A performance with a capital “Pea” energized the audience on Friday, April 17.

Due to an unhappy curse, King Sextimus is unable to speak. Meanwhile, his terror-of-a-wife, Queen Aggravain, has taken over control of the kingdom. Most importantly, in an attempt to keep Prince Dauntless single, she has decreed that only a princess who can pass her test may marry her son. Further, no one else in the kingdom may marry until Prince Dauntless does. To quote the Knights and Ladies of the kingdom, “What to do?”


And thus the stage is set for the musical comedy Once Upon a Mattress, a story inspired by the Princess and the Pea fairytale, written by Hans Christian Anderson. It opened on Broadway in 1959 and marked the Broadway debut of a rising young star named Carol Burnett in the role of Winifred the Woebegone. The show, composed by Mary Rodgers, (author of Freaky Friday and daughter of Richard Rodgers,) has been through several revivals over the years and continues to please audiences of every generation.

IMS Cast and Crew
Minstrel–Ethan Hart

Pantomime Queen–Bella Zhang
Pantomime Prince–Ethan Coleman
Pantomime Princess–Mary Riccardelli
Wizard–Gardner Bulkeley
Princess No: 12–Cammie Hussey
Queen Aggravain–Talibah Alexander
Dauntless the Drab–Eli Hill
Lady Larken–Lili Zyszkowski
Lady Rownea–Sara Renkert
Lady Merrill–Erika Knapp
Lady Lucille–Bea Kiggen
Lady Helena–Savannah Roberts
Lady Sarah–Holley Riva
Lady Mabelle–Fede del Valle
Sir Studley–Dawson Wynne
Sir Luce–Jack Schopp
Sir Russell–Kaleb Mucius
Sir Michael–Leo Li
Sir Humphrey–Ethan Coleman
Sir Godfrey–Sandy Sossoadouno
Kitchen Maid Emily–Yolanda Cao
Winifred the Woebegone–Rosie Kilby
Jester–Ava McCoy
King Sextimus–Nic Neave
Ladies of the Realm–Emily Grass, Bella Zhang, Mary Riccardelli, Zoey Guan, Zoe Wade, Paula Canavati, Cammie Hussey, Virginia Breen

Stage Crew–Chineweizu Oham, Phoebe Torres, Drew Laz-Nwokeafor, Whit Yerkes, Arthur Kilby, Henry Cherington, Siera O’Niel, Eliza King-Freedman, Turner Mullins, Matt Brewer, Jiwon Choi, Brianna Webb

Many thanks to the director, Tom McGlone, and to the set designer, Craig Pecchia, who both put countless hours and talent into this show. Bravo!