“Many moons ago,” in Paul VI Catholic High School, “lived a handsome prince”
named Dauntless (Alex Siegal) along with his mute father, King Sextimus (Brendan
McAlevy), and his talkative, manipulative mother, Queen Aggravain (Kristen
Washington), in the tale of Once Upon a Mattress. Prince Dauntless has finally
reached marriage age, but the Queen has other plans; the prince cannot marry a
princess unless she passes a royalty test. To make matters worse, “throughout the
land no one may wed, ‘till Dauntless to the altars led!” This becomes a personal
problem for Lady Larken (Elinor Curry) and Sir Harry (Jason Lockwood), who have a
baby on the way. Thus, after twelve princesses have failed at seeking Dauntless’
hand, Harry embarks on a quest to find a true princess, and returns with a girl
like the kingdom’s never seen before. All this and more occurs in this re-vamped
version of “The Princess and the Pea,” premiering on Broadway in 1959 with music
and lyrics written by Mary Rogers and Marshall Barer respectively.
The show is filled with a variety of fun and interesting characters. Sarah
Giuseppe’s take on Princess #12 was quirky and hilarious, while Aaron Jacobs
lived up to his role as Sir Studley. As Dauntless, Siegal created an adorably
awkward momma’s-boy who grew with his love for the princess. Numbers such as
“Opening for a Princess” and “Song of Love,” showcased his acting, singing, and
physical prowess, making the audience laugh with nearly every line he said.
McAlevy’s portrayal of King Sextimus was expressive and engaging—an impressive
feat for a mute character! What he didn’t have in words, he certainly made up for
in facial expressions and dedication to his character in songs such as “Man to
Man Talk” and “The Minstrel, the Jester and I.” The Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin)
and Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl) created the perfect dynamic duo, both having
excellent comedic timing and beautiful voices. They handled difficult songs and
harmonies with ease in numbers such as “Normandy” and “
The Minstrel, the Jester and I.” The actors had great chemistry, with the
Minstrel, Jester, and the King, Dauntless and Princess Winnifred, and father-andson duo Dauntless and Sextimus creating entertaining, well-developed, and
downright adorable relationships. Freshman Abigail Rozmajzl played Princess #13,
Winnifred the Woebegone (informally known as Fred), and knocked it out of the
park. Although she may be small, Rozmajzl blew the house down in various belting
numbers such as “Shy” and “Happily Ever After,” not only singing well, but also
exhibiting great verbal and physical comedic timing.
As a whole, the ensemble performed with great commitment and energy, even during
the smooth scene changes. The Knights of the Royal Court were particularly
impressive as they nailed their notes and were easily heard regardless of their
position onstage. The ensemble handled numbers such as “The Spanish Panic,” “Song
of Love,” and “Shy” with great energy and commitment, with dancers Spencer
Loessberg and Kayla Sharpe giving stand-out performances with impressive lifts
and flips.
Scott Wehner created interesting lighting effects that seldom cast shadows on
characters’ faces, while a few spotlights shakily found their targets. The sound
was consistent, but some actors could not overpower the orchestra pit.
Paul VI’s polished production of Once Upon A Mattress was a funny, heartwarming,
quirky tale told expertly by the PVI players thanks to an engaging and energetic
ensemble, well-executed punch lines, and a talented group of singers and dancers
that kept the show moving well into the night.
by Erika Gallagher of Thomas Edison High School
-------------------------------------------------Paul VI Catholic High School’s production of Once Upon a Mattress, the comical
and lively retelling of the classic Princess and the Pea tale, was a brilliant,
energetic, and sparkling telling of the amusing musical. Adapted from Hans
Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea, the music for this perennially
popular show was composed by Mary Rodgers, the daughter of the eminent composer
Richard Rodgers. Originally produced in 1959, the iconic actress Carol Burnett
originated the lead female role of Princess Winnifred.
The favorite of the night, and perhaps the most surprising, was freshman Abigail
Rozmajzl, who depicted the lead, Princess Winnifred, or Fred, with amazing gusto
and enthusiasm. Rozmajzl delighted the audience with her performance, especially
with her solo songs, including the comedic Shy, and the charming Happily Ever
After. With a belting voice rare in one so young, and a stage presence rare in
anybody, Rozmajzl delivered a truly memorable performance in a role that demands
so much from an actress.
As well as her solo performances, Rozmajzl’s chemistry with senior Alex Siegal,
the male lead, Prince Dauntless, was commendable. Siegal’s portrayal of
Dauntless’s ongoing search for a bride was comical, without being over-the-top
silly. His vocal range and skill was well shown off, not only in solos, but in
appealing duets with his bride-to-be, Rozmajzl.
Two men in the show who deserve huge shout outs are the Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl)
and King Sextimus (Brendan McAlvey). McAlvey’s King Sextimus, who doesn’t have
the ability to speak for 99% of the show, had remarkable opportunities for
physical comedy, which McAlvey took in stride and more than delivered. Raising
raucous laughter from the audience, McAlvey’s Sextimus was a joy to watch.
Rozmajzl’s Jester, as well, was an impressive male supporting character. With his
own solo song, and some truly wonderful dance moves, Rozmajzl’s Jester was also a
pleasure to behold, the true epitome of the typical, hilarious court ‘jester.’
Most females in this show were also notable. Kristen Washington’s Queen Aggravain
was every bit as pompous, intimidating, and cruel as she should have been. The
Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin), usually played by a male, had a great voice, and had
pronounced chemistry with her boys, the Jester and the King. Lady Larken (Elinor
Curry) was also impressive, as a waiting, hoping young woman, whose character was
entirely believable.
While there were some snafus with sound, tech was generally fabulous. The
lighting, in particular was fascinating, without simple blackouts. Instead they
chose to utilize different shades of light during transitions, that allowed both
the actors, and the audience, to stay in the moment of the show.
The most remarkable part of the show was the energy level. Admirable anywhere,
everyone, down to the smallest chorus member knew who they were, what they were
doing, and did it with unbelievable levels of energy at all times. A truly
outstanding performance of Once Upon a Mattress, Paul VI deserves (and received)
a standing ovation.
by Isabella Valdes of W. T. Woodson HS
-------------------------------------------------Old stories get twisted over time, but Paul VI Catholic High School’s production
of Once Upon a Mattress clears up a few misconceptions about what really happened
with the Princess and the Pea. In this humorous, musical interpretation of the
classic tale, Queen Aggravain (Kristen Washington) has issued a loathed edict. No
one in the land can marry until Prince Dauntless (Alex Siegal) does, and the
Queen comes up with a clever way to make sure that never happens: prospective
wives have to go through an impossible test of her choosing. Impossible until
Fred (Abigail Rozmajzl) comes along at least. To the Queen’s dismay, this loud,
rebellious princess, unconcerned with the boundaries of propriety, may be up to
the challenge.
With music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and a book by Jay Thompson,
Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer, Once Upon a Mattress opened in May 1959 offBroadway, moved to Broadway, and ran for 244 performances. Since it closed, there
have been three television adaptations, one in 1964, one in 1972, and the most
recent in 2005. The show started out as a script for a short play at an adult
summer resort, and was later converted into a full length musical when producers
showed interest.
Abigail Rozmajzl used her powerful belt, youthful movements, and a variety of
happy squeals and devastated groans to portray Fred’s eccentric, immediately
captivating personality. Her thrashing and frustration during the scene in which
she tries to sleep on the mattresses kept it fresh and funny. Siegal played her
adoring prince lovably, highlighting Dauntless’s dynamism with a smooth
transition from submissive Momma’s boy to independent young ruler. King Sextimus
the Silent (Brendan McAlevy) elicited giggles and snorts of laughter from the
audience while he tried to explain the birds and the bees to his clueless son
without using any words.
Taylor Kiechlin narrated the story with a warm singing voice as the Minstrel.
Joey Arzeno cleverly worked through costume difficulties with a sense of humor
that kept the show moving as the Wizard. The Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl) sprang
around the stage with impressive gymnastic maneuvers and stayed light on his
feet. During some dance numbers, however, cast members seemed unsure of the
choreography.
Queen Aggravain’s make-up intensified her character effectively. The cruel
eyebrows and regal eye shadow made her a terrifying, imposing figure. Despite
challenges with a nearby radio tower, sound ran well and the songs came through
with good quality. A few deck changes went a little long.
Once Upon a Mattress was a light-hearted, enjoyable show that proved that even in
a well-known plot, there is room for new ideas.
by Becca Stein of James Madison High School
-------------------------------------------------The King is mute, the Prince is Princess-less, and the Queen will do anything in
her power to stop a happily ever after in this fractured fairy tale. Will she
succeed in stealing away her son's fairy tale ending? The answer lies beneath 20
mattresses and one uncooked vegetable in Paul VI Catholic High School's
enchanting production of Once Upon A Mattress.
This musical adaptation by Mary Rodgers of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy
tale, “The Princess and the Pea” launched the career of the Queen of Farcical
Comedy, Carol Burnet, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred when it
opened off-Broadway in May 1959. The not-so-magical plot follows a jealous Queen
who prevents her love-starved son from marrying by putting prospective brides to
insurmountable tests. Since in her kingdom there is a strict marriage law,
“Throughout the land no one may wed, ‘till Dauntless shares his wedding bed,” the
entire court is waiting for Princess Right to come along, however, after 12
Princesses have failed, it seems that no one is good enough to marry Prince
Dauntless.
The jovial cast exuded effervescence and left not a dry moment on stage. In a
storybook court filled with handsome knights, secret lovers, and everyone in
between, the vocal prowess of the colorful ensemble shined in large numbers,
while the commitment of each individual cast member infused the show with humor
with every word.
As brash and unrefined Princess Winnifred from the marshlands, or Fred as she
prefers to be called, Abigail Rozmajzl showcased infectious energy and
extraordinary vocal range, and her dynamic onstage presence lit up the house. Her
memorable initial appearance, after ostensibly swimming the castle moat, is in a
huckleberry pink dress draped in seaweed, proving that this princess is certainly
not “Shy.” Playing opposite Rozmajzl as Prince Dauntless was Alex Siegal, who
shared playful chemistry and adorable compatibility with Rozmajzl. His mama's boy
attitude and childish exuberance had the audience in peels of laughter; he also
showcased his excellent dancing and acrobatic ability during the high energy
Spanish Panic.
Punctuating the scenes with robust singing and dexterous dancing was the Jester
(Jacob Rozmajzl), in a ridiculous costume complete with three-pronged cap,
displaying his impeccable comedic timing and impressive vocals. The domineering
Queen Aggrivain (Kristen Washington) expresses her all-absorbing domination of
her son with sour facial expressions and stormy rages. Brendon McAlvey’s mute
King Sextimus communicates eloquently in pantomime, especially while explaining
the birds and the bees to his overly naïve son. Further, a particularly
successful ensemble with the Jester (Rozmajzl) and the Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin)
and McAlvey was showcased in a number where the trio declares that they have only
two voices among them. Their timing is impeccable and speech is not necessary for
McAlvey's presence to shine.
Each technical element of the show enhanced the childlike, storybook aura of the
production. Colorful medieval costumes and a playful castle set complemented the
actors. Exaggerated arched eyebrows and red cheeks suited to each character was
truly drawn from fairy tale inspiration. The stage crew moved gracefully through
each transition, smoothly and effectively shifting large set pieces. Though at
times some microphones made a few characters difficult to hear, all issues were
minor and hardly effected the performances adversely.
With counting sheep, a secret handshake, and a little bit of magic, this zealous,
lighthearted spectacle fit for royalty at Paul VI Catholic High School kept the
audience wide awake and wishing for a happily ever after in a kingdom far far
away.
by Roshni Gorur of Chantilly High School
-------------------------------------------------Finding fault with Paul VI Catholic High School’s production of Once Upon A
Mattress would be more difficult than feeling a pea under twenty 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 So
ft 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 Paul VI Catholic
High School’s 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 students’ commitment and aptitude
for humor in a jubilant and dazzling show.
by Talia Brenner of Walt Whitman High School
-------------------------------------------------Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, no one was getting any…younger
waiting around for a princess to arrive suitable enough for marriage to prince
Dauntless. But what could that be splashing around in the moat? A fish? A frog?
Or maybe, as they would soon discover, a welcome change. Once Upon a Mattress is
the fantastically twisted tale of the princess and the pea where the King is
silent, the prince is infantile, and the princess is a “moat swimmer”. With
music and lyrics written by Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer, this lively musical
will be sure to remind you what love and being a true princess is all about.
Kristen Washington (Queen Aggravain) had the audience captivated with her first
uttered demands. Washington’s voice was as commanding, regal, and poised as her
character. Even while giving princesses “the bird” she had a regal, sophisticated
air about her, which only added to her humor and appeal. Washington’s chemistry
with other characters such as Dauntless (Alex Siegel) and the Wizard (Joey
Arzeno) was spot on, adding immensely to her performance and demonstrating to the
audience her strong sense of character and understanding of role.
In terms of chemistry however, very few groups matched that of Dauntless (Alex
Siegal) and King Sextimus (Brendan McAlevy). A bond beyond words was demonstrated
between the two as the audience lapped up every second of their imaginary sword
fight and informative “birds and bees” talk. When paired together the duo
electrified the stage with their vivacious gestures and strong sense of
character. Though both lacked the commanding air the Queen proudly embodied,
there is no question that they commanded the stage time and time again.
Speaking of commanding the stage, Dauntless was not the only one to fall for
Fred: Abigail Rozmajzl had the crowd roaring with laughter throughout her
spirited performance. Abigail’s energy was almost contagious as she interacted
with other characters on stage, especially during musical numbers Shy and Song of
Love. Her physicality and vocal inflection truly won the hearts of everyone in
the audience and everyone on stage…
And it seems that this talent and energy runs in the family, the Jester (Jacob
Rozmajzl) also proved to be a crowd favorite with his athletic abilities, smooth
vocals, and clever humor that beautifully contrasted that of his sister. Jacob‘s
vocal talent and technique were prominent during his performance of Very Soft
Shoes. His inflection and choices throughout the song were widely received, as
were his agile, athletic moves. Jacob’s presence and comedic style added to the
performance immensely as he brought a needed balance to the other characters on
stage.
Paul VI Catholic High School surely packed enough colorful characters and energy
to fill more than twenty mattresses much less one performance- Once Upon a
Mattress is certainly entertainment for the sensitive elite, the sensitive
asleep, and anyone who enjoys a cheesy “happily ever after”.
by Helen Slivinski of South Lakes High School
-------------------------------------------------You know the story of the princess and the pea? Right? You know, the one where
this handsome prince with a gloomy face could not find a bride, and then one
stormy a night a girl arrived who could answer his prayers, but the prince’s
mother wanted to test her by placing a pea under twenty mattresses to disturb her
sleep. Well if you thought you knew the story, you thought wrong! So begins Paul
VI Catholic High School’s production of Mary Rodger’s Once Upon a Mattress!
Running for over 200 performances on Broadway, Once Upon a Mattress puts a new
twist on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea.” The
plot revolves around Prince Dauntless and his desire to find a bride. It just so
happens that the rest of the kingdom shares his anxiety because “they cannot wed
until Prince Dauntless to the alter is led.” There’s just one problem: Dauntless’
mother, Queen Aggravain, will stop at nothing to keep her son without a bride.
All seems lost until the brash Princess Winnifred arrives on the scene. Despite
Queen Aggravain’s best efforts (which include attempting to disturb her sleep by
placing a pea under Winnifred’s twenty mattresses), Winnifred proves that she is
indeed a real princess.
The PVI Player’s production featured two very strong and entertaining leads: Alex
Siegal as Prince Dauntess and Abigail Rozmajzl as Princess Winnifred. Both Siegal
and Rozmajzl had excellent chemistry on the stage and delivered each line and
musical number masterfully, at times they even helped make up for some lost
energy from the ensemble. Rozmajzl’s portrayal of the unrefined Winnifred made
each of her scenes a spectacle for the audience, especially in her iconic song
“Shy.”
The production was also anchored by a hilarious and talented supporting cast as
well. Brendan McAlevy (who portrayed the mute King Sextimus) had masterful
comedic timing and rose admirably to the challenge of making the audience’s sides
split without uttering a single word. Also generating some giggles from the
audience was Jacob Rozmajzl as the Jester. Together with his spot on timing and
chemistry with the King and the Minstrel, Rozmajzl kept the audience entertained
and engaged in all of his scenes. For a role that is often overlooked, Rozmajzl
made his presence known.
Despite one sound glitch, the technical aspect of the production served as
beautiful supplement to the actors on stage by maintaining the balance of being
flashy without also being obtrusive. The time of day lighting added a nice touch
to the start of each scene.
Overall, Once Upon a Mattress is a show that, if done too over-the-top, loses its
charm, but the Paul VI Players took to the challenge and delivered an excellent
show, which, much like a genuine princess, is exceedingly rare.
by Nathan Vasquez of Thomas Edison High School
-------------------------------------------------What is as delicate as a dragon fly’s wing? Elegant, intelligent and sensitive? A
princess of course! And Prince Dauntless’s kingdom is desperate for one. Under
the rule of the cantankerous queen, the citizens are forbidden from marrying
until Dauntless is matched with the proper girl. Impossible “princess tests”, a
scandalous pregnancy and…a girl from the swamps? With all of the castle’s schemes
and scandals will Dauntless ever find a bride? Paul VI Catholic High School
delivered not only the answer, but an enchanting performance of Once Upon a
Mattress.
Once Upon a Mattress is based on the classic fairy tale, The Princess and the
Pea. It chronicles the story of quirky and unlikely Princess Winnifred who the
queen tests by placing a single pea under twenty down mattresses. Only a true
princess would be sensitive enough to feel such a lump. The musical comedy
adaptation was originally off Broadway in 1959 before moving to Broadway and
eventually a TV movie.
Abigail Rozmajzl seemed almost born for the part of swamp Princess “Fred”. Her
vocal range was absolutely stunning, demonstrating belting power and impressive
jazzy inflections. She brought the first act to life with the breakthrough number
"Shy”. Her presence on stage was commanding and hilarious. While Rozmajzl’s
performance had fewer subtleties, her character was anything but subtle so this
was in no way a flaw. Fred and Dauntless (Alex Siegal) had a believable
chemistry; their relationship was very innocent and sincere - both characters in
awe of how “very interesting” life is. Siegal’s voice was strong throughout the
show and he shocked the audience with a standing back handspring out of the blue
during "Song of Love."
Queen Aggravain (Kristen Washington) commanded the plot with her scheming to halt
Dauntless’s marriage (and his growing up). Washington nailed the part with a
powerful stage presence, insane eyebrows, and perfected comedic rage.
Standout performances throughout the show included the Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin)
whose beautiful voice opened the show and wove plot continuity throughout. The
Jester, played by Jacob Rozmajzl, had the strongest male voice of the show and
his relationship with the Minstrel and King Sextimus was a highly dynamic
grouping. Brendan McAlevy played the mute king himself with outrageous physical
comedy. The mischievous glint in his eye had audiences laughing the second he
snuck on stage, and his constant harassment of castle maidens was ridiculously
entertaining.
The cast of the show preformed with outstanding energy. Scene transitions were
made enjoyable as ensemble moved the set while displaying castle relationships.
The constant interactions truly developed a sense of a developed world within the
show. Small moments of unplanned humor and unscripted mumblings from every
character brought the show to an exceptional level.
Paul VI Catholic High School was not "shy" at all in their performance of Once
Upon a Mattress. Strong leads and a vibrant ensemble made for an incredibly fun
show. And—Oh! Fred passed her test (after counting three million sheep), so it
seems that this kingdom will have its Happily Ever After. The Paul VI cast and
crew certainly did.
by Emilia Brennan of Oakton High School
-------------------------------------------------What do you get when you combine one very unusual princess, one weak willed
prince, and one very controlling queen? Add in an unfair law, a devious plot,
and a small pea, and you have Paul VI Catholic High School’s production of Once
Upon a Mattress.
Once Upon a Mattress is the musical translation of Hans Christian Andersen’s
fairytale The Princess and the Pea. It follows the story of Prince Dauntless the
Drab’s attempt to find love around his mother’s endless schemes. By order of the
selfish Queen Aggravain, each Princess hoping to take her son’s hand must prove
that they are a “true princess” by passing an impossible test, and until the
prince marries, no one else may marry either. All hope in the kingdom seems lost
until the arrival of Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, a boisterous, unruly
princess who is determined to pass the infamous tests, even when the test
involves a small pea under twenty down mattresses.
Opening in 1959, Once Upon a Mattress soon hit the Broadway stage where it
received Tony Award nominations for Best Musical and Best Leading Actress. Wide
public acclamation would also lead to many televised versions of the musical.
One of Paul VI’s greatest strengths lies in the energy of the ensemble. Whether
groaning from the Queen’s impossible demands or celebrating at the hope of
success, the cast was always engaged and exuded a vibrant energy.
As the brash Princess Winnifred, or Fred for short, Abigail Rozmajzl was charming
and enjoyable, combining her impressive voice with hilarious mannerisms and
physical comedy. Rozmajzl won the hearts of both the characters and the audience
in “Shy”, a belting song confessing Winnifred’s unapparent fear of meeting new
people. She shined most when interacting with Alex Siegal’s Dauntless, creating
an adorable chemistry as they jumped and giggled with the innocence of a first
love. Siegal expressed his love for “a girl named Fred” in the endearing “Song
of Love”, which showcased his powerful vocal prowess as well as Rozmajzl’s
physical dedication as she ran across the stage in a flurry of activity.
Kristen Washington played Queen Aggravain with a permanent scowl on her face,
using a haughty tone in her voice to express the depths of her selfishness.
Together with the egotistical Wizard, played by Joey Arzeno, the two made a
conniving pair, feeding off each other’s despicable airs. Arzeno also showed off
his hilarious improvisation skills when he was having troubles with his moustache
adhesive, covering smoothly without distracting from the plot.
Another highlight of the show was in the heroic trio of the Minstrel (Taylor
Kiechlin), the Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl), and the mute King Sextimus (Brendan
McAlevy). The three worked well together as they tried to help Fred ace the
test, proclaiming their loyalty in the half-sung half-mimed “The Minstrel, The
Jester, and I”.
The technical aspects of the show also shone, most notable of which was the hair
and makeup design by Elinor Curry, Meghan Taylor Kiechlin, Kristen Washington,
and Amanda Silverston. Queen Aggravain’s makeup in particular was the most
successful, consisting of painted arched eyebrows and a bold lip. Also Fred’s
tomboyish hairstyle set her apart from the girly ladies in waiting.
Overall, Paul VI’s production was fun and enjoyable and proved that not even a
little pea can come in the way of true love.
by Caroline Werenskjold of Oakton High School
-------------------------------------------------“I swam the moat,” Princess Winifred announces loudly as she strides into the
great hall, shaking water and seaweed off onto cringing noblewomen. With that
first line and each one after, she quickly enamors the prince, the members of the
court, and finally the audience itself. Headed by a strong female heroine, Paul
VI High School’s Once Upon A Mattress delighted theater goers this weekend.
Billed as a “musical comedy”, the show tells the re-imagined story of the
princess and the pea: a meek prince, his shrewish queen mother, and the princess
that the prince defies his mother to love. First opening on Broadway in 1959,
Once Upon A Mattress ran for close to 300 performances. Its recent revival in
1996 enjoyed a good season as well, running for 188 shows.
Abigail Rozmajzl shone in the starring role of Princess Winifred, or “Fred,” as
she is affectionately called by everyone who meets her. Her solos “Shy” and
“Happily Ever After” were completely in character. With her powerful singing
voice, physical and verbal humor, and clear intonation of lines, it’s clear that
the high school freshman is going places. Another actress to watch would be
Kristen Washington as the dignified, arrogant Queen Aggravain. Washington brings
a certain elegant wickedness to the classically antagonistic role with every
gesture and line.
Other standouts include Brendan McAlevy (King Sextimus, the queen’s mute
husband), and Jacob Rozmajzl (the Court Jester). Despite having no vocal parts in
the performance, the king (McAlevy) was able to participate in songs and charade
his way through several humorous conversations. Rozmajzl as the jester drew
laughter as he stumbled and tumbled his way through the castle, and applause when
he performed his song “Very Soft Shoes”.
The curtains opened on a solidly built castle-like set, complete with parapets,
walls of stone, and stained glass windows. Upon the conclusion of the first act,
the actors themselves came out to move the scenery, rotating the convertible
platforms to suggest a change in location. Scott Wehner’s bright yet effective
lighting highlighted each scene, and the costumes, handled by Taylor Kiechlin and
Flo Arnold, showed masterful research and were personalized to each actor or
actress. Though elaborate, they added to the show instead of distracting.
Most of the characters had wireless mics, and although the opening scene was a
bit echoey, reparations were made quickly by the sound techs. The famed bed with
twenty mattresses also drew gasps when it was wheeled in, as it wobbled every
time Fred jumped on it.
With its strong vocal presentations, humorous deliverance of lines, and fully incharacter performers, Paul VI’s Once Upon A Mattress is certainly a crowd
pleaser.
by AnnaLin Woo of Bishop Ireton High School
-------------------------------------------------There was an opening for a princess at Paul VI High School and it was quite the
production trying to find one! With their performance of the hilariously
entertaining musical, Once Upon a Mattress, the PVI Players captivated the
audience and had them laughing hysterically at every whim.
This musical comedy was created with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall
Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer and Dean Fuller with inspiration
from the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale story of The Princess and the Pea.
The show opened off-Broadway in 1959 and moved to Broadway that same year due to
its popularity. It follows the story of a kingdom that cannot truly be in order
until its Prince has found a wife, but because of the evil nature of the Queen
that process is made much more difficult than it should be.
The Princess that they find is not who one might picture as being the ideal wife,
however Princess Winnifred the Woebegone (Fred, for short) turns out to be the
perfect match for the awkward Prince Dauntless.
Princess Fred, played by Abigail Rozmajzl, was the perfect representation of
confidence and spunk. Rozmajzl was totally and completely committed to her
character and won the audience’s hearts the moment she stepped onstage announcing
that she swam the moat. Her vocal control was extremely impressive and her
versatility (range, tone and dynamic-wise) was exemplified in songs like “Shy”
and “Happily Ever After”. The relationship that she had with Prince Dauntless,
played by Alex Siegal, was adorably innocent. The two actors worked with each
other to create a kind of giddy excitement about finding love and through both of
their commitment to their characters they were able to come up with something
that felt true and easy, the way love should be.
The entire cast was made up of immense talent and the ensemble worked well
together to always keep the energy up. Reactions were superb from everyone
onstage at all times and it was obvious that the actors were enjoying the
performance as much as the audience was just watching them. Queen Aggravain,
played by Kristen Washington, was the epitome of an evil queen. Her inflections
and attitude were flawless and even though the idea of the character is slightly
ridiculous, it was believable because of Washington took it seriously. The trio
of the Minstrel, Jester, and King was entertaining as well. Even with one member
who couldn’t speak, they meshed and their friendship was very authentic as
demonstrated by their song “The Minstrel, The Jester and I”.
The sound, designed by Bridget Hone, Maya White, Grace Aubrey, and Chelsea West,
was run smoothly and the microphone system made it easy to hear the main
characters. The cast was large which made it nice to have the soloists amplified
over the accompanying chorus voices during group numbers.
The lighting was done by Scott Wehner, Spencer Loessberg, Greg Loera, and Mark
Pilipczuk, and was controlled well, especially during the scene transitions; it
was lowered but never turned completely down or off. This allowed the audience
to see the work that the stage crew and some cast members did in moving some of
the large walls of the set.
Paul VI High School’s production of Once Upon a Mattress was engaging and by the
end of it I think it’s safe to say that the whole audience was in love with a
girl named Fred.
by Catherine Schreiber of Bishop Ireton High School
-------------------------------------------------“Once Upon a Mattress” is a humorous musical version of, “The Princess and the
Pea”, which originally opened off-Broadway in May 1959, but shortly moved to
Broadway following its initial success. The story takes place in a kingdom ruled
by a nasty, and overprotective Queen, and her mute husband. Their son, Dauntless,
a whiny mama’s boy, is finally old enough to get married, but despite his
pleadings, the Queen refuses to wed her son through a means of impossible tests
administered to all the qualified princesses in the land. Consequently, nobody
else in the kingdom can wed till Dauntless does, so the search for a true
princess ensues, resulting with the arrival of a very unlikely candidate from the
swamps, Princess Winifred, but more commonly referred to as Fred. Doubting Fred’s
royalty, the Queen decides to test her sensitivity by placing a single pea under
twenty mattresses, hoping she will fall fast asleep, but when she awakes the next
morning still counting sheep, the Que
en has no choice but to offer her son’s hand in marriage.
Paul the Sixth’s production of, “Once Upon a Mattress” was full of energy, and
humorous anecdotes, which significantly helped with the show’s pacing and
contributed the audience’s overall enjoyment. Each member of the 47-person cast
was whole-heartedly committed to the show’s success, most noticeably in the big
musical numbers with challenging dance routines. Additionally, Abigail Rozmajzl’s
portrayal of the quirky and less-than-perfect Fred was extremely impressive given
her young age, and difficult vocal part.
Despite various vocal slip-ups, and awkward interactions onstage, the lead
characters were easily the strongest link of the show. Fred, (Abigail Rozmajzl)
lit up the stage in fun musical numbers such as, “Shy” and “Happily Ever After,”
paying special attention to vocal inflection and technique. Her quirky habits and
unreserved personality really came through in scenes with the Queen, as well as
the painfully shy Dauntless, making her an audience favorite. Kristen Washington
did a fantastic job portraying an overly protective, and melodramatic Queen. Her
pretentious and cruel behavior towards both Fred and King Sextimus were
incredibly believable, and unparalleled. King Sextimus and Dauntless provided a
lot of comic relief to the show, and together formed a very cute father-son
relationship of mutual understanding and appreciation.
The Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl) had an incredible voice and great chemistry with
fellow actors, Brendan McAlevy (King Sextimus) and Taylor Kiechlin (Minstrel) in
the song, “Normandy” which featured several difficult harmonies. The Jester
unfortunately was not mic-ed so the audience members strained to hear his
beautiful crescendos and decrescendos in the emotional solo, “Very Soft Shoes”
yet despite this, Jacob did a great job balancing his dramatic scenes with
positive energy, and humor. The featured dancers were equally impressive in the
opening scene, which featured both Kayla Sharpe and Madelene Whitfield on pointe,
and later Kayla Sharpe as Lady Beatrice in the, “Spanish Panic.”
For the most part, the sound in this show was pretty spot-on, but there were
occasional static pops that were a little distracting, and took away from the
singing onstage. The Queen’s arched eyebrows, and severe makeup was very
appropriate for her character and helped convey her devilish personality. The
Nightengale’s makeup was another creative concept that relied heavily on the use
of blue face paint and glitter, which made her look like something straight out
of a fairytale.
Overall this was a very enjoyable production of, “Once Upon a Mattress” bursting
with high energy and humorous anecdotes, indicative of hard work and dedication
by everyone in the large cast.
by Halie Beard of Bishop Ireton High School
-------------------------------------------------Paul the VI’s production of Once Upon a Mattress is a fantastic musical that will
have you laughing throughout the show and falling in love with many of the
characters because of the excellent performance given by the actors. From the
bright and colorful costume, to the energy of the actors, to even the design of
the set, Once Upon a Mattress is guaranteed to have you leaving with a happy grin
on your face.
Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by
Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It
opened off-Broadway in May 1959, and then moved to Broadway. The play was written
as an adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Princess and the
Pea.
The true gem of the show is the many memorable characters that are in the show;
the actors gave their all to keep everything energetic and kept the audience
laughing throughout. The main star of the show is Princess Winnifred, played by
freshman Abigail Rozmajzl, the energetic and self reliant princess from the swamp
kingdom, Princess Winnifred; who is commonly referred by her nickname ‘Fred ‘,
keeps up constant energy and laughter from the audience throughout the show,
especially during the numbers “Song of Love” and “Shy”, and had a flawless and
beautiful voice during every number she was in. Prince Dauntless, played by Alex
Siegal, is commonly showed as a gloomy prince with little life, but in this
production he is an innocent and excitable prince that has a touch of
childishness in him. Dauntless is an audience favorite that will keep you smiling
throughout the show because of the innocent joy and will bring many laughs from
that same innocence, shown when his father Kin
g Sextimus the Silent, played by Brendan McAlevy, tries to explain the “Birds
and the Bee’s” to Dauntless through pantomime alone. Many other characters are
memorable in their own way, such as the King, who could not speak and had to
pantomime everything, the actor had everyone laughing hysterically with his
energy and body language. Queen Aggravain, played by Kristen Washington, was
wonderful through her contrast from the rest of the characters in the show, for
when everyone was happy and joyful she was bitter and manipulative throughout.
Sir Harry and Lady Larkin, played by Jason Lockwood and Elinor Curry, charmed the
audience with their chemistry in their duets "In a Little While" and "Yesterday I
Loved You". Other characters like the Wizard and Jester, played by Joey Arzeno
and Jacob Rozmajzl, were both very funny characters and the ensemble gave the
audience plenty of laughs throughout the show.
The costumes and make-up were excellent, with every costume looking very
different but all in similar style and the make-up was perfect in complementing
the actors. The set was very detailed and though the changes in the scenes were a
bit lengthy, the ensemble of actors kept the audience entertained during the
changes and the orchestra was beautiful sounding.
Paul the VI’s production of Once Upon a Mattress is a wonderful show and all of
the participants should be proud to have been in such a fantastic musical.
by Jack Freeland of Bishop Ireton High School
-------------------------------------------------Amid a whirl of controversy in the Supreme Court of the United States, the last
thing an audience assumes they will hear at a Catholic school is that Prince
Dauntless is “in love with a girl named Fred.” But, in Paul VI’s Once Upon a
Mattress, the young Princess Winifred must conquer the tests of Queen Aggravain
to marry her beloved son. Once Upon a Mattress is a musical comedy with music by
Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and
Marshall Barer. Making it’s Off-Broadway and later Broadway debut in the year
1959, Once Upon a Mattress is the classic story of the Princess and the Pea, with
a couple of twists.
Abigail Rozmajzl, a freshman, blew the audience away as Fred. Songs such as
“Shy”, “The Swamps of Home”, and “Happily Ever After” showcased Rozmajzl’s
fabulous voice. She perfectly portrayed Princess Winifred, also knows as Fred, as
the outgoing, hilarious swamp princess. Brendan McAlevy was another audience
favorite as King Sextimus the Silent. This mute serial groper was hilarious and
had the perfect physicality to convey his thoughts throughout the greater part of
the show. Kristen Washington personified cruelty as Queen Aggravain and was an
absolute pleasure to watch as she tried to destroy her son’s plans of marriage.
Jacob Rozmajzl (yes, Abigail’s brother) was absolutely wonderful as the Jester
and brought smiles to everyone in the audience. Aaron Jacobs stood out from the
rest of the chorus as Sir Studely. Although Aaron only had a few lines, the
audience was engrossed in a made up story line involving him and three women
during scene changes. Jacobs made the most of every moment onstage and was
hilarious in all of his actions.
Sometimes, the microphones were a bit all over the place. It was very hard to
hear certain characters and it was a shame when we could barely make out solo
numbers. The prologue of the play was absolutely magnificent with Kayla Sharpe as
the Prologue Queen. Everyone could really see the story come to life in dance,
which was a treat to watch.
Ultimately, the audience fell in love with a girl named Fred, and the rest of the
cast of Paul VI’s Once Upon a Mattress.
by Jack Ladd of Bishop Ireton High School
-------------------------------------------------The audience fell in love with a girl named Fred at Paul the VI’s production of
once upon a mattress.
Once upon a Mattress, written by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer,
demythologizes the well-known story of the princess and the pea. Princess
Winifred “Fred” is brought out of the swamps to the royal town to pass Queen
Aggravain’s impossibly unfair test to marry Prince Dauntless. The show not only
focuses in on their love interest that develops throughout the show, but also the
side relationship between two members of the Queen’s court, Lady Larkin and Sir
Harry.
Overall PVI’s production was above and beyond that of an average high school show
with and incredibly talented group of students, especially the leads. Everyone on
stage looked as if they were having so much fun and that contributed greatly to
the positive outcome of the show.
Princess Fred, played by Abigail Rozmajzl, was a fantastic character to watch.
Rozmajzl created an extremely likeable character with great physicality and
expressions. Rozmajzl also showed off her incredible voice, most notably in the
song “Shy”. Another lead character that showed off his impressive vocal talent
was Prince Dauntless, played by Alex Siegal. Siegal and Rozmajzl had amazing
chemistry in their innocent relationship, which was seen throughout, but
especially in the “Song of Love”
A man with few words created one of the most developed characters. King Sextimus,
played by Brendan McAlevy, had the audience roaring with his hilarious movements
and great physicality. The Jester, played by Jacob Rozmajzl was another support
that showed off his great talent. Vocally he was flawless and his diction and
projection never faltered. Finally the Minstrel and prologue dancers, Kayla
Sharpe and Maddy Whitfield, put on a graceful opening and they set the stage for
the great show that was to follow. The chorus, though quiet during group numbers,
had great energy, facial expressions and character development
The costumes were beautiful and complemented each character as well as the
gorgeous moving set. The makeup, especially on the queen, helped enhance the
characters and declare their personalities top the audience. The set changes were
a bit slow, but the actors and actresses moving the set always stayed in
character, which made them interesting to watch. Finally in regards to lighting
and sound, the crew did an adequate job allowing the actors to be seen and heard
while adding to the theme and mood of the show.
By the end of the show, the audience was begging for more and the standing
ovation given proves that PVI’s production passed the ultimate test and put on an
amazing show.
by Kaitlin Hamer of Bishop Ireton High School
-------------------------------------------------Once upon a stage there was a witty, artistically written masterpiece that had
all the elements of an epic performance. There was a childlike prince, an overcontrolling queen, and a very horny King. No, this is not Game of Thrones; it’s
the fun medieval musical retelling of a classic fairy tale. Once Upon a Mattress,
produced by the Paul VI players, was more fun than a glass of opium and milk!
Once Upon a Mattress is a light, campy musical based on the fairy tale commonly
known as “the Princess and the Pea.” It debuted off-Broadway in 1959 and one year
later made it onto Broadway. It is centered around Prince Dauntless’ search for a
wife and the insane, crazy trials that Queen Aggravain puts on for Dauntless’
bride to be, Fred. Fred is seemingly perfect, although slightly tomboyish, but
the Queen doesn’t believe it and creates an ultimate trial for Fred by placing a
single pea underneath twenty mattresses. If the pea is noticed and she doesn’t
sleep, then she is proper queen material.
Paul VI’s auditorium was filled with silly, slapstick shenanigans from the very
first note of the overture to the very last bow in the curtain call. The most
notable and prominent element of the performance was that the actors and
actresses were having fun. This easily made the show infinitely more enjoyable
and enterable. Absolutely no part was underplayed by the 50 member cast.
From the first moment her joyous character stepped on stage, wet after swimming
the moat, Fred (Abigail Rozmajzl) brought about an exceedingly outgoing and
playful air about the castle and a voice that would’ve made kings and queens
envious. Prince Dauntless (Alex Siegal) created a memorable, childish, and
innocent prince that was very far from his namesake. Both Rozmajzl and Siegal
worked exceptionally well together to create a relationship that was simple, and
innocent which created a playful spirit about the show and blew the audience wide
open to much younger theatre-goers.
King Sextimus the Silent (Brendan McAlevy) unarguably had the greatest stage
presence ever seen for a character who never spoke a word. McAlevy added a lighthearted youthfulness to the King that played highly well to contrast with Queen
Aggravain’s (Kristen Washington) powerful, evil, mean, and manipulate portrayal.
McAlevy and Washington, although very contrasting also were able to act well as a
couple, playing both sides of their relationship very commendably.
The lights were very well done with excellently timed and barely noticed
transitions. Wireless microphones were expertly commanded with very minor slip
ups. Although scene transitions were not lightning fast, they included
interesting interactions by many ensemble characters which created a truly
flowing theatre experience.
As a whole, Paul VI created a performance as memorable and legendary as the fairy
tale itself.
by Chris Knarr of Chantilly High School
-------------------------------------------------The average pea is about five millimeters in diameter and weighs a tenth of a
gram. As a staple of medieval cuisine, it was eaten throughout Europe, and is
still eaten today. But in Paul VI Catholic High School's production of "Once Upon
A Mattress" can a single pea disturb the slumber of a beautiful princess?
"Once Upon A Mattress" is a musical comedy (music by Mary Rodgers, book by Jay
Thompson, Marshall Barer, and Dean Fuller, lyrics by Marshall Barer) adapted from
the classic Hans Christian Andersen story "The Princess and the Pea," opening
off-Broadway in 1959, and transferring to Broadway the following year. The story
concerns a magical kingdom where the Queen will not permit anyone to get married
until her son does, and after twelve princesses, the kingdom is getting anxious.
Along comes Fred, a non stereotypical princess who the prince falls in love with.
The only problem? The Queen does not approve of the rambunctious Fred, and will
do anything to prevent them from getting married.
Playing the quirky, sarcastic Fred, Abigail Rozmajzl was absolutely astounding.
In her first high school, show, the freshman displayed talent well beyond her
age. During "Shy" Rozmajzl displayed impressive dynamics in her voice, singing in
a soft, soothing manner as if there were a baby sleeping, then suddenly bursting
out in a belt loud enough to cause an avalanche; impressively retaining vocal
tone and quality throughout. Rozmajzl also displayed her talent as an actress,
tapping into her vivacious, childish character through her actions, such as
hilariously tossing and turning upon her twenty mattress bed; sticking her legs
out, leaning over the sides, and often sticking her posterior high into the air
as she searched for a comfortable place to sleep.
Opposite Rozmajzl was Alex Siegal as the naive Prince Dauntless. Siegal and
Rozmajzl displayed impressive chemistry together, seeming as though they were
really in love. Siegal displayed a daunting amount of knowledge of his character,
changing from being his mother's pet to becoming his own individual with Fred
around. His believability as an actor aided his character development, and the
show as a whole.
As his mother, the Queen, Kristen Washington was pure evil. Perfectly
encapsulating the villain of the show, Washington was downright sinister; even
her costume had horns. Washington's malicious facial expressions accompanied by a
commanding voice displayed her character as a malevolent ruler. While some actors
made over exaggerated choices, Washington was very down to earth and realistic in
her portrayal of the Queen.
The show featured several well done technical elements. The elaborate costumes
and detailed set were aesthetically pleasing and added tremendous value to the
show. Lighting was satisfying, featuring soft blues that bathed the stage, as
well as well aimed whites that carefully lit each actor. The stage crew utilized
effective in-character scene transitions, acting out small vignettes while moving
set pieces.
In addition to its use as a vegetable, the pea is also a homophone for the
letter P, a letter used is such words as pretty, pleasing, prominent, and
prestigious, all of which describe this superb production. Paul VI Catholic High
School's portrayal of "Once Upon A Mattress" was a proficient portrait of a
playful Prince and his passion for a perfect Princess.
by Greg Baker of Chantilly High School
-------------------------------------------------Rousing dance numbers, powerful voices, and fully developed, comical characters
all contributed to the medieval masterpiece in Paul VI Catholic High School’s
production of “Once Upon a Mattress”. A truly remarkable and one-of-a kind
experience put on by an extremely talented group of actors that will be tough to
top.
“Once Upon a Mattress” was written by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer, and Dean
Fuller and is based on “The Princess and the Pea” by Hans Christian Andersen. In
this medieval kingdom, ruled by Queen Aggravain, everyone is anxious to get
married, but is prohibited to do so until Prince Dauntless is wed. However, with
Queen Aggravain’s unfair tests the promising princesses must pass to marry the
prince, marriage isn’t likely. The latest of these tests is to place a pea under
20 mattresses, for only a true princess would feel the pressure of the pea and
wouldn’t be able to sleep. When Sir Harry returns with Princess Winnifred there
is yet another glimpse of hope. With the help of the Minstrel, the Jester, and
the Wizard the kingdom is determined for this princess to be the one.
Paul VI Catholic High School’s production was a triple threat with its beautiful
harmonies, meaningful choreography, and distinct character personalities.
Everyone was always engaged in what was happening on stage. They were able to
transform the theatre into a medieval palace giving the audience the show of
their lives, leaving them with butterflies in their stomach and a sense of pure
joy.
Prince Dauntless, played by Alex Siegal, successfully accomplished the whiny and
naive spirit of a young man looking for love. His reactions were priceless and
his performance was filled with emotion. Abigail Rozmajzl played Princess
Winnifred also known by her nickname “Fred.” Her voice was absolutely stunning
and brought the house down, especially during her performance of “Shy” belting
out those notes like nobody’s business. Together Prince Dauntless and Fred
created the perfect couple, showing great chemistry on stage, and a playful and
innocent relationship that the audience fell in love with.
There were many other notable performances in this production that helped to
create this delightful work of art. Queen Aggravain, played by Kristen
Washington, showed absolute commitment to her villainous personality carrying on
her kingdom with such dedication. The trio of King Sextimus (Brendan McAlevy),
Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin), and Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl) proved to be another
wonderful combination of talent, delivered to perfection by their mischievous and
fun-loving ways. One of the highlights of the night, however, was when the
Wizard’s (Joey Arzeno) mustache slowly started falling off his face. As planned,
he exited the stage adding a comment about “having to fix that”, pointing to the
dangling mustache on his face, causing an uproar of laughter.
This show didn’t stop with excellence on the actor’s part, who, even during scene
changes interacted with each other (in character) while rearranging the set in a
timely manner, but with the crew as well. The set design was intricate and the
costume designers went full-out creating the illusion of medieval times. The
sound was clear and crisp with minor static issues and the lights were well
aimed, illuminating the stage.
Paul IV Catholic High School’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress” was a unique,
rare, performance that you only see once upon a time!
by Hannah Warnick of Chantilly High School
-------------------------------------------------Have you dreamed of going to a far away land filled with queens, wizards, magic
spells, and royal balls? Well Paul VI Catholic High School put this fantasy on
the stage in their production of Once Upon a Mattress that was fit for a
princess!
This charming musical comedy with songs by Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer and
book by Jay Thompson, and Dean Fuller, is adapted from Hans Christian Andersen’s
classic fairy-tale The Princess and the Pea. Once Upon a Mattress opened on
Broadway in 1959 after a successful Off-Broadway run and starred the queen of
comedy herself, Carol Burnett as the original Princess Winnifred. Burnett revived
the role in the 1972 film adaption, also featuring Broadway legend, Bernadette
Peters, and later played Queen Aggravain in the 2005 film adaption also starring
Matthew Morrison.
PVI’s production was anchored by a strong, engaged ensemble. As soon as the
curtain opened, the striking stage picture created by the members of the royal
court made it evident that each ensemble member had their own story, and they
remained actively reactive throughout the rest of the show. The cast was bursting
with energy, which made musical numbers, such as the Spanish Panic dance number,
thoroughly entertaining.
When finding out that Princess Winnifred, affectionately dubbed Fred, swam the
moat, it was apparent that she could do anything. The same can be said for the
actress portraying her, freshman Abigail Rozmajzl. With her instinctual feeling
for comedic timing, she often had the audience roaring and she displayed her
impressive vocal skills in show-stopping belting numbers “Shy” and “Happily Ever
After” which were performed with a never tiring graceful confidence. Abigail’s
pairing with Alex Siegal, playing Prince Dauntless, created a playfully innocent
romance which made for a perfectly adorable relationship.
The entertaining leads and ensemble were joined by a strong supporting cast.
Kristen Washington, playing Queen Aggravain, immediately reminded the audience of
a Disney villain and had a powerful presence on stage matched with a maturity
that, had it not been a high school production, the audience would have thought
she was far beyond her years. The Jester, the Minstrel, and King Sextimus, all
with individually endearing characters, had a wonderful trio dynamic. The overall
cast’s commitment made the audience care about what happened to every character.
The stage crew successfully performed very smooth transitions as their colorful
set was arranged in many ways to create different settings such as the Great
Hall, the Courtyard, and Fred’s Room. The makeup team also used their whimsical
designs to create memorable character images such as with Queen Aggravain and the
Nightingale.
PVI’s cast of Once Upon a Mattress used a fun story combined with a continuous
energy, commitment, and talent, to leave the audience happily, happily, happily
ever after!
by Stephanie Feeback of Chantilly High School
-------------------------------------------------Medieval, Charming, Laughable and Playful does not even begin to describe the
enchanting story that Paul VI exhibited in their production of Once Upon A
Mattress. The entire cast brought an abundant amount of energy to their
performance the entire show and had the audience hanging onto their every word.
Once Upon A Mattress made its Broadway premiere in 1959 going on to win several
tony nominations. This twisted fairytale plays off of the story of the princess
and the pea. In this case, it tells the story of Princess Winnifred from the
swamp, who arrives at Prince Dauntless the Drab’s castle in hopes of marrying the
Prince. His mother, Queen Agravain, insists that her son can only marry a
princess of true blood and puts each princess that applies for her son’s hand
through a series of tests. Meanwhile, no lady in the kingdom may be married until
Dauntless finds his Princess.
Abigail Rozmajzl carried the show in the lead role of Fred (Princess Winnifred).
Abigail’s powerful voice rang excellently throughout the show and brought a
unique charm, sass, strength of character and great comedic timing in her songs
"Shy" and "Happily Ever After". Both Abigail and Alex Siegal who played Prince
Dauntless brought a cute awkwardness to their performances to show what a strange
but perfect pair they are. A unique trio, the Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl), the
Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin) and King Sextimus the Silent (Brendan McAlevy) in
particular had one of the best chemistries in entire show. This mischievous group
had glorious harmonies and played off of each other on every line. It was also
refreshing to hear the ensemble do a marvelous job with annunciating each lyric
and line even while dancing.
Although he was a man of few words, Brendan McAlevy as King Sextimus the Silent
brought everything to the table and had the audience laughing hysterically with
every action he made. He was truly a standout performer with his facial
expressions and gestures speaking for him louder than words ever could. The
Queen, played by Kristen Washington was the ultimate villain for this show using
menacing and controlling words while still looking fabulous all the while. The
make-up team perfected her as regal and evil all at the same time. More elements
of this show that were also delightful were the lighting, and stage crew. The
lighting highlighted the actor’s faces with many different hues of color and the
cues were always right on point. What was unique about the people moving set
pieces was that they were acting all the while even though the lights were off.
This gave the illusion that one scene moved into the next.
The Many Moons Ago Ballet, choreographed by Madelene Whitfield and Kayla Sharpe,
was a unique and beautiful way to introduce the story. These two ballerinas with
the Prologue Prince (Spencer Loessberg), danced elegantly and showed a sharp
contrast between the dainty Princess and the Pea and the Twisted Once Upon A
Mattress story lines. All of the cast worked the script to their advantage and
had many elements to play with to spice it up.
Spicing it up was precisely what the cast of Once Upon A Mattress at Paul VI did
with their energy and pizazz shining through the entire show.
by Erin Sullivan of Fairfax High School
-------------------------------------------------When the son of a cold-hearted selfish queen and a mute yet promiscuous king
comes of marrying age, the whole kingdom is eager to see whom the lucky bride
will be. Suddenly, out of the swamp comes the most unexpected of princess who
soon captures the heart of the restless prince while defying every stereotype of
a pristine lady. Defying all stereotypes of a typical high school production of
“Once Upon a Mattress,” the Paul VI Catholic High School drama department shines
in their presentation of the beloved harmonious masterpiece.
Originally gracing the off-Broadway stages of an adult resort, the musical comedy
based off of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea,”
transitioned onto the Broadway stage in late 1959. The plot follows the journey
of Prince Dauntless’, or better yet his mother, the Queen’s, quest to find the
ideal princess. The queen has forbid the marriage between any individuals in the
province until her son has married, but each female suitor leaves broken hearted
after failing one of the queen’s impossible tasks. With servants running away for
secret weddings, jesters and musicians making pacts with the king, and a wacky
wizard lurking the halls, the castle is experiencing complete disarray. The last
hope the kingdom has of the prince finding love is left up to a strong witted and
straight spoken swamp kingdom heiress.
Claiming center stage, and proving to be one the clear highlights of the show was
freshmen, Abigail Rozmajzl (Fred). Every moment she spent on stage resulted in
unremitting laughter from the audience, who were constantly having to lift their
jaws from the floor. Rozmajzl’s mature and seamless vocals showed an extremely
broad range from sweet melodious moments in “Shy” to soulfully belted sections of
“Happily Ever After”. If her vocal talents weren’t enough to claim the awe of the
audience, her fearless choices in physicality allowed Rozmajzl to command the
stage, and accurately grasp her unconventional character. Right alongside
Rozmajzl was her love prospect Alex Siegal (Prince Dauntless) whose facial
expressions and sophomoric actions blended with his smooth tenor voice produced a
unblemished charming performance.
Displaying a clear inspiration from well-known villainous characters, Kristen
Washington (Queen Aggravain) maintained and thoroughly executed her role as the
cynical and overbearing ruling matron. Exceptional makeup done by the team of
Elinor Curry, Kristen Washington, Amanda Stiverson, and Taylor Kiechlin, was
especially seen in the high arched eyebrows, and glistening face makeup of the
Queen. Brendan McAlevy extraordinarily provided physical humor throughout the
majority of show as he mimed his way through his role as King Sextimus the
Silent, especially in his song “Man to Man Talk,” explaining the birds and the
bees to his naive son.
Lighting adequately dressed the rustic stone painted set pieces, of which two
rolling side boxes shifted alongside a stationary stairway and landing creating
the different chambers of the castle. Each scene received the necessary
spotlights and overhead tint to achieve the desired mood. Sound proved to be
relatively unblemished, but in times of group singing numbers forced the balance
of voice parts to be slightly altered due to lead’s body mic levels. Every cast
and stage crewmember was dressed in elaborate, and period appropriate clothing
that fully immersed the viewer into the time period.
With sensational actors filling the auditorium with joyous noise and endless
humor, no number of peas could disrupt the excellence that was displayed in Paul
VI Catholic High School’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress.”
by Kelsey Golias of Fairfax High School
--------------------------------------------------
Think all genuine princesses are as “delicate and dainty as a dragonfly’s wing?”
Well, you clearly have not met Princess Winifred (Fred) the Woebegone. Fred is a
feisty, outspoken, unrefined, yet eminently charming princess from the marsh
lands who must pass Queen Aggravain’s test of sensitivity in order to marry
Prince Dauntless. Paul VI Catholic High School’s Once Upon a Mattress was a show
that kept audience members engaged as they were transported back “Many Moons
Ago.”
Once Upon a Mattress is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Princess
and the Pea.” The production premiered on Broadway in 1959 starring Carol Burnett
as Winifred. Multiple television releases of the story have been produced staring
well known actors such as Jane White, Bernadette Peters, Ken Berry, and most
recently Matthew Morrison and Zooey Deschanel. The story takes place in a kingdom
where marriage is forbidden until Prince Dauntless can find a wife. The wicked
Queen Aggravain sets up impossible tests the prospective princesses must pass.
Just when the people of the kingdom believe they have run out of options,
Princess Winifred arrives and shakes things up.
In the role of the endearingly unrefined Princess Winifred was freshman Abigail
Rozmajzl. Her powerhouse vocals and impeccable comic timing brought her character
to life on stage. Razmajzl was a bundle of energy, never missing a beat. Her belt
was particularly noteworthy in the number “Shy.” Alex Siegal played Prince
Dauntless, a spunky, but clueless prince whose marriage to Winifred hinged on her
passing one of Queen Aggravain’s arduous tests. Siegal’s crisp vocals and
expressive face made him a standout of the cast. He brought new life to an
otherwise static character with his dynamic acting and hilarious body language.
His well-trained vocals shined in numbers such as “Song of Love.”
Kristen Washington played the role of Queen Aggravain. Washington’s wicked air
and rich tonality transformed her into a sinister tyrant. Her interactions with
King Sextimus (Brendan McAlvey) painted a clear picture of who ruled the family.
McAlvey’s effective physicality conveyed his position of subservience without his
having to speak a word. His hilarious gestures and charades were spot on and left
audiences grabbing their bellies. In the role of Lady Beatrice/Featured Dancer,
Kayla Sharpe was a clear standout. Her reactive facial expressions and stunning
dances drew the audience’s eye straight to her.
As a whole, the cast of Once Upon a Mattress had high energy and seemed to be
enjoying themselves on stage. At times some vocals were too meek, but that was
outweighed by the cast’s tremendous dedication to their roles. While the
transitions were lengthy, they provided an opportunity for actors in smaller
roles to be featured on stage.
The makeup designed by Elinor Curry was the most noteworthy technical aspect of
the production. Kristen Washington’s palette was spectacular. She resembled a
villain straight out of a Disney movie. All of the characters’ makeup palettes
were designed to accentuate their costumes and convey their age to audiences. The
props were well thought out and added to the production without being too
overpowering. The microphones, despite a few lapses in volume, produced clear
sounds accentuated by the actors’ excellent articulation.
The PVI Players proved that fairy tales, no matter the circumstances, can end
“Happily Ever After.”
by Margaret Murphy of Fairfax High School
-------------------------------------------------Once Upon A Mattress is the most entertaining musical I have ever seen as a high
school theater critic. The energy, verve, joy, sense of fun, and comedic and
vocal talent displayed at Paul VI High School in their outstanding production was
wonderful to witness. The musical is an adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen
story of The Princess and the Pea with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall
Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. The story
remains faithful to the plot of the original but adds much more. A minstrel
serves as narrator to a prologue which tells the story with which we are all
familiar, of a test to determine princess-hood via a pea placed under 20
mattresses, and the triumph of the sensitive bones of the aristocracy, while
three dancers perform. The minstrel then tells us the rest of the story. There
were twelve princesses before the last one, all of them having failed thanks to
the unfair manipulations of the grasping, screec
hing Queen Agrivain and her pet wizard. Her husband, King Sextimus is a mute old
bawd who prefers the company of the jester and minstrel to that of his lady wife
for apparent reasons, and passes the rest of his time chasing the ladies of the
palace while honking a horn. What happens when he catches one is left (barely) to
the imagination. As he's mute, people often confide with him, this being the case
with one Lady Larken. She tells the King of her secret wedding to Sir Harry, and
of the baby she has on the way. This is of grave consequence as the queen has
forbidden all marriage in the kingdom until her son is wed. To resolve the issue,
Sir Harry resolves to quest into the swamps to the North in search of a princess
who can pass the wicked queen's tests. He returns with a charming lass called
Fred.
A wonderful romp ensues. The King, the Queen, Prince Dauntless, the Jester, the
Minstrel, the Wizard, and Princess Winnefred were all played near flawlessly.
Winnefred is a role that produced one of the great stars of early television,
Carol Burnett, and Abigail Rozmajzl, especially impressive as freshman, will
doubtless be starring in many more productions at Paul VI. The Jester, Jacob
Rozmajzl, was another shining moment, plagued sound issues, he nonetheless stole
the hearts of all with his nostalgic and hilarious number "Very Soft Shoes", a
thinly disguised Broadway homage to the vaudeville days. King Sextimus, played by
Brendan McAlevy, was handed a challenge with a near mute role, and rose above and
beyond, his physicality causing the crowd to go wild with each visual pun and
romantic misadventure. An epic, wonderful, production.
by Alexander Warren of George Mason High School
-------------------------------------------------Once Upon a Mattress is a hilarious retelling of the classic fairy tale, The
Princess and The Pea. It has a large cast, and a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor,
all while putting forth one one of the strongest heroines that I have seen in a
musical. In this reinterpretation there is a kingdom that is ruled by an
overbearing queen while her completely mute king looks on. This queen has
decreed that no one in the kingdom can get married until her son, Dauntless,
does.
That might be a semi-reasonable thing to say, except the queen is overly
attached to Dauntless and keeps coming up with extreme tests for all of the
princesses who drop by to meet and wed Dauntless. These tests are so over the
top that so far not a single princess has come close to passing. This presents
problems to the whole land as everyone is...frustrated. A key sub plot deriving
from this frustration is that of Sir Harry, and Lady Larkin. You see Sir Harry
impregnated Lady Larkin, and this is very much ag
ainst the rules. The sub plot follows their relationship, and how it comes under
strain from the secret that they share. Anyway at the height of this frenzy a
Princess Winifred shows up. Almost instantly Dauntless falls in love with her.
The queen on the other hand finds her vulgar and repulsive. With the help of her
wizard the queen devises a test for the new princess, involving, you guessed it,
twenty mattresses, and a pea.
Abigail Rozmajzl, playing the princess Winifred, was phenomenal. She is an
absolute star, by far and away the best high school performance that I have ever
seen. Her voice was powerful and beautiful, her comedic timing was excellent,
and her physicality owned the stage. Not only did she rock the lead in a musical,
but she did it as a freshman. The funny thing about all that talent she has is
that it seems to run in the family. Abigail was joined on stage by her brother
Jacob Rozmajzl, who played the Jester, no minor role.
Oh yes, and her father
also made it on stage as part of the ensemble.
by Joseph Warren of George Mason High School
-------------------------------------------------Everyone loves a good fairytale. Princess and the Pea is a very popular one among
little kids. This fairytale was turned into a wonderful musical. Paul VI Catholic
High school did a great rendition of this lovely musical. This show is called
Once upon a Mattress.
Once upon a Mattress is based off of the popular fairytale The Princess and the
Pea by Hans Christian Anderson. The play was first performed off Broadway and
then it moved its way up to Broadway. The play is about a sassy Queen who is
trying hard to get a princess for her son the prince. This kingdom has a strict
rule of not being able to marry until the prince is married. One couple who is
secretly married go out on a mission to retrieve a good princess, unfortunately
the queen doesn’t like her so she sets up a test for the princess. The princess
has to prove her sensitivity to be able to win the man of her dreams.
Most of the cast was excellent. There were always smiling faces and energy going
around on the stage. The cast was easy to like and be able to admire them as a
whole. Comedic timing was fast and on point. There was no dead air, even the
transitions were enjoyable. Overall the production was brilliant.
Fred (Abigail Rozmajzl) was the star of the show. She was amazing; her vocals
were excellent and her acting was great. Every time she came on stage there was a
whole bunch of energy that could be felt in the audience. Rozmajzl had a stunning
performance as the soon to be wife of the prince. Brendan McAlvey’s performance
as King Sextimus was hilarious. McAlvey’s portrayal of the mute king was so funny
to watch and every time he got on stage the audience wanted to know what silly
thing he was going to do next. His gestures and his facial expressions stole the
show. Even though these two people were amazing, the other lead actors were
great. Alex Siegal, Kristen Washington, Jacob Rozmajzl, Elinor Curry, and Joey
Arzeno held the show together wonderfully.
The Ensemble had great energy. Every ensemble number was sung well and carried
out with ease. “Song of Love” was one of the best ensemble numbers in the show,
even though Prince Dauntless was singing most of the time the ensemble had a
great input.
The lighting for this show was good. The set was stunning and made the audience
feel like they were in the castle. The set changes were long but they were
changed by people in the play so it did not drop the energy.
Everybody in this production looked they were in a fairytale; energy rarely
dropped and there were smiles on everyone’s faces. Overall this performance
succeeds any high school play. The vocals were stunning and the acting was great.
Paul VI Catholic High School’s production of Once upon a Mattress reminded
everyone in the audience what a real fairytale is supposed to look like.
.
by Ryan Fields of George Mason High School
-------------------------------------------------Once Upon a Mattress tells the classic Hans Christian Anderson story of
“The Princess and the Pea”, but with a few twists. The show requires an insane
amount of energy and talent to produce and luckily, Paul VI Catholic High
School’s theater department is not lacking in either of those things. The cast
put on a great performance that kept the audience thoroughly entertained the
entire evening.
Freshman Abigail Rozmajzl left the audience in hysterics from her
performance as the spunky, offbeat Princess Winifred, or “Fred”. Her vocals
shimmered with an easy vibrato and her stage presence brought the show’s energy
up to great heights, especially in her numbers “Happily Ever After” and
“Shy”. And when she coupled up with Alex Siegal, who played the childish Prince
Dauntless, the chemistry was adorable and quirky. Alone, Siegal also had a lovely
performance with a fabulous voice, funny facial expressions, and flawless dancing
as he executed backflips and high kicks during “The Spanish Panic” and “Song of
Love (Fred)”.
Brendan McAlevy was hilarious as the silent King Sextimus. His feisty
pursuit of maidens and ridiculous pantomime gave the audience many chances to
laugh. And even in songs like “The Minstrel, the Jester, and I" and "Man to Man
Talk", McAlevy maintained his character and comic timing. Also, Senior Kristen
Washington as the demanding Queen Aggravain commanded the stage with her presence
and commitment. And Jacob Rozmajzl’s sparkling voice shone as he played the
Jester and glided across the stage in the song “Very Soft Shoes” with ease and
grace.
This show was a joy to watch. Beautiful songs with complex harmonies like
“Normandy” showed off the talent level of the performers while catchy, fun songs
like “Opening for a Princess” showed off the strength of the ensemble as a whole.
Ultimately, the cast made this show a hilarious, high energy show that included
exceptional performances from the principal characters. The audience left smiling
and the cast should leave the theater feeling great; they gave an outstanding
performance of an adorable show.
by Sophie DeLeo of George Mason High School
-------------------------------------------------“I’m in love with a girl named Fred!” Once Upon a Mattress, the musical is an
immensely, humorous twisted tale of the Princess and the Pea, filled with witty
characters and laugh-out-loud moments left and right.
Once Upon a Mattress, is based on the fairytale, The Princess and the Pea. It
opened off-Broadway 1959 and eventually moved to Broadway. Once Upon a Mattress,
is about a prince whose mother does not want her son to get marry. Queen
Aggravain invents impossible tests for the possible brides, and no one in the
kingdom is allowed to marry until the Royal Prince is wed. Then in pops the
hilarious Princess Winifred, also known as Fred, and is unlike any other
princess. Immediately Fred catches the attention of Prince Dauntless. The Queen
Mother makes up an unattainable test for Fred to assess her sensitivity by
placing one small pea underneath twenty mattresses.
The positively, hysterical Fred, played by Abigail Rozmajzl , was a delight. She
had great energy throughout the musical and an incredible voice. Alex Siegal as
Prince Dauntless was equally as entertaining with his tantrums and love struck
gazes at Fred. The prince and princess had great chemistry on stage which made
the entire play more exciting.
King Sextimus the Silent (Brendan McAlevy) with elaborate gestures, reactions and
facial expressions made the king such an immense and appealing character. Kristen
Washington as Queen Aggravain did a phenomenal job portraying the overbearing
mother of Prince Dauntless and was superb at portraying the age of a royal Queen.
If this musical was not a high school production, I would have never known that
Queen Aggravain was portrayed by a high school student!
Wizard, played by Joey
Arzeno, extemporaneous line when his mustache almost fell off was extremely
humorous and Jester, played by Jacob Rozmajzl, was very funny and quirky and had
a good relationship with King Sextimus and Minstrel.
The ensemble of the Royal Court for the show, Once Upon a Mattress, was very
enjoyable. The cast obviously had a great time on stage but at the same time,
maintained the professionalism needed to carry out the show. All performers were
committed to their character and not one actor appeared dull on stage. The
dancers were a unique touch during the song, Many Moons Ago, and made the song
much more interesting.
The lighting was very creative in that there were multi-colored lights all across
the stage, which added dimension to the set. All of the sound cues were on time
and the eye make-up for Queen Aggravain was very bold and accentuated her
personality.
Paul VI High School did an excellent job undertaking this hilarious show, Once
Upon a Mattress. This exceptional and energetic piece made me eager to see more
of their performances.
by Celine Mahne of Hayfield Secondary School
-------------------------------------------------“Once upon a land far, far away” or maybe “Once upon a long, long time ago?”
Well, actually the best choice may be Once Upon a Mattress as Paul the VI High
School’s recent production proved it should justly be. A musical famed for its
over-the-top characters and shamelessly high spirits, the show has been
entertaining many since its original off-Broadway opening in 1959. With music and
lyrics by Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer, respectively, the musical is perhaps
best known for its song “Shy,” which has stood the test of time becoming many a
high school girl’s first choice audition piece, just as the show itself has
become massively popular as a high school production.
As one might’ve guessed, the story is a spin on a fairytale, specifically Hans
Christian Andersen’s The Princess and The Pea. The show opens to a devious Queen
Aggravain, who has somehow failed every one of the twelve princesses who has
auditioned to marry her son, Prince Dauntless, through extremely unfair testing.
Yet, when a thirteenth candidate arrives, an exhausted Dauntless wonders: will
this be lucky number thirteen?
Leading the show infallibly was Abigail Rozmajl as Princess Winnifred, or Fred.
With full commitment to her character, Rozmajl won the viewers’ hearts with a
loveable portrayal. While others perhaps took the melodramatic elements of their
characters and pushed it a little too far, Rozmajl’s Fred hit the spot exactly
with the right amounts of exaggeration and restraint.
In particular, Rozmajl shined when paired with her onstage love interest, Prince
Dauntless, played by Alex Siegal. While the two gave a whole new meaning to the
idea of “puppy love,” they somehow remained believable in their relationship.
This realness and delightfulness stood out specifically against other couples who
didn’t quite achieve that chemistry.
Filling the spot of fairytale villain was Kristen Washington as Queen Aggravain.
From the first second of the show, Washington took a decidedly high status over
the rest of the room through strong physicality and even stronger vocal
characterization. Yet even as she executed such a reserved and arrogant
prominence, Washington still showcased an ability to break down into the
screeching evil queen we all expect.
A specific highlight of the show would have to be the ensemble as a whole. Even
as a few faces could be found unexpressive, the group remained infectiously
energetic overall in numbers such as “Shy” and “Song of Love (Fred).”
Furthermore, the ensemble proved itself successful in its doubling as the stage
crew. By making the choice to change scenes in complete character, not only was
the awkwardness removed from the process but it actually appeared effortless. On
top of that, with the musical having the lengthiness of an hour and a half long
first act, this effortlessness truly kept the pace rolling, even if at times
these scene changes lagged the tiniest bit.
As the show hit its Finale, the audience held the same radiantly fun feeling that
the actors onstage exemplified. So, if you can, get yourself, your friends, and
your family out to this production at Paul the VI High School. I guarantee you’ll
leave in love with a musical named Once Upon a Mattress!
by Aiden Orr of Heritage High School
-------------------------------------------------Some may claim they know the story of the Princess and the Pea, but only those
who saw Once Upon A Mattress at Paul VI high school know what really happened.
Last week’s production of Once Upon A Mattress was performed with composure,
professionalism, and fun!
Once Upon A Mattress was written with lyrics by Mary Rodgers, originally
performed off-Broadway in 1959. This comedic musical is an adaptation of the
classic children’s story of the Princess and the Pea; only in this version the
queen is evil, the king is mute, the prince is immature, and the princess is
obnoxious. The queen has cast a spell on the kingdom that no one may be married
until the prince is. This provides for quite unpopular opinion with the members
of the royal court, especially when it is revealed that a lady in waiting is
pregnant. This story follows the prince and princess as their love develops into
a hilariously perfect match.
Leading the show as Princess Fred, Abigail Rozmajzl provided the show with a
distinct character and unmatched energy while also creating a visible
relationship with her prince. Alex Seigal (Prince Dauntless) not only committed
fully to his character, but also had chemistry with every character he interacted
with onstage. Brendan McAlevy (King Sextimus) and Jacob Rozmajzl (Jester) carried
themselves throughout the show with such confidence and distinction that the
audience was crying with laughter at their brilliant physical humor. Kristen
Washington (Queen Aggravain) both sang her songs with precision and emotion that
had the crowd fully invested in the story line. Overall, the leads carried the
show by having energy.
The ensemble was incredibly distinct in every character. The energy that the
ensemble and featured actors provided kept the pacing quick and comfortable.
Every character was developed and had relationships onstage, even if they didn’t
have any lines.
The technical aspects of this show were all very well put together. The makeup
was perfectly executed for each character, as well as hair. The sound had some
static with the mics; but other than minor problems, the sound was precise and
the effects all added to the emotion and fun of the show. The use of lighting and
spotlights truly also added to the scenes and provided an atmosphere.
With a nearly spotless run of tech, alongside a very well developed cast of
characters, mixed with a lot of energy, Paul IV High School performed Once Upon A
Mattress with heart and humor.
by Jessica Littman of Heritage High School
-------------------------------------------------Could you picture a princess swimming through a wet moat with huge excitement?
How about lifting the heaviest weights with ease? Or even brashly dancing the
night away as her suitor and guests drop dead? This doesn’t sound like your
ordinary princess. Did we mention her name is Fred? A lucky audience got to meet
her and many other boundless characters through The Paul VI Player’s hilarious
and animated performance of “Once Upon a Mattress”.
Based on the popular children’s story “The Princess and the Pea” by Hans
Christian Anderson, the story follows the childish and eager Prince Dauntless
(Alex Siegal) as he impatiently waits to be married, stopped by the rejections
and tests of his stern, overbearing mother Queen Aggravain (Kristen Washington).
Suddenly, Sir Harry (Jason Lockwood) arrives with the spunky yet irregular Fred
(Abigail Rozmajzl), who wins over Dauntless immediately, but not the Queen. Fred
is to be tested on her sensitivity with a single pea put under twenty mattresses,
only marrying Dauntless if she cannot sleep a wink from it. Fred was originated
by the legendary Carol Burnett in the 1959 Off-Broadway production, following it
to Broadway a year later.
The entire cast was stellar and enthusiastic from start to finish, executing a
whole-hearty production with sensational energy. The ensemble was very engaging
and the comedic level was grand the entire time, resulting in fantastic pacing.
Abigail Rozmajzl led the cast as Fred, using her impressive comedic skills and
strong vocals to become a true standout. Only a freshman, Rozmajzl dominated
every scene she was in with her brilliant comic timing and extra movements,
keeping dull moments nonexistent. Rozmajzl truly committed to her role with great
dynamic to give a memorable performance. Opposite her was the equally laughable
Alex Siegal as Prince Dauntless. Siegal’s infantile antics and joyous expressions
matched Rozmajzl’s merrily, and the two had humorous chemistry when together.
The supporting cast was equivalently colorful. Brendan McAlevy’s (King Sextimus)
over-the-top physicality and great facial expressions made his character’s
thoughts and choices understandable and simultaneously humorous. McAlevy
accomplished this impressively having to rely on body language with no lines in
the show, a feat he plausibly handled. Kristen Washington (Queen Aggravain)
performed to par with stern assertion and mature inflection, truthful to her
antagonism around the congenial mood. Washington had fluent diction with a
proper, royal tone that effectively differentiated her character’s presence, but
had a comedic effect as well. Other enjoyable performers were the exceptional
Taylor Kiechlin (Minstrel), stupendous Jacob Rozmazjl (Jester), and elegant Kayla
Sharpe (Prologue Queen).
The stage crew handled set transitions quick and smoothly, especially with a
large set. They remained in costume and character to make the changes more
entertaining, which was entertaining for the audience. Sound kept all actors
audible and stark, though static was occasional. Lighting was effective, gels
effectually enhancing the mood and cues being executed precisely.
The Paul VI Players gave an extravagant performance packed with amusement, solid
commitment, and boisterous energy the entire night. “Once Upon a Mattress” was a
gratifying work of musical theatre.
by Chris Hrozencik of Herndon High School
-------------------------------------------------The Princess and the Pea is a beloved child’s fairy tale, but according to the
minstrel, that’s not how it goes. Paul VI High School showed the audience how the
real story goes through their phenomenal production of “Once Upon a Mattress.”
“Once Upon a Mattress” first opened off Broadway as a smaller play for a smaller
cast. The comedic musical was later expanded to fit the Broadway stage. Directed
by George Abbot and choreographed by Joe Layton, it featured the legendary star
Carol Burnett as her debut role on Broadway. Up to this day, the play has been
popular for all audiences, and is a favorite for high school productions.
The casting of the play was well thought through and had excellent choices for
each of the characters. Throughout the entire musical, each actor brought out
their character well, never slowing in the pacing or the energy. The vocals of
each featured actor were vibrant and alive, showing off Paul VI’s best singers.
Abigail Rozmajzl was probably the strongest singer in the entire musical. Though
a freshmen, she scored the position as Princess Winnifred, and for good reason.
Her debut solo, “I’m Shy” took the audience by surprise with her strong, loud
vocals and wide range ability, showing that Abigail was definitely anything but
shy. Her chemistry with Prince Dauntless (Alex Siegal) was effortless, and showed
off the awkward, but innocent romance that bloomed between the characters
throughout the progress of the show. Prince Dauntless is usually portrayed as a
mopey young prince, but Alex Siegal took his character and made him into a fun
and enthusiastic, yet awkward boy for th
e audience to enjoy. Prince Dauntless’s father, King Sextimus the Silent, was
given the most comedic relief out of all the other characters. His silent
explanation of the birds and the bees to his son brought the entire audience down
in laughter with his silent gestures, but also because Prince Dauntless was just
a babe in the woods. The King was even given a silent solo, accompanied by the
minstrel and the jester. While the balance was off between the jester and the
minstrel because of the lack of mike for the jester’s part, the King’s silent
rendition gave more to the threesome, rather than taking away. His wife, Queen
Aggravain, was the huge, commanding presence of the play. Kristen Washington
filled the huge role exceptionally, giving off an air of confidence—adding to her
stage presence—and icy detachment, rounding off her character quite well.
The ensemble, dancers, and stage crew for the musical kept the pace fast and
energetic. The Royal Court had a great balance of vocals, and put on dances that
were together and entertaining to watch. The Queen prologue dancer and the Prince
prologue dancer, Kayla Sharpe and Spencer Loessberg were a beneficial addition to
the ensemble of the musical. Their rendition of the Spanish Panic was well
performed and extremely graceful, showing that professionally trained ballet
dancers are a great addition to any musical. The stage crew were dressed in the
same costumes as the rest of the cast, and kept the pace alive and entertaining,
even as they were changing the set. The lights put on by the tech were on time
and well cued, keeping pace with the play.
The rendition of Once Upon a Mattress was well put together and extremely
entertaining for those who attended. Paul VI continues to keep up its reputation
for phenomenal and well thought out musicals.
by Meghan Henry of Herndon High School
-------------------------------------------------Hey Nonny Nonny! It's Once Upon a Mattress at Paul VI Catholic High School! Once
Upon a Mattress is the story of a Kingdom ruled by a mouthy Queen and a mute King
with a son who desperately wants a princess to wed. Incidentally everyone else in
the Kingdom wants him to get married as well as there is a law stating that until
the Prince marries a real Princess no one else can get married. When all seems
hopeless, one not so delicate princess shows up and it'll be over the Queens dead
body if they marry! The origional production went up May 11th 1959 with music by
Marry Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Marshall
Barer, and Dean Fuller.
Leading PVI's remarkable cast was freshman Abigail Rozmajzl in the role of Fred
the Princess. To start with, from the moment she entered until curtain call she
was crackling with energy. To add to this was her impressive voice which was not
only quite enjoyable to listen to but it was evident that her technique was fine
as well making sure to keep her voice in tip-top shape (which was needed for
showstopping numbers such as the excellent "Shy") in addition to this her acting
talent and chemistry with all characters on stage was a pleasure. Opposite Fred
was the naive but good hearted Prince Dauntless played by senior Alex Siegal. His
talents complemented those of Fred and the cast peas and carrots. He had a strong
healthy voice in his own right and was quite the dancer sporting a few flips at
one point. Both Fred and Dauntless were also hilarious with wonderful comic
timing a highlight being "Song of Love (Fred)" King Sextimus the silent played by
Brendan McAlevy had the chal
lenge of acting without any lines, a challenge he took head on with much
success. The skirt chasing, horn wielding King and his cohorts The Minstrel
(Taylor Kiechlin) and The Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl) had the crowd in stitches. The
wonderful comedic trio had the audience riveted to their every move in numbers
such as "The Minstrel, The Jester And I". Other notable performers were Queen
Aggravain (Kristen Washington) who's bombastic and whiny character was in perfect
contrast to Fred and who's song "Sensitivity" was simply wonderful. Also Sir
Harry (Jason Lockwood) and Lady Larken( Elinor Curry) had good chemistry and both
had fine voices.
In addition to the leads, the entire cast was absolutely alive with energy! It
was rare to see a full moment as every cast member made their character, big or
small, their own. The scene changes even had the actors and actresses never
ceasing to remain in character. The improvisation on a few occasions when things
didn't go as planned was very impressive. The dancing was also pleasurable to
watch.
The technical aspects were equally pleasing with the lighting and sound being
very well done. There were very few flaws in it although some scene changes were
a little long.
Once Upon a Mattress had the entire audience enthrall end with every aspect and
left them shouting Bravo! Bravo! Bravissimo!
by Paul Morgan of Herndon High School
-------------------------------------------------What do you get when you combine a winey prince, a multitude of Princesses, an
evil queen, a mute king, and a single pea? An entertaining night of Paul VI High
school performing the famous musical "Once Upon a Mattress".
"Once upon a Mattress" was written by Jay Thompson, who adapted Hans Christian
Anderson's tale, "The Princess and the Pea", into a comic musical. The show
started out as an off-Broadway show in 1959, and then later moved up to Broadway
after its great success. The show follows the story of a princess named Winifred,
Fred for short, who tries to pass a nearly impossible test to marry Prince
Dauntless. Prince Dauntless' mother, the evil Queen Aggravain, creates these
impossible tests for his son's suitors so that he will never get married.
The true star of the show was Abigail Rozmajzl, who played Fred. She led the cast
with high energy and strong vocals, which truly made the audience fall in love
with a girl named Fred. Playing opposite of her was Alex Siegal as Prince
Dauntless. Siegal was hilarious as the whiny son, complete with exaggerated
facials. Another standout was Brendan McAlvey as King Sextimus the Silent. Being
mute for three quarters of the show was extremely challenging, but McAlvey
handled the task with ease. He was constantly making the audience laugh, and
never ceased to put a smile on everyone's face.
The ensemble also greatly contributed to the success of the show. Costumed
beautifully in medieval clothing, the ensemble was a powerful source of energy
and was always engaged in the action. One of the best songs in the show "Song of
Love" was supplemented by the exciting ensemble, and was so much fun for the
audience to watch.
The make-up in the show was simple, and beautiful when needed, and also
exaggerated when necessary. The Queen's bright purple make-up really contributed
to her crazy demeanor. Although there were minor issues with sound, for the
majority of the show it was clear, which really helped the show.
Overall, Paul VI put on a wonderful night, full of laughter and innocent love.
This was a performance you would not want to miss.
by Emily Wade of James Madison High School
--------------------------------------------------
Much like the familiar fairy tale of the Princess and the Pea, Once Upon a
Mattress is a musical that is very similar to the old fairy tale. Once Upon a
Mattress was a Broadway show and now that it is off Broadway, St. Paul VI allows
the audience to fall into the fun and energetic fairy tale in their performance
of Once Upon a Mattress.
No kingdom is complete without a slightly twisted queen, Queen Aggravain is a
perfect example of this. Played by Kristen Washington, the queen's emotions are
wonderfully portrayed and she looks of royalty. Her voice carries through the
auditorium and shows her authority. As the queen, she insists on testing every
princess who seeks the princes' hand in marriage.
Her son, Prince Dauntless (Alex Siegal) is shown as a mothers boy who listens to
everything his mother tells him to do. Siegal plays his character to the max by
starting off awkward and completely dependent on his mother. His body movements
aid in sculpting his character into the awkward prince he was to play. He is on
a quest to find a wife along with the entire kingdom because King Sextimus
(Brendan McAlevy) is under a curse and cannot speak. However, as stated in the
uplifting song The Minstrel, the Jester And I, the audience sees the hilarious
humor of King Sextimus' movements since he cannot speak. The cooperation between
Sextimus, the Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl) and the Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin) as they
all worked together to create a single unit that the audience adored.
Later we are introduced to Winifred, or Fred. Played by Abigail Rozmajzl, she
enters with the song Shy which completely consumes the audience. Her voice
carries through and pulls in the audience. Her quirky vocals and body movements
assists in developing her character. Filled with energy and excitement, Fred is
brought to the kingdom by Sir Harry (Jason Lockwood) because him and Lady Larken
(Elinor Curry) must be allowed to be married in the kingdom or they will be
banished.
The ensemble worked beautifully together to create emotions as a whole group who
always reacted perfectly and created the feeling of excitement as a new princess
steps up to be tested.
Even with such a large set, transitions were quick and smooth. The set was
beautiful and pleasing to the eyes of the audience. Sound was well done and
stayed consistent through the entirety of the musical.
Overall the actors did a marvelous job of bringing their characters alive and
with the aid of wonderful vocal accompany. The dancing done by Kayla Sharpe in
the prologue was seamlessly flawless and elegant. The Cast and the Crew did a
marvelous job of pulling this fairy tale out of the book and placing it on stage.
by Kim Daucher of James Madison High School
--------------------------------------------------
Having a mother trying to find you the perfect wife can be annoying, but it is
even worse if your mother is the queen of the kingdom. In a culmination of
laughter, music and energy, the performance of Once Upon a Mattress at Paul VI
was fun to watch from beginning to end.
The show opens with the Minstrel of the kingdom retelling a variation of the
classic fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. She says explains how many people do
not understand what truly happened in the kingdom when a princess came to court
the prince and could not sleep on 20 mattress' because of one small pea placed at
the bottom of the bed.
The princess in question is Fred, and as her name suggests shes not exactly the
lady-like character one would expect. She arrives at the castle looking for a
prince, and the show follows their relationship together. Abigail Rozmajzl did a
wonderful job of bringing all the energy needed to pull of the quirky nature of
the character. Song of Love was a great demonstration of Rozmajzl's singing
talent. Sometimes she lost a little expression, but this was compensated by the
heightened animation provided during the songs and dances.
Prince Dauntless (Alex Siegal) is a character that can be played many different
ways. Siegal went for a more immature a childish prince and it worked very well
for him. His whining created a character that could be recognized by one word and
acted as a great foil to Fred.
The queen is an extremely strong and aggressive women, and Kristen Washington was
a perfect representation of what this role can accomplish. She acted as an anchor
for the energy on stage, keeping everything lively and never once showing any
sign of compassion. Her high energy level allowed others to act off of her and
create a more entertaining scene.
The ensemble did a wonderful job of constantly staying in character and never
drifting off during one of the larger scenes. The show included many tablous,
which were fantastic as every single actor was not only frozen in place, but each
displayed a different kind of emotion, meaning simply looking across the stage
was entertaining and impressive.
A standout technical element was the costumes. Every character, whether they were
leads or not, was dressed in fabulous period clothing. Each actor looked
positively royal and it really created a more immersive atmosphere and allowed
the audience to believe more in the show and the characters themselves.
The show was very enjoyable due to the cast's energy and dedication the their
characters and each other and each member contributed to this lovely performance
of Once Upon a Mattress.
by Matthew Lansdell of James Madison High School
-------------------------------------------------With all of the musicals based in the 20th century, from greasers to ad
executives to the invention of talking movies, it is not often that audiences
get to see a fun musical comedy with a more fantastical setting. Fortunately,
Paul VI Catholic High School decided to let loose a fairy-tale inspired Once Upon
a Mattress, an adaptation of The Princess and the Pea with music by Mary Rogers.
The show tells the intrepid tale of a kingdom in desperate need of a princess,
and the nonconformist young girl who applies for the prince's hand in marriage.
To describe the show in two words may be unfair, but there are two words that
completely sum up the show's strength: hilarious chemistry. The show was
absolutely gut-splitting, and the key was the characters. Starting off, we have
the fantastic comedic combo of infantile Prince Dauntless, played by Alex Seigal,
and the unconventional princess, Fred, short for Winnifred, played by Abigail
Rozmajzl. They had great innocently cute chemistry held together by great
commitment to character on both their parts, charming the pants off the audience
while Alex repeatedly belted out, “I'm in love with a girl named Fred!” and
Abigail showed off comical feats of strength.
But the chemistry with Dauntless was not only with his wife to be, but with his
father, King Sextimus the Silent, played by Sean McAlevy, who throughout the
majority of the play is mute and therefore unable to sing, only able to honk is
horn. That did not stop the song they shared from being great, as Man to Man
Talk, where the King had to mime out the birds and the bees to the innocent,
clueless, and awkward Dauntless. Sean also shared great chemistry with the
Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin) and the Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl), where despite his
silence, brought forth enough energy for ten actors, and formed the lynchpin of
the comic trio.
Along supporting the major characters was the knights and ladies of the royal
court, who were engaged in the action and did not subtract from the focus of the
show, instead they did a great job at adding the emotional breaking point, the
fact that no one could be married until Dauntless was. Also supporting the actors
was the fine make-up jobs done by Elinor Curry, Taylor Kiechlin, Kristen
Washington, and Amanda Stiverson, whose vivid and colorful work was particularly
noticeable on the Queen (Kristen Washington herself), and the Nightingale who is
sent to cause young Fred to fall asleep on the mattresses.
Overall, Once Upon a Mattress was a very strong and entertaining comedy with
sensationally high energy and commitment all around. There was not even a little
pea to disturb the great experience had at Paul VI Catholic High School.
by Sean Jones of James Madison High School
-------------------------------------------------In Paul VI's production of Once Upon a Mattress this weekend, the audience was
treated to a great performance with memorable characters and plenty of
entertaining comedic relief.
This comedy is set in a medieval kingdom, where no
the Prince Dauntless finds the perfect princess to
specifications for this princess are so particular
the rigorous tests designed by her and the wizard.
secretly married to Lady Larken and finds out that
one is allowed to marry until
wed. The queen's
that no one has ever passed
However, Sir Harry is
she is pregnant, so he
attempts to speed the process up by bringing in a princess from the northern
swamps. This princess, named Winifred, causes quite a stir in the castle and
falls in love with the prince, leaving the audience hoping that she can pass her
test: can she feel one single pea placed underneath twenty mattresses?
The leads in the show brought plenty of energy and excitement that the ensemble
occasionally lacked. Alex Siegal played Prince Dauntless enthusiastically with
lots of over the top movements and expressions that drew lots of laughs from the
audience. In addition to bringing great comedic relief, he also had wonderful
chemistry with the female lead, Princess Fred, played by Abigail Rozmajzl.
Princess Fred was characterized impressively and also had impressive range in her
solos, such as in the song "Shy."
The supporting and featured actors got even more laughs and kept the energy and
pacing up throughout the entire show. The Minstrel, the Jester, and the King
played off each other perfectly for great comedic effect. Brendan McAlevy did a
great job portraying the mute king through body language only. The Jester was
played by Jacob Rozmajzl and in addition to his scenes with the Minstrel and the
King, he had several beautiful solo songs such as "Very Soft Shoes." Queen
Aggravain, a difficult character to portray, was played by Kristen Washington,
who had stunning stage presence and a great voice. The Wizard, played by Joey
Arzeno, was a good contrast to her harsh character and also added comic relief.
Technical aspects of the performance were generally very simple but they rarely
detracted from the show. Props were simple but effective, and the choreography
was well executed. There were occasional problems with microphones but for the
most part the characters were audible. The lights were simple and didn't usually
detract from the performance but occasionally spotlights were used when they
weren't needed. Makeup was the most impressive technical aspect of the show,
especially for the Nightingale of Samarkand, who was decorated elaborately to
look like a bird. The Queen's makeup was also effective, making her look very
mature and no-nonsense.
Overall, Paul VI's performance of Once Upon a Mattress was a fast-paced,
hilarious production with memorable lead characters and an engaging supporting
cast.
by Thomas Roades of James Madison High School
-------------------------------------------------A proper princess should be demure, elegant and refined, while a royal prince
must be chivalrous, masculine and charming, right? Think again! This weekend,
Paul VI Catholic High School redefined royal expectations with its energized
rendition of Once Upon A Mattress.
Based off Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea, Once
Upon a Mattress has had audiences roaring with laughter ever since its OffBroadway debut in 1959. The story follows one kingdom’s search for their
prince’s wife-to-be, resulting in an abundance of dramatic sub-plots. In the
end, quirky Princess Winnifred, also known to some as Fred, passes the Queen’s
test of sensitivity and marries Prince Dauntless.
The leading cast’s grand presence and versatility displayed immense character
development, a challenging feat to accomplish in a musical comedy. As the
juvenile Prince Dauntless, Alex Siegal truly captured the instable sensations
associated with childhood. Even more impressive was his range of emotions
throughout the performance, as he transitioned between emotional extremes in a
meaningful manner. Opposite of Siegal, Abigail Rozmajzl exuded the boisterous
attitude of princess-to-be, Fred. Beyond just a physical command of the stage,
Rozmajzl displayed impressive vocal prowess, as she interchanged her melodious
head voice and explosive belt frequently throughout her songs.
Equally committed to their bold characters, the supporting cast assisted in
telling the primary story, while also supplementing their unique interactions.
Playing the light-hearted King Sextimus the Silent, Brendan McAlevy lived up to
the role’s expectations as the king of comedy. His lucid physical communications
transmitted his character's intentions to the audience while simultaneously
inciting eruptions of laughter. McAlevy’s most powerful moments were those spent
with other actors, especially the Jester. As the Jester, Jacob Rozmajzl
surpassed the clownish expectations associated with his character. He sincerely
revealed his center of nostalgia, ironically becoming one of the more sentimental
characters in the cast as the performance progressed.
Although the actors certainly took center stage for this production, it is
necessary to commend the technical crew’s many successes as well. Led by Elinor
Curry, Taylor Kiechlin, Kristen Washington, and Amanda Stiverson, the makeup crew
significantly enhanced many of the characters, most notably Queen Aggravain and
the Nightengale of Samarkand. Similarly, Alice Rowley and Evelyn Lockwood’s
exaggerated props enriched the exuberant atmosphere of the performance.
Paul VI Catholic High School’s cast and crew whole-heartedly embraced the
exaggerated nature of Once Upon a Mattress. This committed cast clearly enjoyed
working with such a well-written script, and each actor shared their delight with
the audience every moment they were on stage. From start to finish, Once Upon a
Mattress is a performance that one should certainly not be “shy” to see!
by Wesley Diener of James Madison High School
-------------------------------------------------"And they all lived happily ever after." That is how most fairy tales end. But
what if the actual story involves moat swimming princesses and mama's boy
princes. Paul IV did a wonderful job in their rendition of Once Upon a Mattress,
a farce of the age old story of the Princess and the Pea by Hans Christen
Anderson.
The story follows a young princes quest for a bride, but his mother intervenes
severely. A dashing knight goes on a quest to find a princess so he can marry the
woman he loves, who is also pregnant. He comes back with the least likely
candidate for Prince Dauntless. Princess Winifred the Woebegone makes a splash at
her arrival. Literally. The queen views "Fred" as the worst likely bride for her
son. So she devises the most unfair and crooked test of all. The infamous pea
under 20 mattresses. With a little help Fred ends up passing her test and
marrying the prince.
The play first premiered off-Broadway in 1959 and soon transferred onto Broadway.
After the show closed in 1960 the show toured the United States. The Broadway
revival of 1996 won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
Paul IV staged a outstanding version of the show. The cast gave a stunning first
impression with the use of two pointe ballet dancers. Fred, played by Abigail
Rozmajzl, was hilarious. She had a beautiful singing voice that was also very
powerful; as demonstrated in the song "Shy". The audience became excited whenever
she returned to the stage. Her romantic counterpart Prince Dauntless, Alex
Siegal, was fantastic. The character portrayal was amazing. His relationships
with the other characters were believable and amusing. Although King Sextimus
barely said anything his actions proved louder than his words. His use of
charades was very comical, yet understandable. The Jester was also entertaining.
His voice could be heard even if the other actors voices were more amplified. The
chorus had amazing energy. Everyone was enjoying themselves and in turn made the
audience enjoy the show too. The "Song of Love(FRED)" was sensational.
The technical aspects of the show helped create the world of this depiction of
the show. The costumes were very befitting of a royal court. The painting of the
castle walls made the stones look very three dimensional. The lighting did a
admirable job of setting the moods and scenes in the musical.
by Alicia Foster of Mount Vernon High School
-------------------------------------------------Opening with a full theatre and a lovely orchestra playing, Paul VI Catholic High
School performed Once Upon A Mattress.
Once Upon A Mattress is a book written by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer, and Dean
Fuller. Mary Rogers put music to it and Marshall Barer added lyrics to make this
production a musical comedy. Once Upon A Mattress is a comical twist on The
Princess and The Pea. The queen refuses to let anyone get married until her son,
the prince, found a bride. In order for a princess to marry her son, she has to
go through tests to prove she is true royalty. Secretly the queen makes the tests
nearly impossible to complete because she doesn't want her son to get married. A
young, beautiful, overly dramatic princess arrives from the swamps and changes
the whole kingdoms lives.
Paul VI Catholic High School's performance was anchored by the exceptional
singing talent and the excitement of the ensembles. The 47-person cast brought
the show all together with their acting. Even throughout the scene changes it
felt like we were still in castle watching everyone's lives being played out.
Prince Dauntless (Alex Siegal) had a great voice and his childish character was
played very well. He was extremely funny and it was never boring watching him.
Fred (Abigail Rozmajzl) had a fantastic voice. Her energy was impressive.
Especially throught the "Song of Love (Fred)". Anyone else would have been
exhausted but her energy never faded. King Sextimus the Silent (Brendan McAlevy)
brought the comical aspect to this production. Even thought he did not speak the
entire production, until the end, he played his character amusingly.
The wizard's (Joey Arzeno) improvisation when his mustache fell off was great.
The dancers, Kayla Sharpe and Madelene Whitfield, had great form and were
beautiful dancers. The "Man to Man Talk" was the funniest song. Everyone was
laughing in their seats. The connection between Sir Harry (Jason Lockwood) and
Lady Larken (Elinor Curry)was really good. I felt their connection even when they
were fighting. The mics weren't loud enough on some of the actors/actresses
through there songs but kept there voices loud enough so the orchestra would not
drown them out.
The technical aspects were great. The light were on point and the costumes were
period and beautiful. All the props were set in right places and helped topoff
the already great show.
All in all, Paul VI Catholic High School put on a great performance and will be
remembered.
by Jordyn Stewart of Mount Vernon High School
-------------------------------------------------Swimming in moats, beautiful voices, delightful love stories, and humors
antics…doesn’t that sound like a very intriguing opera? Well, not exactly! It is
Paul VI High School’s production of Once Upon a Mattress!
This musical is a comedic adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess
and the Pea. Lyrics by Marshal Barer, music by Mary Rodgers, and book by Jay
Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshal Barer, debuted off-Broadway in May 1959.
Dauntless is dying for a bride, and his mommy won’t let him have one unless she
sees her fit to pass her “fair” tests. Along with a few other tales of love
intertwined, a “Princess” Winnifred has come to become Dauntless’ true love.
After overcoming every challenge in the face of adversity love triumphs over
evil.
Extremely talented students managed to bring the castle down in this production.
Some memorable performances included Abigail Rozmajzl, who brought charm and
innocence to the complex role of Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, and the
comedic trio of Brendan McAlevy, Jacob Rozmajzl, and Taylor Kiechlin as King
Sextimus, the Minstrel and the Jester.
Another captivating aspect was Alex Siegal, who brought the marvelous childlike
qualities necessary for a sweet role like Prince Dauntless. Taylor Kiechlin did a
marvelous job as the Minstrel with such a passionate voice and dedication to the
role. Also, kudos to Joey Arzeno who sure did riot the audience with laughter.
The entire cast was focused and full of energy throughout the show. The chorus
provided the beautiful image of a royal court full of subjects involved in the
daily life of a kingdom. Even though some energy was lacking at times they always
made a comeback full of surprise and electricity keeping the audience enticed in
the musical numbers and story.
Paul VI’s lighting crew had precision and coordination to create beautiful
atmosphere and moods. The make-up crew did a stupendous job of working on
bringing out the character such as that on Kristen Washington who was an
excellently malevolent Queen Aggravain and Kayla Bruni the mesmerizing voiced
Nightingale of Samarkand.
Paul VI High School’s production of Once Upon a Mattress will make you leave
knowing you’re not “shy” and singing, “I’m in love with a girl named Fred.”
by Wilson Nathan Garcia of Mount Vernon High School
-------------------------------------------------Paul VI Catholic High School’s performance of Once Upon a Mattress was full of
energy and all around fun. Once Upon a Mattress is a musical version of the
princess and the pea. An evil queen, Queen Aggravain, set a law throughout all
the land that no one is to be married before her son Prince Dauntless. She makes
tests for all the princesses and rigs them so that they cannot pass. Until one
day, when Princess Winifred, Fred for short, sweeps everyone off their feet and
carries them off into an adventure.
Lead actor Alex Siegal, who played the role of Prince Dauntless. He played a
corky, comical prince that had lots of energy and kept the audience on the edge
of their seats. He had a wonderful voice and had great chemistry with Fred.
Lead actress and lead vocalist Fred, played by Abigail Rozmajzl, did a fantastic
job especially with this being her first musical ever to act and sing in. She was
hilarious and full of excitement and joy.
Comic actor Brendan McAlevy, who played the role of King Sextimus the Silent, was
hilarious although he literally said nothing the whole entire time. His actions
and horn was hilarious.
The cast did a wonderful job with their harmonies and vocals. The cast overall
did a wonderful job with their articulation. They ended every word and every note
well and every word was understood. The make-up was well done and made everyone
look wonderful. The sound and lighting were done well and the cues were on time.
The actors and actresses did a great job of staying in character even when the
sets were changing. All of the cast did a wonderful job of keeping the energy up.
Once Upon a Mattress, played by Paul VI Catholic High School, was portrayed in a
comedic way and kept the audience engaged the whole time.
by Tiffany Greer of Robert E. Lee High School
-------------------------------------------------Once upon a time, Paul VI High School in the land of Fairfax, Virginia did a
production of the musical Once Upon A Mattress. This musical featured many
elements of a classic fairytale such as a king, a queen, and a watery moat. Once
Upon A Mattress, which premiered on Broadway in 1959, is a musical adaptation of
Hans Christian Anderson’s The Princess and The Pea with music by Mary Rodgers,
lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer, and Dean
Fuller. The original Broadway production was also the debut of legend Carol
Burnett, who starred as Princess Winifred.
In this adaptation of The Princess and The Pea, Once Upon A Mattress tells the
story of Princess Winifred (played by Abigail Rozmajzl), who is brought to the
castle of Queen Aggravain (played by Kristen Washington) and the mute king
Sextimus (played by Brendan McAlevy) by Sir Harry (played by Jason Lockwood). In
order for everyone else in the kingdom to get married, the king and queen’s son,
Prince Dauntless (played by Alex Siegal), must be wedded first. However, all of
the princesses in the kingdom had failed the queen’s multiple tests to see if
they are fit to marry her son. Sir Harry, who is secretly married to his pregnant
wife Lady Larken (played by Elinor Curry), brings Princess Winifred, a strong and
blunt princess who prefers the name Fred, to the castle in hopes that she is able
to pass the queen’s test of sensibility, in which she must be able to feel a tiny
pea under 20 mattresses and featherbeds.
Abigail Rozmajzl as Princess Winifred/Fred proved to be very impressive in her
role. She stayed fully committed to her character throughout the entire show and
her energy level was consistently high. Rozmajzl had a commendable singing voice
with a very broad range as well. Kristen Washington who played Queen Aggravain
was also another actress who was completely committed to her character and made
the maliciousness of her character seem very believable through her facial
expressions and body language.
Something that was fantastic in this production of Once Upon A Mattress was the
physicality exhibited by all of the actors and their use of the stage with it.
Almost every actor was agile to a good extent and used a lot of energy throughout
the show. Though some cast members could have louder, everyone worked well
together on stage during large musical numbers and always kept in character, even
if they were not the ones speaking during a scene.
In particular, Alex Siegal who played the mute king Sextimus did the role
fantastically. Even though he had no lines for the majority of the show, his use
of physicality so essential to his character was done so well that whenever his
character was trying to tell another character something through his movements,
it could be mostly understood. Siegal’s interpretation of the character proved to
be very comedic and even with his silence throughout the show, there was never an
awkward moment with him on stage.
The makeup for the show was pretty well done, with the queen’s makeup being very
visible and older looking and Fred’s makeup looking fresh and youthful. The
transitions in between scenes were also done in a timely manner with set pieces
being moved by the actors quietly.
And in the end, Paul VI High School’s production of Once Upon A Mattress was
truly entertaining. Energy level and character commitment was high, the princess
could marry the prince, and everyone lived happily ever after. The End.
by Veronica Ceniceros of Robert E. Lee High School
-------------------------------------------------Everybody has heard the story of The Princess and the Pea, but how often is it
told with an overbearing queen, a mute king, a momma’s boy prince, and an eager
but well-meaning princess? This is the story of “Once Upon a Mattress”, a musical
comedy that Paul VI High School’s theater team clearly pulled no punches in
preparing. The cast and crew gave it their all with an uncommon level of energy,
and even with the occasional (expected) technical issue, their enthusiasm was
strong enough that the audience remained completely involved from the beginning
to the end.
The characters in “Once Upon a Mattress” are highly exaggerated, so one could
imagine that either over or under-doing it would quickly sour a performance.
Thankfully, the actors and actresses in this performance put on such a show that
it is difficult to fault them. The major characters were brilliantly portrayed
both vocally and physically, and the ensemble cast followed closely behind when
they were featured. Two particularly commendable performances were those of Kayla
Sharpe and Aaron Jacobs, who played the queen and king respectively. While the
queen put on a vocal performance featuring superbly-delivered dialogue, the king
offered a wonderful contrast with his highly-energetic physical act that never
failed to steal the show when it came out. Perhaps the most memorable role was
that of Princess Winnifred, portrayed by Abigail Rozmajzl, whose act blended both
physical and verbal comedy while never sacrificing character. The secondary
characters were equally wonderful, th
e wizard and the jester in particular standing out as exceptional. In one scene,
an impressive bit of improv by one of these characters turned a small costume
mishap into a side-busting gag that fit perfectly with the rest of the play,
proving just how in-tune the cast was with their production. If one really had to
nitpick, it could be said that perhaps there was a bit too much enthusiasm in
some places, but one can hardly fault the cast for loving what they do.
This being a musical, the vocal performances of the actors and actresses could
easily make or break the entire production. Thankfully, the singing ability of
the cast was on-par with their acting ability, with flat notes being few and far
between and other common mistakes being even rarer. I was particularly impressed
by the vocal performance of the princess, which included a number of perfectlyheld sustained notes. In addition, the vocal harmonies provided by the minstrel
(Taylor Kiechlin) and the jester (Jacob Rozmajzl) were spot on. One concern that
came up with the other critics was that some singers performed better with loud
lines than they did softer ones, but this was something that I did not notice
until it was pointed out, and it could easily be contributed to acoustics more
than acting. Similarly, the ensemble performed brilliantly, but could have been
louder at times.
On the topic of sound, the tech crew performed their role valiantly for the most
part and kept everything audible when it needed to be. The microphones would
occasionally click and pop, and there were times when the orchestra overshadowed
some actors, but not often enough to be catastrophic. In addition, the lighting
was even and well controlled throughout.
On the whole, it is a rare sight when cast and crew are as noticeably
enthusiastic as those at Paul IV High School, and that enthusiasm resulted in a
superb performance from all involved. Take a breather, team, you've earned it.
by Colin Champney of The New School of Northern Virginia
-------------------------------------------------The day the prince finally marries cannot come soon enough. All of the townsfolk
are longing for his wedding day. Until his, no one else in the land can marry.
The ladies in waiting, the knights, everyone in the kingdom is eager for the boy
to find a true princess once and for all. Except, of course, for the Queen. The
loving mother can’t see anyone fit for her baby boy, especially not a girl who
can’t even pass a simple test. Conjuring up difficult tasks, she challenges the
women to questions of petty historic facts or spelling quizzes. But when a last
resort and frighteningly untraditional princess hits it off with the prince, the
Queen must think of the most utterly impossible trial: feeling a pea under a
mountain of twenty mattresses.
With a cluster of quirky characters, from a mute king who chases girls around the
castle to a princess who enjoys arm wrestling and swimming in the moat, Paul VI
Catholic High School’s rendition of Once Upon A Mattress was hilarious. Playing
the zany Princess Winnifred, Abigail Rozmajzl did an excellent job acting the
role, singing the tunes, and getting a laugh out of the audience.
Of all parts of the performance to commend, the most important was the attitude
of the actors. Throughout the musical, every member of the cast seemed to be
having a blast. They were engaged and gleaming, which really drew the audience
into the action. The scenes were engrossing. Dancing, singing, and cracking jokes
made both acts fly by.
Each character was well fleshed-out. The actors put such personality into their
actions; they were always believable. Even between scenes, the unheard
conversations amongst the townspeople were interesting and kept the audience
entertained.
Though there was some unfortunate trouble with microphones and hearing the
vocalists, the work the students did with props, hair, and makeup were good.
Queen Aggravain's look in particular was perfect, appearing like a classic
fairytale villain, while also tuning the image to fit her character.
The musical worked as a whole because the cast worked as a whole. The actors
projected such love for what they were doing that they enthralled the audience
all the while. Both the acting and singing was consistently of high quality.
Brought to life with enthusiasm and charisma, seeing Once Upon A Mattress
definitely made for a lively evening.
by Ilta Schulzrinne of The New School of Northern Virginia
-------------------------------------------------A moratorium on marriage from an eccentric queen, a mute king, a secret baby, a
princess who swam the moat, and one little pea combine to hilarious effect in a
musical twist on the classic fairy tale The Princess and the Pea in Paul the
Sixth High School’s production of Once Upon a Mattress.
Composed by Mary Rodgers, with lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson,
Marshall Barer, and Dean Fuller, Once Upon a Mattress is based off of Hans
Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. The show originally
opened off-Broadway in May 1959 before moving to Broadway later that same year.
The 1996 Broadway revival received a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a
Musical.
The plot revolves primarily around a law enacted by the devious Queen Aggravain
(Kristen Washington) which says: “Throughout the land, no one may wed, ‘till
Dauntless shares his wedding bed.” This refers to her son, Prince Dauntless (Alex
Siegal), a ditzy sort of boy who remains very attached to his mother. The Queen,
determined not to have her son married, sets up impossible tests for every
princess who comes calling on the Prince, leading to disdain in the kingdom.
Unbeknownst to the Queen one of her knights, Sir Harry (Jason Lockwood), has
secretly married Lady Larken (Elinor Curry) and gotten her pregnant. Not wanting
to face the wrath of the Queen if she finds out, Sir Harry embarks on a quest to
find a princess for the prince, and soon returns with Princess Winnifred (Abigail
Rozmajzl), also known as Fred. The Prince quickly falls in love with Fred, and
hilarity ensues as members of the Court attempt to help Fred pass whatever test
the Queen has planned.
While some actors had difficulty when their singing was more restrained, the
energy and emotion from the entire cast made sure that didn’t detract too much
from the show. One of the most standout actors was also the most silent. Brendan
McAlvey played King Sextimus, who hadn’t spoken since he had been cursed long
before the prince was born. His charades were a constant source of laughter from
the audience, demonstrating that you don’t need to speak to be funny. As Fred,
Abigail Rozmajzl impressed with a brilliant singing voice and a bubbly energy
that lifted the entire show. The Royal Court, made up of the knights and ladiesin-waiting of the kingdom, was constantly engaged and involved in the group
scenes which added heavily to the immersion.
The tech was simple but generally solid, with a few hiccups that at times
detracted from the show. Lighting was succinct, with a constant colorful wash
over the stage as well as specials and two follow-spots. The sound crew did a
good job managing the actors they had microphones for, but the principal soloist
in one of the songs didn’t have one which rendered his solo almost inaudible
among the orchestra. One of the more impressive aspects was the hair and make-up,
which was a combination of solid basic faces for the ensemble and outlandish
designs for some of the leads.
All in all, Paul the Sixth High School’s Once Upon a Mattress was a well
executed, well cast musical with high energy and the pacing to match. While the
show is almost two and a half hours long the actors made it feel half that long
through their engagement and commitment to their characters, leading to quite an
enjoyable show.
by Jonathan Halverson of The New School of Northern Virginia
-------------------------------------------------Once upon a time, there was a delicate princess, a handsome prince, a lovely
queen, who never became angered, and a composed and serious-minded king, who all
lived happily ever after. Sorry, wrong story. Actually, once upon a time, there
was a shy princess from the swampland; an awkward, childish prince; a demanding,
scheming queen; and a king, eternally silenced by an evil spell cast upon him.
This dynamic bunch of actors and vocalists at Paul VI Catholic High School made
an excellent show of Once Upon a Mattress. While watching, through the sidesplitting laughter, it becomes apparent that these actors are fully committed to
their roles, dedicated to their musical, and are, without a doubt, some of the
best performers in the area.
In this well-known musical, poor Prince Dauntless must find a bride, but
unfortunately his mother, the Queen, rejects all twelve princesses who come to
try-out for the position. She gives unfair tests, with the help of the Wizard,
and then sends them away, claiming that “A true princess is a delicate thing,”
and these are, obviously, not true princesses. In the meanwhile, the Queen bans
anyone else in the kingdom from marrying until her beloved Prince Dauntless does,
but Sir Harry and Lady Larken have a secret, and need the Prince to find a
princess more than ever. All of the princesses in the neighboring kingdoms have
tried and failed, but then comes Princess Winifred (her friends call her Fred).
The Prince seems enraptured by her boldness, but will she be able to pass the
Queen’s test? And when will the King finally be able to overcome his muteness?
Paul VI’s Princess Fred was charmingly awkward as a princess who often acts quite
unladylike, and Abigail Rozmajzl played the part perfectly. She used her strong
voice well and had a very wide range of beautiful noises she could produce. She
was always confident and in character to the point of hilarity, and here
outstanding energy kept the whole show going. Alex Siegal as Prince Dauntless
served his role well, with the right amount of over the top acting and realism.
The progression from a piteous “mama’s boy” to being much more confident and
openly upset with his mother was interesting to watch, and was made real by
Siegal’s believable character choices. The connection between Lady Larken and
Sir Harry (Elinor Curry and Jason Lockwood, respectively) was made very
believable by the deliberate actions they took and the way they acted towards
each other. Other notable performances were Kristen Washington as the Queen,
Brendan McAlevy as the King, Jacob Rozmajzl as the Je
ster, and Joey Arzeno as the Wizard.
The singing and dancing through the show was very well done, with the vocalists
being able to hit all the right notes with strength and the dancers were also
great, with lots of energy. Kayla Sharpe stood out as one of the best dancers in
the show, for her graceful movements and overall expression while dancing, and it
was hard to take your eyes off of her. Taylor Kiechlin, as the Minstrel who
narrated and interacted with the story through song, was an especially strong
voice in the production, with her notes rising above others and her voice
commanding the stage.
Overall, Paul VI’s performance of Once Upon a Mattress was an outstanding one,
with strong voices and strong characters both. The technical aspects of the show
were spot on, with almost no glitches, and the show was entertaining and funny.
The performers at Paul VI High School will certainly live happily ever after.
by Kamryn Leoncavallo of The New School of Northern Virginia
-------------------------------------------------“Once Upon a Mattress” the Musical is based on an ancient fairy tale “The
Princess and the Pea” written in 1835 by Hans Christian Anderson. The Musical
premiered on Broadway on May 11, 1959. 124 years later, the story line is pretty
much the same however something is very different. The tone is no longer serious.
Paul VI Catholic High School brought a bizarre sense of humor to their spring
musical that made the audience laugh not just once, but twice, thrice, and words
don’t exist after that (Oxford Dictionaries Online) for me to accurately describe
the audience’s action.
At the outset, Queen Aggravain and King Sextimus seem to have a not-so-loving
relationship with one another. This can be portrayed in many ways: physical
abuse, name-calling, threats, curses. Paul VI picked the latter. The Queen mutes
the King due to a spell possibly casted. Brendan McAlevy did a phenomenal job of
proving that actions do indeed speak louder than words. The best part was that he
seemed somewhat amused with himself and didn’t show one bit his frustration
towards his disability. I have to give praise to Kristen Washington who played
Queen Aggravain. Her acting was professional quality. Her depth of expression and
maturity showed till the end. She definitely seemed forty-not 18. Her accent was
absolutely charming, too. Just like any other skeptical soon-to-be mother in law.
I though it was funny how she was a whole foot taller than the king. Almost,
like a mother-son relationship.
Paul VI’s diligence showed through the final bow, however they needed to learn
that it is better to be an original instead of a copy. Their Spring Musical was
very much like hundreds and thousands of previous musicals performed. Their play
wasn’t very much different from musicals.net synopsis. The students should have
written original scenes. Perhaps a wise old man with a long beard giving advice
to the Prince and Princess, or maybe even a filthy yet angelic Giant as a
humorous sidekick.
by Saumya Vats of The New School of Northern Virginia
-------------------------------------------------In the moments before the curtains were due to part, excited chatter broke out in
the cathedralesque auditorium, among the anticipating viewers. All chatter was
hushed as soon as two ladies in waiting pushed their way past the curtain to
break the fourth wall and give a delightful spiel about keeping one's cell phone
silenced or else the queen would cut off their head, which caused the audience to
erupt with laughter, laughter which would foreshadow the evening to come.
The Paul VI Catholic High School rendition of Once Upon a Mattress was an
absolute riot; from the characters such as King Sextimus the Silent (played by
Brendan McAlevy) and his crazy antics, to the musical numbers that would
occasionally produce innuendos, the musical as a whole was a joy to watch.
The musical Once Upon a Mattress is a take on the classic Hans Christian Andersen
fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea. However, this story unfolds rather
differently; the story begins in a kingdom where a Queen has forbidden anyone to
get married until her Prince Dauntless does. However, because she wants to keep
in power, she has made impossible to pass tests for any Princess willing to marry
her son. A couple - the knight, Sir Harry, and the Lady in Waiting, Lady Larken need to be married quickly due to Lady Larken becoming pregnant. So, Sir Harry
goes on a quest to find a Princess that would pass the Queen's ridiculous tests
and allow for all of the people in the kingdom to marry as they please.
The show was magnificent due to a combination of a great written musical, as well
as wonderful young actors to convey the emotions and hilarity, while bringing the
characters to life. There were many breakout roles, including the role of
Princess Winifred (played by Abigail Rozmajzl). Her awkward motions and
boisterous persona really added to the character of Fred, not to mention her
power house voice that echoed through the auditorium to meet the audience with
slight chills.
The show relied heavily on having a
the show to be light and fun, which
during blackouts, the ensemble kept
the viewer was seeing the goings on
good ensemble to have good energy and allow
this ensemble managed to accomplish. Even
in character and really sold the idea that
in a real kingdom.
The sets were also phenomenal, with keeping three static pieces that would be
rolled around to make it look like a different part of the castle. The technical
aspects of the show were all so fantastic, with the lighting to be especially
notable. Even with some spots that didn't really have any purpose, the lighting
was always spot on.
Over all Once Upon a Mattress put on by Paul VI Catholic High School had an
excellent production value, which was well above that of a high school
performance. With some aspects of the plot changed to reflect the school's
values, the show is great for viewers of all ages, and is especially humorous. By
the end, it'll have you singing that you're in love with a girl named Fred.
by Adrianna Watson of Thomas Edison High School
--------------------------------------------------
“I’m in love with a girl named Fred” By the conclusion of Paul VI’ High School's
production of the classic show "Once Upon a Mattress," so was the audience. “Once
Upon a Mattress” tells the true story of the Princess from “Princess and The
Pea”. This princess was not the only princess put to a test, Queen Aggravian has
set a new law that no one shall wed until her son Dauntless “shares his wedding
bed”, however she rigs each test to make sure that all the princesses lose. Sir
Harry and Lady Larken, members of the kingdom have broken the law and must find a
real princess who can past the test before the Queen finds out. Sir Harry travels
to the swamps to bring back Princess Winifred, who will hopefully pass the test
then marry Prince Dauntless.
Hats off to all of the large roles in this production, all actors handled their
roles very maturely blurring the line between a high school production and
professional production. The young couple nevertheless stood out. Abigail
Rozmajzl and Alex Siegal who played Princess Winifred and Prince Dauntless had
audience members laughing their socks off at their adorable on stage chemistry.
Ever acting choice was notable and appreciated beginning with their whiney loud
personalities to their Eskimo kisses. Not only did their acting stand out but
both voices were exceedingly lovely throughout all their numbers. Another
character that had audience members laughing throughout the entire show was the
Mute King Sexitmus, played by Brendan McAlevy. McAlevy’s pantomimes and facial
expressions were realistic and hysterical. The king would have been nothing
without the two other members of his trio. The Minstrel and the Jester played by
Taylor Kiechlin and Jacob Rozmajzl were as well grea
t additions on stage with their strong comedic timing and pitch perfect
harmonies.
All musical numbers during this production were astounding. The ensemble brought
a new level of energy to the stage with their expressive faces, hilariously
modern dancing, and a strong vocal performance beginning with “Opening For A
Princess” all the way to the finale.
The moment the curtain opens audience members were astounded by the castle set,
the levels, fake brick work and revolving pieces only added on to the many
virtuous things about the show. While set evolved throughout the show the show
the stage crew and cast entrained the audience during the scene changes. The set
was not the only detailed feature about this production. The costumes as well,
looked straight out of the 1800’s and all members of the royal family wore the
colors purple, red and gold. Elinor Curry and Meghan Rockett beautifully turned
two high school ladies into a middle aged queen and colorful nightingale, again
blurring the line between high school theater and professional theater.
Paul VI’ asked for a Princess and although they received a moat swimming Princess
they sure did deliver a greats show.
by Parker Collins of Thomas Edison High School
-------------------------------------------------A classic fairy tale is brought to life by an extremely talented cast and crew on
Paul VI Catholic High School’s stage. Once Upon A Mattress is a musical featuring
music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and is based on the book by Jay
Thompson, Marshall Barer and Dean Fuller. The story is an adaptation of the
famous Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. The musical
opened off-Broadway in 1959 then was later expanded for Broadway.
The story takes place in a medieval kingdom ruled by a loud and bossy queen and
mute king. The queen has forbidden marriage until her son Prince Dauntless is
married. Although there have been many suitors, the queen always comes up with
tests to fail the princesses. Sir Harry goes off to find the perfect princess for
the prince and comes back with a surprise. The queen comes up with a special test
to make sure that she will fail, but her plan goes awry as things take an
unexpected turn.
The entire cast and crew did an incredible job putting this production together.
The evident talent in the show was absolutely phenomenal. Every member of the
cast was committed to their roles and the vocalists enchanted everyone. The
physical humor was one of the best parts as well, and the show never failed to
bring out laughter from the audience.
Abigail Rozmajzl did an incredible job playing Fred, the main princess in the
story. She may only be a freshman, but she belted out her songs beautifully and
was never off-key. Her bubbly acting also made her character very likeable. Alex
Siegal also played his role very convincingly. His childish eagerness and
innocence was clear from the beginning and his obliviousness and immaturity were
very comical.
The supporting cast in this production were charming and really put together.
Everything about their actions was really well executed, from the choreography to
the humorous side interactions they had. All the Ladies and Sirs did a
phenomenal job during hectic transitions between scenes.
Most of the technical aspects were amazing. The sets were very well crafted and
realistic. The lighting and sound team also did a great job giving the show a
professional feel. The make-up and costumes were also beautiful. All of the
ladies’ pretty dresses stood out and Queen Aggravain’s make-up was amazingly
done.
Paul VI did a fantastic job of putting on Once Upon A Mattress. The show was
captivating from the first to last second and laughs were overflowing from the
audience. It was enjoyable for all ages and was definitely a show to remember.
by Joanne
Choi of Walt Whitman High School
-------------------------------------------------Most people know the story of the Princess and the Pea, or at least they think
they do. The only way to find out the real story would be to watch Pope VI
Catholic High School’s production of Once Upon A Mattress. The story is presented
by a Minstrel, who explains that the everyday fairytale of the Princess and the
Pea is terribly inaccurate. Prince Dauntless is in search of a princess to marry,
but his controlling mother Queen Aggravain sets up impossible tests that his lady
suitor must pass in order to wed him. Until he has found a princess, no one in
the kingdom is allowed to marry. Just when all hope is lost, a boisterous
Princess named Fred swims the moat to the castle, and instantly wins the heart of
the Prince. With a whole Kingdom supporting her, Fred must prove to the Queen
that she is indeed, a true princess.
Fred, played by Abigail Rozamajzl, blew the audience away- almost literally. As
she belted out her song ‘Shy’, the first song Fred has in the show, she instantly
grasped the hearts of the audience, making it all too easy to fall in love with a
girl named Fred. Abigail showed stellar commitment to her character and had
fabulous chemistry with Alex Siegal, who played the prince. Together, they were
able to pull off two quirky and dorky lovebirds that the audience thoroughly
enjoyed.
Brendan McAlevy, in the role of King Sextimus the Silent, played the role of a
muse to perfection. The role of the king is difficult because for most of the
show, he cannot say or sing anything, at least not with his voice. However,
Brendan was able to tell the story and sing his songs, all through his actions.
Brendan’s physical comedy was far above the average for a high school production.
The entire cast was completely dedicated to their roles. The ensemble was
constantly engaged and lively, which generated tremendous energy in the show.
The Wizard, played by Joey Arzeno, showed a particularly strong dedication to his
character when he took a small costuming malfunction to his advantage. He
addressed this malfunction in a subtle manner while still in character.
Hair and make-up in the show was well presented. Although the hair could have
been more elaborate, the subtle uses of make-up and hair in the ensemble made
sure that the audience could keep focused on the action on stage. The Queen’s
make-up was impressive; the high eyebrows and excessive purple eye make-up
instantly showed the audience just how evil she is.
The stage crew did an impressive job moving the set pieces in a timely manner.
Members of the ensemble did small actions to fill the stage as the set changed,
keeping the audience entertained and seemingly shortening the scene changes.
Overall, the production was a high energy and thoroughly enjoyable show full of
humor, powerful voices and great acting. Bravo to Paul VI catholic High Schoolencore please?
by Sophia
Brown of Walt Whitman High School
-------------------------------------------------In time, there is an oddball story that emerges from a classic fairytale,
enhanced by a large castle with a courtyard, and homes littered with lovely
townsfolk. The scene is set to a medieval kingdom, ruled by a mute king and an
obstreperous queen. Take all of this, along with the upbeat,terrific performances
of a great cast, and you have Paul VI Catholic High School’s rendition of Once
Upon A Mattress, written by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer, and Dean Fuller.
The musical tells the story of Prince Dauntless, whose loud-mouth mother, Queen
Aggravain, is intent on keeping him from marrying by forcing each possible bride
through rigorous, impossible tests. Along with these, she disallows anyone to
marry until her son has. This changes when Sir Harry, who for a reason
unbeknownst to them, suddenly offers to take up the task of finding a suitable
princess for the young man, and returns with one who—with her weight-lifting,
impossible strength, and straightforward manner of dealing with matters—defies
the stereotype of a dainty princess. Meanwhile, the Jester and the Minstrel
attempt to help Lady Larken cover up her secret marriage to Sir Harry, and the
Wizard helps Queen Aggravain create a spell that will put Princess Winnifred to
sleep on twenty mattresses despite a small pea.
Princess Winnifred (Abigail Rozmajzl) is the rather unusual princess. With her
strong, outstanding vocal performances and energetic, upbeat attitude, Rozmajzl
portrayed her hilarious character with a fresh, new style that was uniquely hers
and distinctly memorable long after the curtains came down. The Jester (Jacob
Rozmajzl) adds lively fun to the musical. Rozmajzl’s acrobatics, strong voice,
and excellent dry wit in dialogue pertaining to good-natured humor added flare to
the character and to the stage. The Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin) was incredible as
a narrator and had the perfect voice to match her storytelling to the fast-paced
musical. The Wizard (Joey Arzeno) was hilarious and fun to watch throughout,
especially in his encounters with Queen Aggravain and the Jester.
Queen Aggravain (Kristen Washington), King Sextimus the Silent (Aaron Jacobs),
and Prince Dauntless (Alex Siegal) were absolutely incredible at portraying their
characters. Washington’s great acting, accompanied with her depiction of the
caustic, vain queen, was phenomenal and beckoned nostalgia of the familiar movies
even in this new spin. Jacobs, although silent throughout most of the musical,
said much without saying a word at all. His personal animations of what he was
attempting to say kept the audience in stitches throughout. Siegal’s performance
of the “Mama’s Boy”-type prince was not only hilarious, but highlighted the
gradual, dynamic change he put into his character.
Despite minor flaws with the sound and other small inconveniences, the show was
outstanding. The set, consisting of a castle made out of movable parts, made
transition smooth and on-beat with the orchestra. The set was lit beautifully,
using an interesting type of transition not regularly seen in musicals or plays.
Instead of blacking out the stage and pulling the curtains, the lights were
dimmed with dark blue gels and the curtains remained open. The timing of each
event’s occurrence, even the ones backstage, was spot-on.
The musical, taking an unusual twist on a classic fairytale, was an overall great
performance on behalf of each cast member, creating a memorable show that is sure
to delight.
by Lindsay Bernhards of West Springfield High School
-------------------------------------------------In a far off kingdom lives a young prince, a mute king, and a domineering queen
trying to find her son a princess to wed. As the queen turns down girl after girl
who cannot pass her outrageous tests of royalty, no one in the land is allowed to
marry until he finds a bride. When Sir Harry discovers that his Lady Larken is
with child, he knows the only thing to do is to find the prince a love of his
own. But when he finds Princess Winifred, who swims the moat, twice, he may have
given the queen a bit more than she bargained for. A reimagining of The Princess
and the Pea, Once Upon a Mattress opened off-Broadway in 1959, with Carol Burnett
as Princess Winifred. Since then, it has been performed by hundreds of casts,
including a charming group this weekend at Paul VI Catholic High School.
A princess is a delicate thing, but not Princess Winifred, played by the
endearing and spirited Abigail Rozmajzl. Everyone who interacted with her, be
they ensemble or audience member, was left roaring with laughter, giddy with her
infectious excitement and dedication to such a high energy performance. From her
stunning introduction as she admits she’s always been (not quite so) shy, to
singing about her true desires to simply live happily, happily, happily ever
after, Rozmajzl enraptured everyone in the room. Topping it all off with a
powerful voice that belongs on a Broadway stage, she truly stole the show along
with Prince Dauntless’ heart.
Prince Dauntless himself, portrayed by Alex Siegal, went from a mopey little boy,
tired of his mother disapproving every girl he wishes to marry, to an hysterical
ball of energy and affection when he fell in love. At the opening of the show, he
lay across his throne dejectedly, but by the end of the first act he was dancing,
singing, and flipping across the stage. Queen Aggravain, (Kristen Washington) was
on the opposite end of the spectrum, deliciously scheming and haughty from start
to finish. From the curtain rising to the final number, it was almost difficult
to remember she was a high school student; she was so committed to every aspect
of her character, from her age to her voice.
The mute King Sextimus, (Brendan McAlevy) was hilarious in his charadelike
actions to express himself, particularly in “Man to Man Talk,” a song where he
teaches his son about the facts of life. Along with his right and left hand men,
the Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl), and the Minstrel (Taylor Kiechlin), he sang and
danced along with the cast with actions instead of words. Rozmajzl himself was
both a wonderful dancer and had a lovely voice, and although his lack of a
microphone made him a bit difficult to hear at times, he and Kiechlinl created
fantastic harmonies both vocally and with their comical interactions.
With creative hair and makeup design, each character was clearly defined, from
the audacious queen’s outlandish eyeshadow to the brash Sir Harry’s perfectly
coiffed brow. Brought together with a set effectively handled by the stage crew
in every transition and a variety of fun and well thought out lighting designs,
the tech elements were just as on point as the rest of the production.
The sheer amount of fun the cast at Paul VI Catholic High School was having
onstage translated to a tremendously entertaining show. Each member of the cast
was completely engaged from start to finish, and in the end, we too, were in love
with a girl named Fred, and everyone else involved.
by Abby Picard of Westfield High School
--------------------------------------------------
Lullaby’s, counting sheep, and a bed made of twenty Downy mattresses. Does this
sound like a lovely and wakeless slumber? Not for Fred in Paul VI Catholic High
School’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress.”
In this musical, originally starting as an off-Broadway show, is the story of
Prince Dauntless attempting to find a Princess to marry. Unfortunately for him,
his mother, Queen Aggravain, makes up nearly impossible tests for each Princess
to pass. Once Princess 12 is a failure, Lady Larken begins to worry. She married
Sir Harry without the Queen's awareness and is now pregnant. Sir Harry goes on a
journey to find a Princess before his wife gives birth to their son. After
finding a Princess and returning back to the Kingdom, he must deal with the
Queens hatred, but oddly enough, the Prince falls in love with this Princess. In
this classic tale of The Princess and the Pea, the Princess, or “Fred”, must
sleep on a bed of 20 Downy mattresses with one single pea placed beneath them.
Some very talented students brought this productions variety of lovable
characters to life. Memorable performances included the Wizard (Joey Arzeno),
who’s improvisation was refreshing and displayed great talent. King
Sextimus’(Brendan McAlevy) energy was wonderful and commanded attention even
though he could not speak. Winnifreds (Abigail Rozmajzl) voice and acting
consistently entertained as the audience. Along with the Jester (Jacob Rozmajzl).
Prince Dauntless (Alex Siegal), and Queen Aggravain (Kristen Washington) created
a very believable mother-son disconnect, while also displaying Price Dauntless’
wonderful voice.
Fred, the Jester, and Prince Dauntless brought a load of refreshing energy and
charisma to the show that kept the entire audience attentive and impressed.
Throughout the show, specifically the group scenes, Jacob Rozmajzl commanded
attention and stood out from the crowd. While, Abigail Rozmajzl and Alex Siegal
and their incredible voices that stood out among the rest, as well as their
energy that demanded focus every time they walked on stage.
The entire ensemble was engaged in every moment of the show, including during the
set changes. Throughout the performance, the strong vocals, energy, and pacing of
the entire cast was displayed. The ensemble also had great improvisation skills,
which came in handy a few times. Overall, the audience was well impressed by the
ensembles consistent character development.
The technical aspects of the show were just as appreciated as the acting itself.
The sets, while beautifully made and utilized, were also moved well during set
changes without any loud noises or even a dull moment on stage. Costumes and
makeup was greatly used to enhance and flatter each character while keeping true
to the setting of the show. Some unwise sound choices made it difficult to hear
what some character’s were saying. Aside from that, however, the sound was
rather consistent.
Throughout the entirety of the show, the characters displayed a deep
understanding of their intention, obstacle, and backstory. It was, overall, a
show fit for a Princess.
by McKenzie Larrison of Woodbridge Senior High School
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