BLAST: Bold Local Artist of the Southern Tier’s comic retelling of The Princess and the Pea will make you rethink your expectations of fairy tales. Once Upon a Mattress with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer is the story of the brave and strong Princess Winnifred (Marjorie Loughran) who comes to the rescue of a kingdom in need of a new outlook on love, leadership, and life.
Once Upon A Mattress premiered on Broadway in 1959. Starring Carol Burnett in her breakout role, this musical is a twist on the usual fairy tale plot, it is the sweet and sensitive Prince Dauntless (Isaac Weber) who is waiting for a princess to rescue him and help him find true love. Meanwhile, the entire kingdom is subject to a law that keeps anyone from being wed until the prince marries. The realm is ruled by the fabulous but overbearing Queen Aggravain (Kate Murray) and the silent King Sextimus (John Montgomery) who are at odds as to what their son and the kingdom truly need. The story is filled with other colorful characters such as the traveling Minstrel (Jarod Hinton), the Jester (Pat Summers), the Wizard (Rick Kumpon), and a castle full of Ladies in Waiting (Grace Goosman, Jean Graham, Jessica Kennis, Molly Murray, Hillori Schenker, Michelle Kearly Thompson, Dayzja Tyler) and Knights (Asher Danton, Nick Merrell, Noah Walsh) who are desperately in love but unable to follow their hearts. Will Winnifred be able to pass the sensitivity test, marry her prince, and help Lady Larken (Katelyn Rundell) and Sir Harry (Ian Harrison Cook) to the altar? Filled with hummable tunes, raucous comedy, and a happily-ever-after, this musical will appeal to audiences both young and old.
This production of Once Upon a Mattress is directed by Rob Egan with musical direction by Sonny DeWitt, choreography by Katie Barlow, and is produced by BLAST: Bold Local Artists of the Southern Tier at the Cider Mill Stage, Your Hometown Theater, 2 Nanticoke Ave, Endicott, NY.
Show dates are Friday, June 10 – Saturday, June 11 at 7:30pm, Sunday, June 12 at 2:30pm, Friday, June 17 – Saturday, June 18 at 7:30pm, and Sunday, June 19 at 2:30pm.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by visiting www.cidermillstage.com or by calling the box office at (607) 321-9630 or at the box office on the day of the performance.
