Review: Paul VI Catholic School's Production of 'Once Upon a Mattress'

By Talia Brenner of Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda

Finding fault with Paul VI Catholic High School’s (PVI) production of Once Upon A Mattress would be more difficult than feeling a pea under 20 mattresses.

A large cast of talented students told the real story behind a classic fairy tale with jaunty physical humor, successful character voices, and unmatched dedication.

The musical comedy, which first opened on Broadway in 1959, is based upon Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Princess and the Pea." The show was adapted for a 1996 revival, but PVI performed the original 1959 version, with a few alterations to plot details as to be more suitable for a Catholic high school audience.

Queen Aggravain (Kristen Washington) is the bossy, loudmouthed ruler of the kingdom, as well as an overprotective mother who devises impossible tests for potential daughters-in-law to prevent her son, Prince Dauntless (Alex Siegal), from marrying.

Siegal’s Dauntless was a humorous caricature, but his progression from whiny and childlike to bold and confident was genuine.

Princess Winnifred, or as she is nicknamed in the show, Fred (Abigail Rozmajzl), is the thirteenth princess tested for marriage. Abigail Rozmajzl’s endless energy and powerful belt made numbers like “Shy” utterly hilarious.

In addition, King Sextimus (Brendan McAlevy), Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl), and Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin) brought excellent comedic timing, both individually and as a trio of unlikely best friends. Despite playing a mute character, McAlevy stole several scenes with slapstick antics and witty use of charades-style movement.

Rozmajzl added another layer to a normally static character in “Very Soft Shoes,” and Kiechlin maintained accurate pitch throughout the score, even when singing a cappella.

Another truly memorable moment, though, was entirely accidental. The Wizard (Joey Arzeno)’s adhesive moustache partially fell off during a scene, but Arzeno masterfully handled the incident by pretending that his character did in fact wear false facial hair.

Once Upon A Mattress is unique in that every character requires comic actions, from Princess Fred’s un-ladylike attitude to Sir Harry (Jason Lockwood)’s straight-faced delivery of discourteous lines.

The "Chorus," as members of the Royal Court, was no exception. Queen Aggravain forbade anyone in the kingdom from marrying as long as Dauntless remained a bachelor, and every member of the Chorus acted their frustration in unique ways, without losing unity as a group.

Fairy tales do not usually have a distinctive setting, but Once Upon A Mattress takes place specifically in the 1400s. Technical elements succeeded in humorously projecting the medieval setting; most props were accurate to the period, although some, like a gigantic barbell that Fred lifts, just contributed to the comedy. Queen Aggravain’s makeup (designed by Kristen Washington) was also a highlight. Washington’s eyebrows were covered and new ones were drawn on higher to make her look like a Disney-esque villain.

Productions with large casts can tend to drag, yet pacing in PVIs production was excellent throughout. All protagonists were particularly loveable, and the audience basked in the joy of this "happily ever after."

Once Upon A Mattress showcased every student's commitment and aptitude for humor in a jubilant and dazzling show.

Editor's Note: Patch presents this review as part of the Cappies Program for high school drama.

The Cappies (Critics and Awards Program) is an international program for recognizing, celebrating, and providing learning experiences for high school theater and journalism students and teenage playwrights. There are currently 17 Cappies programs in the U.S. and Canada, ranging in size from five to fifty-five participating high schools. Within each program, every participating high school selects three to nine students for a critic team. After receiving intensive training in theater criticism and review writing, they attend plays and musicals at other high schools in their area.