Once Upon a Mattress at Coterie Summer 2012

You know it as The Princess and the Pea, Hans Christian Anderson's beloved fairytale... Coterie brings it to the stage as Once Upon a Mattress a delightful children's adaptation of the famous Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. The story goes, as many fairytales do, that it is time for the Prince to wed and he must find the perfect Princess to marry. The catch? His mother, the Queen, is more motivated than most to prevent cutting the apron strings... she concocts one test after another to determine the legitimacy of each princess vying for the Prince's hand and one by one they are eliminated. Making matters worse, no one in the kingdom is permitted to marry until the Prince is wed. One by one princesses are tested for their knowledge, etiquette, and grace, each failing to pass the test.

Be prepared though, whatever fairytale stereotypes you may hold for princesses in flowing gowns with perfect manners and lilting voices... Princess Winnifred (Fred for short) breaks the boundaries making her entrance after swimming the moat... a place where she is quite comfortable having ruled her kingdom from a swamp. Winnifred, at first appearing to be raucous, adventurous, and wild... soon wins the heart of Prince Dauntless (played by Will Amato) and the entire kingdom, save the Queen, with her spirit, ambition, energy, and kindness. The King adores her too, but he has to be especially creative expressing it and aiding in her plight as he is mute... a consequence of a spell cast many years ago. The charades of the King as he communicates bring more laughter than any dialogue could ever hope to do! It is hysterical as the King teaches the Prince about the birds and the bees with mime... a bit that is humorous, honest, and innocent all at the same time.

Once Upon a Mattress is a comic musical full of hysterical over the top songs... the robust Shy performed by Princess Winnifred (played by Lauretta Pope), the comical The Minstrel, The Jester, and I (portrayed by the King, played by Ron Megee, the Jester by Grant Fletcher Prewitt, and the Minstrel by Noah Whitmore), and Sensitivity by the Queen (Julie Shaw).

The tale is full of wit, humor, and imagination and at the end of the day it teaches great lessons about stereotypes, perseverance, helping others, and ingenuity. The cast is truly outstanding, each player fitting so well completing a perfect jigsaw puzzle... when I asked my children who their favorite was they answered, "The Princess was wonderful... she was funny and wild! The Prince made us laugh. The King was so funny, we really loved him. All the ladies were beautiful in their dresses. The Wizard was very very funny. But the Queen, she wasn't nice at all."...  Conclusion? Light girls rate it: Two Thumbs Up... the entire cast stole the show!

Coterie is known to cleverly include the audience in the show... interacting and engaging directly with the children. This show is no exception with the kids joyfully assisting the King and his troupe is solving charades and cautioning the princess. This is one of our favorite signature elements from Coterie... making the show all the more memorable and special for kids.

One of my favorite things about this production is just that... everyone stands out! Truly, Lauretta Pope portrayed an excellent Winnifred as the tomboy Princess you instantly love for her kindness, friendliness, and spirit. Will Amato was an incredible boyish Prince Dauntless. The King (Ron Megee), the Jester (Grant Fletcher Prewitt) and the Minstrel (Noah Whitmore) were a hysterical trio.... the King quickly earned everyone's empathy and support. Lady Larken (Stefanie Wienecke) sang beautifully. And of course, the villains.... the Wizard (Frankie Krainz) was a charming sidekick for the plotting and deliciously evil Queen (Julie Shaw). The entire company produced an unforgettable night of family entertainment... wonderful music, great costuming and props, and outstanding performances all around. Well done Director Jeff Church and the entire crew!

This is a great Summer Must See that, once again, leaves me as a mother very grateful to be raising my children in a city rich with affordable family-friendly ways to enjoy and experience the arts!

Coterie's family-friendly production, Once Upon a Mattress, is a summer Must See that will leave you laughing, singing, and smiling all the way home!

Show Facts & Notable Performances:

Coterie Theatre performances of Once Upon a Mattress June 19-August 5 at Coterie Theatre located on the First Floor of Crown Center (2450 Grand Boulevard KCMO). Individual tickets $10 for youth, students and seniors; $15 for adults; $9 for Season Ticket holders. Tickets may be purchased online at www.coterietheatre.org or by calling the Coterie box office (816) 474-6552 from 10 a.m. to 4 p. m. Monday through Friday.

Tip: Read our tips for the Best Day at Crown Center before you go!

June 22, 29, July 6, 13, 20, 27 and August 3, Something Fun Friday Night!: A free post-performance experience that may be an autograph session with Princess Fred and friends, Q&A or mini-class with the cast. The experience will change with each performance.

June 23 and 24, Q&A: Free post-performance question and answer sessions with the Company.

June 23, 30, July 7, 14, 21, 28 and August 4: TARGET Saturdays: Free ticket and book with order; restrictions apply; not available online.

June 30, Once Upon a Gala: A benefit for the Coterie Theatre at Crown Center Square. Details online at www.coterietheatre.org.

July 7: Interpreted performance in American Sign Language