Reviews: Once Upon A Mattress at Mount Vernon High School
Written by Ella Jaffee of Woodgrove High School
The Princess and the Pea is a childhood staple that most people think they know. But how many know the truth behind their favorite bedtime story? Find out in Mount Vernon High School's production of Once Upon a Mattress!
Once Upon a Mattress is a musical retelling of the classic fairytale The Princess and the Pea. Written by Marshall Barer, Jay Thompson, and Dean Fuller, and composed by Mary Rodgers, it was first performed in 1959, featuring a leading lady who would become an acclaimed star, Carol Burnett. The story takes a closer, more imaginative look at the events of the Hans Christian Anderson tale, following Princess Winnifred and Prince Dauntless as they persevere in their mission to get married, against the overbearing Queen's wishes. Whimsical and charming, the musical is a beautiful throwback to childhood that was brought to life wonderfully on the Mount Vernon High School stage.
A clear highlight of the show was Juliet Pascoe as the boisterous Princess Winnifred. Pascoe commanded the stage to the same degree that her character commanded the rooms of the castle. Acting with endless energy and devotion, Pascoe brought her character to life in a way that was truly captivating. She also demonstrated show-stopping vocals in numbers such as "Shy" and "Song of Love". Her tone was clear and beautiful throughout, whether she was delivering strong belts or elegant operatic riffs. Overall, Pascoe was the epitome of a theatrical heroine, but, most importantly, she swam the moat!
Playing opposite of Pascoe was Zeki Heltzer in the role of Prince Dauntless. Helzter made a marvelous young prince and seemed to have stepped from the pages of a storybook in that his physical acting was so brilliantly emotive and playful. He was impeccably immersed in the narrative and showed excellent connections with everyone he shared the stage with, such as his character's father, King Sextimus the Silent, played by Tyrone (Asher) Ridle. Ridle, in the role of a monarch forced into silence, was astoundingly expressive and vibrant onstage. As King Sextimus withstood the bossiness of his wife, Queen Aggravain (Molly Lussier) and bonded with his royal jester (Keira Pitts) and the mischievous minstrel (Lila Hall), Ridle told his humorous piece of the tale through movement and facial expressions alone. Confined to only physical acting for the majority of the show, he exhibited clear dedication to every move and was absolutely hilarious while doing it.
The setting of this production was crucial in capturing the childlike storybook atmosphere, and it was executed magnificently by the set team (Alexis Padilla, Rebecca Spafford, and crew). The stage was transformed into an adorable pink castle that looked like it would be found in a child's playroom, perfect for the fantasticality of the show. The most iconic aspect of the production is, of course, Princess Winnifred's bed. Created by the props team (Zeki Heltzer, Nina Pellegrino, Aubrey Ross, and crew), the bed, true to the tale, was adorned to look like 20 real mattresses and stood an amazing eight feet tall. To ensure it was safe for the Princess, the team installed guard rails, as well as placing it on wheels for easy mobility in order to only bring it on stage when the story required, maximizing the awe it struck when it made its first entrance.
Everyone needs a break from reality from time to time, to be thrust back into the joy of childhood and feel the whimsy that seemed to swirl around them once again. Mount Vernon High School's Once Upon a Mattress was the perfect vessel to capture that feeling and inspire delight and jubilation throughout.
Written by Sophie Brzozowsky of Woodgrove High School
"I'm in love" with a show called Once Upon a Mattress! A storybook come to life, Mount Vernon High School captured the whimsy of childhood fairytales with princesses and knights galore. Putting a unique spin on the classic "The Princess and the Pea," the cast and crew of Once Upon a Mattress were certainly not "shy" about their performance!
Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy with music written by Mary Rodgers, which debuted off-Broadway in May 1959. It reimagines the classic Hans Christian Andersen story "The Princess and the Pea," replacing the demure princess with the spunky Princess Winnifred, and the gallant prince with the naive but kind Prince Dauntless. The story begins when the boisterous Winnifred (who prefers to be called Fred) arrives in the kingdom as a prospective suitor to Dauntless. His overprotective mother, Queen Aggravain, seeks to prevent their marriage from happening by putting Fred through a test to prove that she's truly a princess. This trial entails Fred sleeping on a towering bed of 20 mattresses, with a single pea hidden beneath them. When Fred ultimately passes this test, she is able to marry Dauntless, much to the delight of the kingdom (minus Queen Aggravain, of course).
The show was anchored by the strong cast of characters, with high-energy leads and a hilarious ensemble that brought the funny in every scene. Every actor shined in their moment, whether they had multiple songs or a single line. With clever ad-libs and physical gags, the exaggerated world of the story was fully realized by these amazing actors.
Juliet Pascoe was absolutely enthralling as the rambunctious Princess Winnifred. She demonstrated amazing singing technique, displaying impressive control and vocal agility, while imbuing a strong sense of Fred as a character into her songs. Her performance was complimented by Zeki Heltzer's portrayal of Prince Dauntless. Heltzer's dedication to his character was formidable, using his physical movements and expressions to convey Dauntless' childish nature from the moment he stepped on stage.
Tyrone Ridle was hilarious as King Sextimus the Silent, living up to his name by remaining silent for almost the entire show. Instead, he used his physical comedy skills to carry whole scenes without uttering a word. Ridle had some great moments alongside Lila Hall as Minstrel and Keira Pitts as Jester, most notably in the song "The Minstrel, The Jester, and I," in which the trio combined high energy and well-synced dancing with great harmonization between Hall and Pitts. Another tremendously funny performance was given by McKenzie Webb as Knight #2, who was constantly ad-libbing jokes and creating giggle-worthy moments.
The set for this show was incredibly effective at setting the whimsical tone of the show before a single actor stepped on stage. Created by Alexis Padilla and Rebecca Spafford, the bright pink castle was reminiscent of a children's book in all the best ways, and the multiple levels also allowed the show's blocking to be more dynamic. The whimsy was further enhanced by the costumes, designed by Aryana Bascon and Madie Wankowski. The anti-period costuming allowed the pieces to feel more playful, and the distinct bright colors for each pairing of characters created a vivid stage picture when everyone was on stage.
With princesses and knights galore, and a royally good cast and crew, Once Upon a Mattress at Mount Vernon High School was certainly one for the storybooks!