Playhouse South presents ‘Once Upon a Mattress’

Playhouse South presents Mary Rodgers, Marshall Barer, Jay Thompson and Dean Fuller’s charming and fanciful 1959 musical comedy “Once Upon a Mattress” beginning Friday, Aug. 4 outdoors at North Park Amphitheater in Springboro.

Set in the spring of 1428 and based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea," "Mattress" tells the story of a kingdom in which no one can marry until Queen Aggravain finds a worthy princess suitable for her son Prince Dauntless. Aggravain frustrates matters by giving each princess an impossible test to pass, but she meets her match when awkward Princess Winnifred arrives having swum the moat. Prince Dauntless falls head over heels for the kooky princess, and with assistance from the court jester and minstrel, Winnifred is able to convey the sensitivity of a true princess by feeling the pivotal pea underneath 20 mattresses.

DON’T MISS THIS: PK night is back, and will be held at the UD library

“This is such a timeless and simple story of someone who isn’t a very conventional princess who comes into a kingdom that’s prim and proper but she’s very rough around the edges,” noted director Nick Bellmyer, who appeared in Playhouse South’s entertaining production of “Heathers: The Musical” last season.

“It’s easy to find Winnifred so endearing and loving. It’s easy to connect to her and root for her to succeed, find love and be happy. The same can be said of Prince Dauntless. You want him to find love and happiness as well. He’s such an adorkable character. But as for Winnifred, she loves who she is. She doesn’t change who she is to try to accomplish her goal and in the end she’s very successful. Her aim is very relatable to what we go through in this day and age. Self-acceptance and self-love is important. We can still learn a lot from classic musicals.”

READ THIS NEXT: You have to see this Dayton man’s insane ‘Bengals man cave’ porch

The principal cast includes Lindsey Cardoza as Winnifred, Stephen Gogol as Prince Dauntless, Mary Nunnery as Queen Aggravain, John Falkenbach as King Sextimus, Tim Fingerle as Sir Harry, Madison Galloway as Lady Larken, Xander Hildebrandt as Minstrel, Michael Plaugher as Wizard, and Andre Tomlinson as Jester. The artistic team includes music director Judy Mansky and choreographer Jill Proudfoot.

The delightful score includes “Many Moons Ago,” “In A Little While,” “Shy,” “Normandy,” “Sensitivity,” “Song of Love,” and “Happily Ever After.”

In related news, Playhouse South will kick off its new youth program with an originally scripted short play "Sir Harry, the Voracious" written by "Once Upon a Mattress" assistant director Carrie Thurston and directed by Jess Bledsoe. The play will be performed at 7 p.m. each night immediately followed by "Once Upon a Mattress" at 7:30 p.m.


Want to go?

WHAT: “Once Upon a Mattress”

WHERE: North Park Amphitheater, 195 Tamarack Trail, Springboro

WHEN: Aug. 4-13; 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays

COST: Free admission but donations are encouraged

MORE INFO: www.playhousesouth.org

FYI: Patrons are reminded to bring their own seating

About the Author