Once Upon a Mattress- Empress Theatre (Blanket Cast)
Once Upon a Mattress is a musical adaptation of "The Princess and the Pea" and features Princess Winnifred's journey to win Prince Dauntless, battling royal rules and a meddling queen. The music is by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. This production was directed by Adam Cannon.
This was my second time seeing the show, so I could see the other cast in action.
Direction:
The director for this production was Adam Cannon. Cannon took a modern take to the show, where the characters weren't wearing the classic Renaissance costumes, but modern clothes. With the show being double casted, he took the strengths of each lead and let them develop their own character, separate from their counterpart. He was able to make sure that most of the actors could be seen on stage and that they all could have their moment. (There were some funny moments that I knew existed, but couldn't see them from where I sat.) Cannon made sure that duo actor scenes were strong and full of emotion. (Fred/Dauntless, Harry/Larkin, Aggravain/Dauntless)
The co-choreographers were Lorelai Byers and Michelle Moore. The choreography for "Shy" was fun and exciting to watch. "Song of Love" was well rehearsed and brought an energy to the stage. The tapping for "Very Soft Shoes" was together and was a thrill to listen to and watch. All songs used the stage well and made it so everyone was seen.
The music director was Amanda King. The vocals for "An Opening for a Princess" were strong and fun to listen to. The song "Shy" was a stand out vocally. Everyone sounded clear and had an energy to their voice. "Song of Love" had everyone together and had a fun tone to the songs. "Man to Man Talk" had a liveliness to it. The vocals during "Happily Ever After," was a delight to listen to. The ensemble as a whole filled the stage with their voice, making it feel that their were more actors on the stage than what there actually was.
Performances:
Queen Aggravain was played by Amy Hallett. She played a calm, but very manipulative mother. (almost a Mother Gothel sort of vibe) Every time she was on stage with Dauntless you could feel the manipulative and protective mother that she was portraying. Her vocals were solid and helped complete her character.
(Photo credit: Sunshine Studios Photography)
Lady Larkin was played by Nora Miller. From the first time she opened her mouth to sing, it wasn't hard to fall in love with her character. Miller truly made her character feel and act like a damsel in distress that the Minstrel, the King, and the Jester needed to go save.
King Sextimus was played by Josh Starr. Even with small actions, he was able to draw the audience in. Starr was good at bringing quiet humor to the stage. He performed "Man to Man Talk" in a way that was calm and fun to watch.
(Photo credit: Sunshine Studios Photography)
Princess Winnifred was played by Beck Fraser. Fraser created a delightfully different Fred from their counter part. They started off strong from the moment they started singing "Shy." Fraser made Fred delicate but strong at the same time. Fraser's vocals during "Happily Ever After" were powerful and nice to listen to. The chemistry that was between Winnifred and Dauntless was wonderful and a great casting choice by the director to cast this real life couple opposite of each other.
(Photo credit: Sunshine Studios Photography)
Princess Rowena was played by Emma Hallett. She played a princess that was absolutely tired of Queen Aggravain's antics. Her character presence was strong. Her singing voice was a joy to listen to. Hallett made sure to have a different character than her double, which was a fun choice to see on stage.
Design:
If you would like to know my thoughts of the design of this show, go to my review of the Quilt cast.
Hiccups:
The beauty of live theatre is that you never know what may happen on stage. Near the beginning of the show a painting fell off of the wall during a blackout. The actors swiftly took it off stage. During "Very Soft Shoes" one of the canes broke during the dance. The actor got it quickly off stage and kept dancing. Near the end of the show the safety railing on the proscenium came loose. (everyone stayed safe) Each of these hiccups will make this production be memorable- in a good way.
Final Impressions:
Being one where the Empress is just around the corner from my house, I love to go see shows there. This show is one that is safe for family members of ALL ages to go see. If you are interested in seeing a very different take on this classic tale, try going to see this production. Both casts are VERY different, so going a second time wouldn't be a bad thing. Maybe one of these days I'll meet you at the Empress!
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