You may have heard the classic tale of “The Princess and the Pea," but you have never heard it told this way before.
Once Upon a Mattress tells the tale of an overbearing Queen, a mute king, a less-than- gallant prince and a moat-swimming princess.
The musical adaptation begins in a faraway kingdom long ago. Due to an unhappy curse, King Sextimus,( played by Matthew Russell ’19) is unable to speak. Meanwhile, his terror of a wife, Queen Aggravain ( Mackenzie Barbour ’19) has taken over control of the kingdom. In an attempt to keep her baby boy, Prince Dauntless ( Joshua Pearce ’21) single, she had decreed that only the princess that can pass her impossible test may marry her son. Furthermore, she has stated that no one else in the kingdom may marry until Prince Dauntless is wed. Lady Larken (Sophie Faughnan ’20) and Sir Harry (Robert Walters ’19) are desperate to find a suitable princess for Dauntless as Lady Larken is now pregnant with Sir Harry’s baby. Sir Harry journeys to find a princess and returns with the most unlikely princess of all . Winnifred the Woebegone ( Audrey Chatfield ’20) is an uncouth, moat swimming, frog loving princess with the strength and the bold personality of a thousand knights. The prince instantly falls in love with her quirky personality and her strength of character.
Will she pass the Queen’s test and be sensitive enough to feel a pea under the mattresses?
Will the lords and ladies of the kingdom ever be able to wed? Will the King ever speak?
You’ll find these answers when you come to see the upper school’s wacky musical , Once Upon a Mattress.
Once Upon A Mattress will show in the Elder Performing Arts Center on February 21, 22, 23 at 7 p.m. and on February 24 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for students and $10 adults. Lausanne faculty and staff are free.
Break a leg, Lynx!
Click here to see the full Facebook album of photos from the show.