Howard High School - Once Upon a Mattress

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Permalink Reply by Caity Wallace on March 21, 2010 at 12:33pm

What child didn't grow up with fairy tales? Very few. The stories teach kids to be nice and hope and believe in true love. And while today that might be square, there's still a part of us that remembers the fairy tales and wants to believe they could happen. And what better way to relive the magic of childhood and fairy tales than with a musical based on one? Howard High performed Once Upon a Mattress, bringing to the stage all of the magic of fairy tales with a wonderful cast and crew.

The plot is simple, after all, it's the Princess and the Pea. Boy wants any girl, Girl shows up, Mom tests Girl, Girl passes, Happily Ever After. In Once Upon a Mattress, the Queen upped the ante by decreeing that no one could marry in the kingdom until the Prince had found his wife. So everyone is trying to help Prince Dauntless and Princess Winnifred get married. With the exception of Queen Aggravian, of course. So she decides to test the crass Winnifred's sensitivity, in the hopes that 'Fred' will fail miserably.

The cast of this play was grand. Paris McGrann (Princess Winnifred) had a beautiful voice when singing, and while speaking she tread on the cute side of the line between quirky and annoying. The chemistry between Dauntless (Sokoloski) and McGrann was perfect, but unexpected, which made it all the more genuine. Glynn Davis as Queen Aggravain forced attention to her, which was entirely appropriate. The trio of Nick Kurtz (Minstrel), Sean Hipp (Jester), and Jena Frick (King Sextimus) was brilliantly funny. Their timing was perfect, and the physical gags didn't come across as lowbrow slapstick, but rather were witty statements made in mime. And the ensemble didn't slouch at all--every actor was interested in the action of the main characters, and they showed clear characters. This is a remarkable feat, considering the size of the ensemble.

Of course, the production couldn't have gone on with just the actors. The set and costumes not only set the time period (romantic medieval), but showed a high level of craftsmanship and thought. It did a wonderful job of putting the audience in the world of the musical. There were some sound and light issues, but overall the production ran smoothly.

Permalink Reply by Eric Bricker on March 21, 2010 at 3:38pm

A Prince named Dauntless who is anything but, a pregnant lady-in-waiting and her boastful beaux, a disgraced wizard, and a lecherous mute king- these are just a handful of the delightfully off-kilter characters populating Howard High School’s skillful staging of the beloved musical fairy tale Once Upon a Mattress.

Putting a unique spin on the classic bedtime story of the princess and the pea, the show is packed with wit, charming music, and novelty, making the famous story sparkle in a new light. In a medieval castle, “many moons ago,” the wicked Queen Aggravain (Glynn Davis) has decreed that no marriages can take place until her son, Prince Dauntless (Spencer Sokoloski), has been wed. This puts the Prince’s friend Sir Harry (Adam Weidemann) in a bit of a bind, for his pregnant girlfriend, Lady Larken (Ryann Lillis), insists that they marry immediately. To solve his problems, Harry brings the outgoing and radiant Winnifred (Paris McGrann) to the castle; of course, she and Dauntless cannot marry until she undergoes the Queen’s famously demanding test of “sensitivity.”

Because the show is essentially a musical retelling of the fairy tale, the ending should come as no surprise to most audiences; however, the real joys of the production lie not in the destination, but the journey there. It turns out to be quite a ride, indeed. Anchored by high energy and a gung-ho attitude, the large ensemble cast worked together like a well-oiled machine, performing with a level of professionalism, commitment, and enthusiasm that made the show a delight.

As the hapless Prince Dauntless, Sokoloski charmed with a pleasant singing voice, a delightfully childlike physicality, and superb comic timing. His progression from smothered child to mature prince throughout the show was a joy to behold. Paris McGrann brought audacity, a commanding stage presence, and a lovely belting voice to the role of Winnifred, the object of Dauntless’ affection. McGrann and Sokoloski meshed together beautifully; their chemistry was palpable, creating moments (like a tentative first kiss) that were at once adorably awkward and earnestly romantic.

Filling the dual role of narrator and player was the Minstrel, played with dexterity and poise by Nick Kurtz. As the Minstrel’s friends, a forlorn Jester and a mute king, Sean Hipp and Jena Frick impressed with over-the-top physicality and dancing. In numbers like “The Minstrel, The Jester, and I,” the trio displayed sublimely hilarious pantomime and sparkling chemistry.

The show’s music was capably performed by an excellent orchestra; a very strong overture was particularly engaging. Though several microphone glitches and sometimes-inconsistent sound design were noticeable, the actors maintained their focus and composure, and the occasional mishaps did not detract from the production. The lighting, designed by Brittany Martini, was effective at creating the medieval atmosphere, and a large stationary castle set piece was attractive and made for very quick and efficient shifts.

Like the twenty titular mattresses, Howard High’s joyous Once Upon a Mattress was multi-layered: zany charm and over-the-top fun enriched with top-notch performances and a professional polish.

Permalink Reply by Kyla Sokoll-Ward on March 21, 2010 at 4:15pm

A classless girl who is willing to swim the mote may seem an unlikely match for a princess, but in Once Upon a Mattress, she is the perfect fit for this role. The Howard High School theatre department crafts a fairytale ending to this hilarious musical adaptation of The Princess and the Pea.

No one in Prince Dauntless’ kingdom may marry until he himself finds a bride. The prince’s mother, Queen Aggravain, dissatisfied with her own mute spouse King Sextimus, proves to be a rather overbearing obstacle in Dauntless’ quest for a princess. Sir Harry wishes to marry the beautiful Lady Larken, so he sets off to find a bride for Dauntless in the swamps. He brings back Princess Winnifred, whom Dauntless instantly falls for. All seems like a magical ending until Queen Aggravain devises a plan to prevent the marriage between her son and Princess Winnifred.

As Princess Winnifred, Paris McGrann brought a clear presence to the stage with her physicality and unrestricted crassness. McGrann’s sweet singing voice was a wonderful contrast to her tasteless character. Working alongside McGrann was Spencer Sokoloski, playing Prince Dauntless. Sokoloski showed the most loveable parts of Dauntless by playing up the character’s naïveté and immaturity. The pair held noticeable chemistry onstage and were an extremely charming couple for the audience to enjoy. Glynn Davis added spunk to each scene as Queen Aggravain and demanded attention with each spoken line. Jarrod Meehan used extremely fast (yet completely audible) speech to express the character of the Wizard. Meehan’s comedic timing was a particularly memorable piece of the show. Finally, the trio of the Minstrel (Nick Kurtz), the Jester (Sean Hipp), and King Sextimus (Jena Frick), was a hilarious combination made complete with farcical and slapstick comedy. Frick’s facial expressions and colossal physicality made her mute character’s thoughts visible and entertaining.

The ensemble of the show was equally engaging as the leading actors. During group scenes, there was never a dull moment onstage due to the ensemble’s vibrant energy and compelling facial expressions. Songs such as “Shy”, “The Minstrel, The Jester, and I” and “Song of Love” brought undeniable liveliness to the stage.

Though there were microphone issues throughout the performance, the actors never allowed this hindrance to faze them. The set was very versatile and cleverly utilized at certain times for comedic opportunities. Topping off the show was the vibrant array of colorful costumes, which were engaging during every scene and musical number.

After many moons, twenty mattresses, and one pea, the Howard High School theatre department surely achieved their “Happily Ever After.”

Permalink Reply by David Kaiser-Jones on March 21, 2010 at 7:44pm

It wasn’t actually stormy when candidate number thirteen for princess of the realm arrived at the castle. In this retelling of the classic Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, “The Princess and the Pea,” she was wet because she swam the moat. Howard High School entered a world of whimsy and medieval intrigue in their production of “Once Upon a Mattress.”

It has been decreed that no one in the kingdom ruled by haughty Queen Aggravain and silent King Sextimus shall marry until their son Prince Dauntless finds a wife. Plenty of would-be princesses come to court the prince, but none can pass his overbearing mother’s absurd litmus tests. So Sir Harry, a knight of the realm who wishes to marry his pregnant girlfriend, goes into the marsh to find a perfect princess and returns with a girl named Fred.

The ensemble delivered the whimsical, in-character reactions required to maintain the fantasy of the plot, from the unison acceptance to the Fred into the court, to the diverse choreographed pandemonium of “Spanish Panic.” The cast added anachronisms (a mattress stuffed with a tennis racquets, disco dancing at the ball) so that they were quirky, but never took the audience out of the world of a medieval court.

Spencer Sokoloski, as Prince Dauntless, played up his awkward naiveté and juvenile enthusiasm to contrast with the brassy, coarse, not-so-“Shy” Paris McGrann (Winnifred). Their humorously dichotomous personalities literally come to a head when the two kiss, to comically awkward result. Sean Hipp’s Jester was an impassioned, colorful, almost frighteningly enthusiastic comedic centerpiece of the court, highlighted in his vaudevillian piece of nostalgia “Very Soft Shoes,” which was performed alone with a spotlight in front of the curtain.

A risibly oppressed, yet fully masculine mute King Sextimus was played by Jena Frick. Alongside Hipp and Nick Kurtz (Minstrel) in “The King, the Jester, and I,” Frick demonstrated what the other two were singing—that the King could communicate without speaking, by using frantic pantomime and wildly emotive eyes.

Despite recurring problems with fading and popping microphones, the actors never lost concentration or character. The musicians in the pit band played artistically, accurately, and for the most part, tastefully under the voices of the actors on stage.

In this fractured fairy tale, like all others, the characters on stage are naturally destined to live “Happily Ever After.” Howard High School’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress” also turned out fabulously in the end.

Permalink Reply by Kathryn Patchan on March 21, 2010 at 8:23pm

An evil queen, a not-so-dainty princess, a mama’s boy prince, and a mute king. Sounds like the typical and boring fairy-tale, right? Wrong! Howard High’s performance of the fractured fairy-tale “Once Upon a Mattress” was anything but typical and boring.

Why can’t wedding bells be heard in this mythical medieval kingdom? Because Prince Dauntless hasn’t found a princess perfect enough to please his overbearing and overcritical mother, Queen Aggravain. After the failure of a twelfth princess all hope seems lost. But the arrival of Princess Winnifred, the spunky moat-swimming, heavy-weight lifting, and marsh dwelling girl sparks a new hope in the town as she is given the test.
The performance at Howard High School was delightfully entertaining. Although there were a few issues with the microphones, the entire cast was still easily heard throughout most of the show. The entire cast’s high energy shone through especially in the group numbers “Spanish Panic” and “Song of Love.” All of the actor’s motivated movements and big facial expressions made the show a pleasure to watch.

Paris McGrann did a wonderful job as Winnifred. Her wonderfully clear character voice and her quirky physical movements added perfectly to her character. Spencer Sokoloski’s performance as Prince Dauntless was adorably gawky. His boy-like naivety and his clumsy gestures kept the audience laughing. McGrann and Sokoloski worked together marvelously. Their comedic timing was impeccable and their awkward flirting was adorable. Ryann Lillis (Lady Larkin) and Adam Weidermann (Sir Harry) showed great chemistry and fed off of each other’s energy really well. Their strong voices blended beautifully in their duets “In a Little While” and “Yesterday I Loved.” Glynn Davis (Queen Aggravain) did an amazing job as her character. Her domineering approach and her fast paced speech added to her character’s controlling and self focused attitude.

The Minstrel, Jester and King (Nick Kurtz, Sean Hipp, and Jena Frick) were the perfect trio. Frick’s high-energy facial expressions and gestures complimented Kurtz and Hipp’s lovely voices in the song “The Minstrel, The Jester, and I.” Their physical comedy and high energy kept consistent throughout the show. The three’s comedic timing was flawless and kept the audience entertained and amused.

The pit band, conducted by Mr. Christopher Campbell, sounded lovely. They played at a perfect volume and did not overpower the actors. The costumes were amazingly well done. They were bright, colorful, and really helped to show the medieval time period. The castle set was elaborately done and was painted beautifully. The constant set made shifting from different scenes easy and effortless.

Howard High’s “Once Upon a Mattress” was charming and entertaining from it’s opening number to its “Happily Ever After.”

Permalink Reply by Sara Pecas on March 21, 2010 at 9:46pm

Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom there was an “Opening for a Princess.” What the kingdom got was a Swamp Princess named Fred who enjoys going for a quick swim in the moat. Howard High School’s production of Once Upon a Mattress was an engaging and lighthearted fracture of the Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea."

Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer’s Once Upon a Mattress takes place in a kingdom where a silent King pursues every maiden in the land, and a pompous Queen declares that none shall wed until her son, Dauntless finds a Princess. With the help of the Wizard, she creates nearly impossible tests in which the hopeful Princesses must pass in order to marry Dauntless. Once Princess Number 12 fails, the lovers in the land become desperate, and Sir Harry sets out on a journey to find a Princess.

Winnifred (Paris McGrann) was anything but “Shy” as she displayed outstanding comedic energy and commitment to her character. Her comedic sense of timing and stage presence shined when she interacted with other characters such as Dauntless (Spencer Sokoloski). Sokoloski was lovable and entertaining as he flirted with Fred and argued with his mother.

Queen Aggravain (Glynnn Davis) demanded the audience’s attention each time she appeared on stage. With the assistance of the cold conniving Wizard (Jarrod Meehan) she took control of every situation. Lady Larken and Sir Harry (Ryann Lillis and Adam Weidemann) displayed great chemistry during their arguments and attempts to marry. They sang in perfect harmony during their duets such as “In a Little While”and “Yesterday I Loved” .

King Sextimus (Jena Frick) made the most of the role without a voice by charming the audience with her high energy, big expressions and superb comedic delivery. When accompanied by the Jester and Minstrel (Nick Kurts and Sean Hipp) there was never a dull moment on stage. The comedic trio performed hilarious antics and revealed their remarkable chemistry in the well choreographed, “The Minstrel, The Jester and I.”

The ensemble had great energy and facials in the background as they sang an “Opening for a Princess” and danced marvelously to the “Spanish Panic.” Each time the Queen graced them with her presence they displayed fear and respectfully bowed at her feet.

The set, painted to appear as stone, resembled a medieval castle. The mattresses used were stacked up over 6 ft high with a ladder on the side. The costumes appeared to have been taken out of a fairytale. Iridescent colors with glistening crowns, feathered hats and “Very Soft Shoes.”The Nightingale glistened with bright blue, pink, and yellow. The sound crew had a little trouble with microphones but actors adjusted promptly. Lighting helped set the mood and time of day in many scenes and the shift crew was silent and sufficient as they quickly moved furniture on and off stage.

“Bravo, bravo bravissimo” to Howard High School's production of Once Upon a Mattress. They all lived “Happily Ever After.”

Permalink Reply by Tara Nolan on March 22, 2010 at 1:48pm

In Once Upon a Mattress, the minstrel tells the story of one of the adapted versions of “Princess and the Pea” by Hans Christian Andersen. Princess Winnifred of the swamps arrives at Queen Aggravain’s castle in hopes of marrying Prince Dauntless. The queen tries to fend off any princess who comes to her kingdom and Winnifred is no exception. Once Upon A Mattress follows the journey of the people in Queen Aggravain’s palace seeking to find their “Happily Ever After.”

Sir Harry, Lady Larken, King Sextimus, Jester, the Minstrel, and everyone else in the king’s court wants Dauntless and Winnifred to marry. Winnifred is put to another one of the Queen’s tests. Except, her test is unlike those of other princess’s. She is tested for “Sensitivity” and involves 20 mattresses and one pea.

Prince Dauntless (Spencer Sokoloski) and Winnifred (Paris McGrann) were an excellent duo. Their performances as love interests were a perfect match. Spencer Sokoloski’s naive and ignorant young boy contributed to the duo’s success. He had great comedic timing. Their chemistry was perfect in “Shy” and “Song of Love.” Queen Aggravain (Glynn Davis) was a strong performer. Her articulation and facial expressions were perfect for her bitter character.

The Minstrel (Nick Kurtz) began with excellent comedic timing and developed a stronger character throughout the show. His relationship with King Sextimus (Jenna Frick) and the Jester (Sean Hipp) made the three an excellent trio. The silent king was a hit with the audience. The scenes she was in made them all the more entertaining especially in “The Minstrel the Jester and I” and “Man to Man Talk” because she over exaggerated her pantomiming and expressions.

The set and costumes set the time period in Medieval Times. Taylor Gable and Hannah Lew picked out perfect dresses for Princess Winnifred. Her dresses as well as the Queen’s represented their characters personality. Microphones were an impending problem for the audience, but the actors maintained their energy. Actors without microphones were sometimes more quiet but the male ensemble was still strong.

With strong facial expressions, excellent costumes, and a “Happily Ever After” ending, Once Upon a Mattress at Howard High School was no “Shy” performance.

Permalink Reply by Julia Celtnieks on March 23, 2010 at 3:14pm

A musical, a fairy tale, and a screwball romantic comedy…all in under three hours? No, it’s not a triple feature. It’s Howard High School’s winsome production of Once Upon a Mattress, the true story of The Princess and the Pea.

In a far-off kingdom ruled by a talkative queen (Glynn Davis) and a mute king (Jena Frick), no one may marry until their son, Prince Dauntless the Drab (Spencer Sokoloski) has found a royal bride. This poses a problem for the valiant Sir Harry (Adam Weidemann), whose fair maiden, Lady Larken (Ryann Lillis), has a baby on the way, so he sets off in a “perilous journey” across the land to find the perfect princess.

He comes back with Princess Winnifred the Woebegone (Paris McGrann), a splashy, showy girl from the swamps who, on the surface, seems to lack the mark of royalty. However, she soon wins the heart of the prince and everyone else in the castle…except, of course, the queen. Can she pass the royalty test and marry the prince?

The show’s charm was owed in large part to the show’s ensemble, who excelled at creating individual characters and priceless moments and made the show’s every throwaway joke enjoyable. Ms. McGrann and Mr. Sokoloski did an excellent job of re-creating the sweet awkwardness of first love; as the show’s beta couple, Ms. Lillis and Mr. Weidemann also complemented each other well. Ms. Frick supplied the show with plenty of belly laughs as the mischievous, pantomiming King; Nick Kurtz and Sean Hipp, as the Minstrel and the Jester, completed the comic trio.

Bolstered by strong vocals, a talented orchestra, and an energetic cast, the show managed to survive a few sound slip-ups, and in the end, charmed us all.

Permalink Reply by Nediva Sokoll-Ward on March 23, 2010 at 4:24pm

Once Upon a Mattress


Once upon a time there lived an over-powering queen who dominated the kingdom, her household, and the choice of her son’s wife; a naïve prince, and a childish mute king. Not quite your average fairytale, is it? On March 20, 2010 Howard High presented a fractured fairytale, Once Upon a Mattress, the true story of the common tale, Princess and the Pea.

The show was amusing, fun, and bright. The unique portrayal of each character only added to the overall entertaining performance. The energy remained the entire show, and each character shined in his or her own way, even when the spotlight was not on them. I was extremely surprised by the wonderful facial expressions the girls and boys ensemble had, leaving each audience member entertained and able to follow along with the story, even when they were not watching the main performance. Queen Aggravain, played by Glynn Davis, overtook the stage with her big, strong voice, and even when not speaking, she was clearly apparent with her motions and expressions. Prince Dauntless, played by Spencer Sokoloski had an oblivious naïve way that made the audience burst out in laughter throughout the night. Although he is always looked upon as the baby, he is able to grow up in the end, although still maintaining his childlike ways. “You swam the moat?!” Yes, Winnifred, or better known as Fred, played by Paris McGrann, swam the moat. As soon as this witty, boisterous, outspoken character set stage the comedy began. Her energy never failed to diminish, and stayed her goofy self beginning to end. Do you have a secret? You better not tell King Sextimus, played by Jena Frick. King Sextimus was the most animated character in the show, even though mute. She had good body language that usually overtook the scene with her hilarious motions. However, the minstrel (Nick Kurtz), the jester (Sean Hipp), and King Sextimus worked as the lively trio, who never left a dry seat in the house. Lady Larken, played by Ryann Lillis, and Sir Harry, played by Adam Weidermann had such great on stage chemistry, and were very believable as a modern couple. Each character fed off the next, and there was not one character who did not act up to his or her sufficient potential.

These bright tunes are bound to stick in your head for days. Each song was catchy and performed well. The third song, “Opening for a Princess” was memorable song that made you want to jump on stage and dance with the crew. The dancing was simple, but extremely well put together, and all cast members were on point. Each singer had a strong, clear voice, and although at times the mics did not work properly, the character was still able to be heard.

The mics faded in and out the entire show and at some points did not even work, with that being said the cast did a great job, never letting this interfere with their performance. The lighting added to the atmosphere in the night and the spotlights worked well in several scenes, including the scene in act two, with the jester, singing “Very Soft Shoes.”

The show’s set worked well with the show, and although it was not very intricate, it was useful in almost every scene. The 20 ft. mattress was impressive: a colorful bed which had a ladder attached to the side to climb up on. The colorful costumes added to the fun show. Each princess looked like she had just walked out of a Disney fairytale, sporting the most dazzling gown, and the shiniest crown.

You can learn a lot from this show: how to have “the talk” with your son, although, it is much easier in pantomime; or even finding the right prince or princess for you, even if it comes down to putting a pea under 20 mattresses. This magical musical will brighten your day with its enthusiastic songs and radiant characters.

Permalink Reply by Chikodili Agwuna on March 23, 2010 at 5:31pm

Once upon a time, there was a fairytale that everyone knew and loved. But on a windy March night, in the auditorium of Howard High School, people found out that their “Princess and the Pea” was not the true “Princess and the Pea.” And because of Howard High School’s clever rendition of the musical fairytale Once Upon a Mattress, everyone left the theatre pleased with new knowledge of the true story behind a beloved fairytale.

In this hilarious musical packed with great music, side-splitting jokes, and clever wit, the true telling of the story unfolded. Narrated by the Minstrel (Nick Kurtz), as the curtain opens, the evil Queen Aggravain (Glynn Davis) is still trying to find a proper princess for her son Prince Dauntless the Drab (Spencer Sokoloski) to marry, for no one else in the land can get married until he does. This poses a problem for Sir Harry (Adam Weidemann) and his pregnant girlfriend, Lady Larken (Ryan Lillis). To top things off, Sir Harry brings Dauntless a swamp princess named Winnifred (Paris McGrann) who must pass the sensitivity test in order to wed Dauntless.

While this musical fairytale ends with the unavoidable “happy ever after,” the twists and turns on the road to the end make for the comedy. With an extremely involved ensemble, the high energy and great attitude of those onstage, the audience could not help but have a good time watching the show.

Prince Dauntless and Princess Winnifred were hilarious as a couple. The awkwardly cute chemistry between Sokoloski and McGrann was positively perfect for the plot and made the scenes between them even better. King Sextimus, played by Jena Frick, was an entertainingly animated character with amazing facial expressions that added gratuitously to the action onstage.

The orchestra was extremely good, with a great overture that made the audience content and ready to see a good show. Despite a few sound mishaps, the actors pulled through and the glitches were fixed. The set was perfect for the scenes and made for quick scene changes. The lighting helped pull the medieval theme together for the whole show and the costumes were perfectly within the time period.

While Queen Aggravain may have insisted on quiet, nothing could stop the audience from laughing and applauding Howard High School’s enjoyable performance of Once Upon a Mattress.

Permalink Reply by Lara Celtnieks on March 24, 2010 at 5:38pm

Howard High School Theatre Department’s performance of Once Upon a Mattress was a great demonstration of student talent at HHS. The medieval musical based on The Princess and the Pea shows the audience how things really went.
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom. In that kingdom ruled a very talkative queen (Glynn Davis), a mute king (Jena Frick) and their son, Prince Dauntless (Spencer Sokoloski). The queen has forbidden any marriages before her son’s, and after combing the neighboring kingdoms for proper princesses, the young couples of the kingdom are losing hope after the twelfth princess fails the queen’s test. Sir Harry (Adam Weidemann), a young knight, goes on a journey to bring the queen and the prince the perfect princess, so that he may marry his love, Lady Larken (Ryann Lillis). When Harry returns with Princess Winnifred (Paris McGrann) of the swamps, the kingdom is about to get a little more lively.
Paris McGrann and Spencer Sokoloski, the lead couple, had great chemistry and stage presence, as well as bold voices and snappy comedic timing. Glynn Davis ruled the stage with poise and a commanding voice. The comedic trio of the Jester, the Minstrel and the King (Sean Hipp, Nick Kurtz, and Jena Frick) complemented each other well, especially in their “duet,” “The Minstrel, The Jester, and I.” The orchestra’s splendid performance set the tone for the program.
The entire cast of Once Upon a Mattress was energetic, and their ability to stay in character was extremely impressive. The shows’ choreography helped tell the story, and added a modern flair to the show. Taylor Gable and Hannah Lew transported the audience to fairy tale times with their colorful costumes and attention to detail.
Howard High School Theatre Department put on a smooth, well rehearsed show full of laughs, love, and maybe a few happily ever afters.

Permalink Reply by Kimberly Barkley on March 26, 2010 at 9:37am

From Lady Gaga to Lady Larken and Soulja Boy dances to medieval
prances, the story of “The Princess and the pea” is transformed into a
magically modern tale mixed with romance and comedy. The charming
Knights and the melodious Ladies of Howard High School sparkled on set
as they sang their way through this sweet story of love entitled,
“Once Upon a Mattress.”

With music by Mary Rodgers and lyrics by Marshal Barer, this
musical was written as an adaption of the Hans Christian Andersen
fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, first opening off-Broadway in May
of 1959. This modernized version of Andersen’s tale tells the story of
Prince Dauntless who seeks to marry his sweetheart, which has to be
approved by his mother, Queen Aggravian. With many attempts to keep
Dauntless a bachelor, the Queen decrees that only the princess who can
pass her test may marry her son. This happily-ever-after tale ends
just as it sounds, with a few unexpected twists throughout the
musical.

Once upon this Friday night, there are 17 beautifully
orchestrated players with a single assertive conductor that fill the
auditorium from wall to wall with an enchanting overture, establishing
the dreamlike tone for the rest of the show. As Minstrel (Nick Kurtz)
makes his way into the spotlight in front of a closed curtain,
audience members can only imagine what will appear behind the thick
and heavy velvet curtain. When it does, the stage is sprinkled with
Knights, Ladies, and a glorious ensemble, all anxiously awaiting the
crowning of a Princess who has yet to be chosen. The excited ensemble
uses every opportunity available to radiate and express emotion
outward.

Howard’s leading characters were split between eight people, all
of whom brought differing personality traits from their personal lives
to the stage. From Queen Aggravion’s (Glynn Davis) sassy mannerisms to
King Saxtimus’ (Jena Frick) silent but wonderfully animated
expressions, each character truly enhanced the quality of the
performance in a unique way. Prince Dauntless’ (Spencer Sokolozki)
loveable and naïve character was one that many could relate to,
especially at times when he and Winnifred’s (Paris McGrann) witty
humor furthered their convincing on-stage relationship.

“Quiet, quiet,” the ensemble whispered, and that is precisely
how the crowd responds to the captivating characters as they begin the
second Act. The ensemble in this musical seems to be a very important
piece of the story and without them the story simply could not relay
as much emotion. Many members of the ensemble have cameos, each with
energy radiating throughout the theater, continuously elevating the
entire show.

Visually, this is a very simple yet unique set. With a castle
wall appearing at up stage center, there are varying colors portraying
a magnificent block-by-block wall; despite difficulties with many of
the microphones, the actors presence never fail to release any
negative energy or frustration, reassuring audience members that “the
show must go on!”

This humorously witty and entertaining production of “Once Upon
a Mattress,” was delivered by all in a way that delighted the audience
and made them long for more of it. Howard High School met the task of
completing this show with charming and loveable characters that warmed
the hearts of many.

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