Once Upon a Mattress
at Archmere Academy

Reviewed on March 5, 2022

Arielle Oslon
Upper Merion Area High School
Submitted for publication to WordPress Site and Cappies Page

There is no need to be "Shy", praise for Archmere Academy's production of "Once Upon a Mattress" should be shouted from the tent-tops!

Once Upon a Mattress, premiering off-broadway "Many Moons Ago" in 1959, transformed the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea," into a hilarious musical comedy. The show follows Winnifred the Woebegone, an idiosyncratic swamp princess, and her new prince beau Dauntless the Drab. Trepidations plague the happy couple as they await a test from Dauntless's daunting mother to determine if the unusual Fred is worthy of his hand in marriage. Desperate to keep her son trapped under her wing, Queen Aggravain creates an impossible challenge to nearly ensure failure: feeling a tiny pea from under 20 down mattresses.

Whether in heartfelt emotional scenes or in hilarious comedy numbers, each member of the cast brought an infectious energy to the stage no matter the circumstances. Majestic sets and sparkly costumes coupled with the talented performers brought the zany fairy tale to life.

Leading the show to greatness was the extravagant Winnifred, portrayed by Serena Martin. Her beautiful vocals in "Shy" and stellar dancing and commitment to character in "Spanish Panic" and "Song of Love" were highlights of the production. Playing Fred's adorkable interest, Dauntless, was the charming and jovial Rob Smith. His portrayal of the head-over-heels prince was the perfect foil to the robust Winnifred.

Not only were the leads brilliant, but the star-studded supporting cast was just as masterful. Star Crossed lovers, angelic Lady Larken (Amanda Treston) and brave Sir Harry (Jake Nowaczyk) had wonderful chemistry on stage. Strong vocals and beautiful harmonies in songs like "In a Little While" were extremely heartfelt and emotional. The comic trio of The Jester (Kaitlyn Kaulback), King Sextimus (Jack Maister), and The Minstrel (Ray Bellace) did a wonderful job moving the story along, while preserving the show's charm.

Though the tech elements of the show were few, their demand was pea-lentiful. The towering stack of 20 mattresses, beautifully crafted by the Archmere Stage Crew, was not only mighty, but also easily transportable. The story would not have been complete without the beautiful costumes. Each and every one of the handsome dresses glistened in the stage lights, and were carefully chosen to fit each character.

No amount of Queen Aggravain's tactics could have caused the audience to sleep through Archmere Academy's splendid production of "Once Upon a Mattress."

Elena Milliken
Friends Select School
Submitted for publication to WordPress Site and Cappies Page

A test: twenty mattresses, one desperate prince, twelve princesses down, and only one remains. "Once Upon A Mattress" at Archmere Academy turned the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, into a comedic party of a performance.

Originally opening on Broadway in 1959, the musical follows the meek Dauntless the Drab in his search for love under the controlling eye of his mother, Queen Aggravain, and his mute and lewd father, King Sextimus. Since "no one may wed, 'till Dauntless shares his wedding bed," the desperate Sir Harry, in the shadow of a looming pregnancy, sets out on a quest to find a princess and returns with Winnifred the Woebegone. This vivacious and endearing newcomer causes quite the stir in the court.

Through palpable enthusiasm from a dedicated cast, Archmere Academy expertly captured the scale and drama of this lively show. From energized and dazzling numbers like "Shy" and "Song of Love" all the way through to the final bow, every single performer, leading or not, fully embodied their characters with energy and heart.

The standout performance of the night came from the effervescent and absolutely hysterical Serena Martin as Winnifred the Woebegone. From her show-stopping vocals to her superb comedic timing, Martin's technical execution blended perfectly with her wit and charm to provide an emotional core to the show. Rob Smith encapsulated all of the quirky awkwardness and lovable innocence of Dauntless, not to mention his stellar singing, to create an adorable pair with Martin.

Further adding to the outstanding cast, Jack Maister as King Sexitimus amusingly communicated with the audience without needing his voice at all. His rambunctious and persistent physicality worked with his partners in crime on stage, the marvelous and musical Minstrel (Ray Bellace) and the remarkably funny Jester (Kaitlyn Kaulback), to add sneaky subplots that strengthened the show. The ensemble brought energy and life that served as a wonderful backdrop to the plot.

The set, expertly designed by Archmere's Preparé Set Crew, was modular by design and moved to accommodate the plethora of locations necessary for the show. This included an impressive technical feat where tents were flown in and expanded right on stage, far beyond the standard scope of a high school production. The costumes were masterfully customized for the performance with specific details that furthered the plot, highlighting Ray Bellace's (the Minstrel) prowess as a designer. In another multi-talented cast member playing double duty, Kaitlyn Kaulback's marketing technique included many unique and helpful elements like customized stress balls and a painted rock advertising the show!

Archmere Academy's "Once Upon A Mattress" was a lively, witty, hoot of a show that left the audience with smiles on their faces. Certainly not a sleepy soul in sight!

Gabriel Planas-Borgstrom
Bordentown Regional High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies Page

With stunning costumes, snappy one liners, and a scintillating cast of engaging actors, Archmere Academy's production of "Once Upon A Mattress" left the whole crowd unable to close their eyes - but not because of a pea!

Written by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer, and with music by Mary Rodgers, "Once Upon A Mattress" tells the classic fairy tale of the princess and the pea with a couple small twists. The story follows Dauntless the Drab, a prince whose wish to be married is constantly overruled by the impossible standards of his controlling mother, Queen Aggravain. After trying every princess in the land, all hope seems lost for the poor prince until Winnifred the Woebegone is brought to town. Of course, she doesn't cut it for the Queen, but hilarity ensues and as it goes in fairy tales, the characters find their way to a happy ending.

Archmere's show was anchored by its strong veteran cast, who brought each character to life with their solid acting and comedic timing. Also of note were the costuming and set design teams, who handled the technical challenges this show presents with execution and ingenuity that could rival productions at a level much higher than high school.

Serena Martin's bold, beautiful singing and meticulous comedic acting made her the perfect choice for Winnifred. The audience was always beside themselves laughing or enthralled with her smooth vocals whenever she was on the stage. Complementing her perfectly was Rob Smith as Dauntless the Drab, whose boyish, naïve approach to his role won the hearts of the crowd.

As the mute King Sextimus, Jack Maister brought the house down with his animated, cartoon-esque acting. Despite having the fewest lines of any speaking role, he drew the most laughs with his performance. As Lady Larken, Amanda Treston displayed gorgeous singing and painted the perfect picture of the charming, lovestruck character. Additionally, the show's yes-man (yes-woman?) Lady Mabelle, played by Holly Hayes, guaranteed a laugh every time she delivered her signature over the top "yes!"

This show really allowed for the set designers to shine, making elaborate contraptions such as tents that were flown on to the stage from above, or a larger than life fake mattress stack. The costumes done by Ray Bellace were vibrant and looked professional despite many of them being hand made from scratch. Although there were issues with the sound and lighting cues, the cast plowed ahead to preserve the overall effect.

"Once Upon A Mattress" is a hilarious, joyful show that is no easy feat to execute well, but the talented Archmere cast and crew did just that and then some with their delightful performance.

Sam Bailey
Harriton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies Page

Hear ye, hear ye! Archmere Academy has an opening for a princess--a genuine, certified princess, that is--or so the story says! Act now if you're at all interested in the position, but be warned; the competition is steep--a certain swamp princess has been wooing audiences all weekend in "Once Upon a Mattress".

With music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer, "Once Upon A Mattress" is a rib-tickling retelling of The Princess and the Pea, substituting the original's gentile heroine with the far more entertaining Princess Winnifred, or as she prefers to be called, "Fred."

Though the musical is not new, having premiered off-Broadway in 1959, one might think otherwise after hearing the audience react to Archmere's production. Complete with uncompromising hilarity, whether that be side-splitting slapstick from a mute, king, or blush-inducing innuendo, "Once Upon a Mattress" was a barrel of laughs--though, perhaps "a mattress of laughs" would better suffice.

Serena Martin, with a powerful belt and brilliant interpretation of her character, was the perfect Winnifred the Woebegone, a princess unlike any other, sure to woo the heart of the simple-minded prince, played with comic brilliance by Rob Smith. The two played off each other marvelously, offering a comedic duo that the audience was happy to root for, despite the many obstacles in their way.

Many, if not all, of these obstacles could be traced back to the dramatic and very chatty Queen Aggravain, played by Sadie Walsh. Walsh commanded the stage with every line, offering a nuanced performance out of an utterly despicable character. Jack Roarty was a crowd-favorite as the Queen's right hand man, a quippy wizard brought to life through droll delivery. Additionally, Jack Maister stole the show as the aforementioned mute King Sextimus. His performance was enhanced through distinctive body-language and a collection of animated facial expressions created to tickle any audience; a moment in the musical's climax offered hoots and hollers for the King as, to quote the show, "the mouse devoured the hawk." Additionally, Ray Bellace and Kaitlyn Kaulback, as a Minstrel/Jester duo, and Amanda Treston and Jake Nowaczyk won the audience's favor with wonderful performances.

Though not all of the production's sets were student built, many were designed, even innovated, by Archmere's brilliant Prepare! Set! Crew. It was noted that a pair of umbrella-like tents were devised by a student just for the show; held above the stage, they opened automatically when dropped into view!

By my troth, this production had it all: uproarious comedy, emotional splendor, and undeniable charisma. The cast and crew at Archmere Academy can sleep easy--unlike Winnifred--knowing they put on a terrific rendition of "Once Upon a Mattress"!