Once Upon A Mattress

For 2005

Port Angeles Light Opera Association
P.O. Box 327, Port Angeles, WA 98362 - (360) 457-5630

presents

Book by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer and Dean Fuller

Music by Mary Rodgers Lyrics by Marshall Barer

Thank you for joining us for this hilarious rendition of a Broadway classic in the Summer of 2005.

Once Upon a Mattress

See pictures of our show

July 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 2005

Once Upon A Mattress is the musical comedy retelling of the fairy tale classic, The Princess and the Pea. Woven into the main story are several funny subplots involving a colorful cast of characters including a mute king under a curse, a soft-shoe tap dancing jester, a wizard who really just wants to do stage magic and the beautiful Lady Larken who has (pregnant pause) …..a problem. The lives of all of the people in this eccentric castle and most especially, Prince Dauntless the Drab, are dramatically changed when young Princess Winifred the Woebegone arrives soaked to the skin. Princess Winifred is not at all your classic storybook princess as the court finds out when she announces that she is seeking the hand of the prince to marry since she heard that the country had an "Opening For A Princess". The course of true love is never easy and was never made more difficult than by the plotting and machinations of the prince’s mother, Queen Aggravain, who is convinced that the princess, like all the other princesses before, is unworthy to marry her son. To prove that Princess Winifred lacks the necessary royal credentials the queen will put the princess to some unknown test, but first….a ball! The whole court will swirl and cavort to the dance craze sweeping all of Europe - The Spanish Panic!

If you think you know the story of the Princess and the Pea you’ll be in for a real surprise and musical and visual feast. With a rousing score of great songs including "In a Little While", "I’m Shy", "Daddy’s Very Soft Shoes" and "I’m in Love With a Girl Called Fred", Once Upon A Mattress is a musical comedy delight for the whole family. Come and enjoy all of the heraldry of a 15th century castle and all of the regalia and pageantry of high gothic costumes when our cast presents this funny and ultimately sweet and moving retelling of this fractured fairytale. You won’t want to miss the joyful surprise that is Once Upon a Mattress, July 22 - 30, 2005.

Richard Stephens

Director

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Synopsis:

Based on a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, this classical Broadway musical spins the tale of a medieval kingdom's search for a proper princess to marry the hapless Prince Dauntless the Drab. Everyone wants to see the lonely prince engaged – no one can get married until he is. Everyone, that is, except the domineering Queen Aggravain, unwilling to cut the royal apron strings. Enter Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, loud, brave and dripping wet (having swam the moat!). She boldly declares herself a contender for the Prince's hand. But to show she is a true princess, she must prove that she is too delicate to sleep on 20 mattresses if there is even a tiny pea underneath them. The Queen plots a huge party to make sure the Princess will be up all night dancing and be so tired she would fall asleep on a pile of rocks!