a dancer and special talents- juggling, gymnast, contortionist, etc. Must be flexible, agile and full of energy. Has a hidden passion for show business and the “good old days” His/her loyalties lie with his friends, the King & the Minstrel.
PRINCE DAUNTLESS: Lead – M(20’s – 30’s). Vocal Range – Baritone (A3 to E4), Dance Requirements: Light. Character Description: Still a “mama’s boy,” but it is evident that he is ready to move on. He is child-like, naïve, with a likeable sense of innocence. He adores Winnifred and is in awe of her every step.
LADY LARKEN: Lead – F(20’s – 30’s). Vocal Range – Soprano (D♭ 4 to A♭ 5), Dance Requirements: Light. Character Description: She is graceful, charming and in love with Sir Harry. She is very eager for Dauntless to marry so she can wed Harry before her little bundle arrives. She is eager to please and would never cause embarrassment to her love, Sir Harry.
SIR HARRY: Lead – M(20’s – 30’s). Vocal Range – Tenor (C3 to G4), Dance Requirements: Light. Character Description: He is a handsome and manly knight, but a bit of a “stuffed shirt.” He may one day become the Prime Minister, if he can find a Princess to marry Dauntless, so he can wed Lady Larkin. He is chivalrous, brave, determined and a bit taken with himself.
MINSTREL: Supporting – M(20’s – 40’s). Vocal Range – Tenor (D3 to A♭ 4), Dance Requirements: Light. Character Description: May be cast as male or female. Young, attractive and “worldly”. Has an air of confidence and enjoys telling the real story to the audience. S/he is likeable and cunning when need be.
WIZARD: Supporting – M(40’s – 60’s). Vocal Range – Baritone (low: A2), Dance Requirements: Light. Character Description: The Queen’s loyal confidante. He is magical, mysterious and able to do several magic tricks. He possesses a sense of “the dark side” and showmanship.
KING SEXTIMUS, THE SILENT: Supporting – M(50’s). Vocal Range – Mute, Dance Requirements: Light. Character Description: An eye for the ladies! He is mute, due to a curse, but you always know what he is thinking. He is expressive, mischievous and playful with strong facial and physical comedy. (strong at pantomime a plus)
ENSEMBLE: 6(m) & 6(w), Multiple featured roles: Sir Studley, Sir Luce, Sir Harry, Kitchen Wench, Emily, Lady Mabelle, Nightingale, Ladies-in-Waiting, Knights, Soldiers, Servants, Musicians, etc. Must Sing and Dance
Synopsis
Once Upon A Mattress is based on the famous fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea. Because of her noble birth, the Princess is unable to sleep on a bed of many mattresses when a tiny pea is placed underneath the bottom mattress.
The kingdom is an unhappy one. King Sextimus has been struck dumb by a witch’s curse and is condemned not to speak again until “the mouse devours the hawk!” Queen Agravia has assumed power and she talks enough for the whole Royal household. She has decreed that no one in the Kingdom may wed until Prince Dauntless is married to a true princess of Royal blood. So far the Queen has tested the eligibility of eleven applicants and each has failed the almost impossible tests the Queen has devised.
The Knights and Ladies of the Court are most distressed by the situation but the most concerned are Lady Larken and her handsome lover, Sir Harry. Lady Larken has informed Sir Harry that he is to be a father so the situation is quite desperate. Sir Harry, determined to find a true princess, sets off for, until now, unexplored parts and returns with Princess Winnifred. She arrives dripping wet have swum the moat and proceeds to act as unlike a princess as one could possibly imagine. Prince Dauntless is very impressed by the new princess and is soon obviously in love with her – to the consternation of the angry Queen, who decides to give her an impossible test. She consults the Wizard and together they decide on the the sensitivity test – a pea is placed beneath twenty mattresses and the Queen decrees that if Princess Winnifred cannot sleep she will prove her royal birth. However, to ensure that she does sleep, she proceeds to do everything to make her tired out. A ball is held where the dancing is fast and furious and Winnifred is encouraged to drink heavily. She is also given a sleeping draught and a singing bird is provided to sing her to sleep.
However, the Queen fails, for Winnifred cannot sleep and spends the night counting sheep. The Queen is furious and orders Princess Winnifred to leave, but Prince Dauntless defies her and puts an end to the curse upon the King for, as the Jester proclaims, “the mouse has devoured the hawk!”
At the final curtain, we discover that the Princess was unable to sleep because the Jest has placed under the top mattress his lute, a helmet, a large spiked ball, some livestock and some old armour. Of course, all ends happily and the Queen is punished.
