Sandy Creek presents “Once Upon A Mattress”

Sandy Creek High School’s Choral Department presents the stage musical “Once Upon a Mattress” Feb. 28, and March 1, at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone. Show time is 7 p.m. on Friday. Two shows will be presented on Saturday, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for children and $10 for students and adults. Discounted tickets for students and adults may be purchased through Fri., Feb. 28, at SCHS for $7.

“Once Upon a Mattress” is a comedic re-telling of the classic fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea.” In the tale, the controlling Queen Aggravain has forbidden anyone from marrying until her son, Prince Dauntless, marries. However, she ruins her son’s chances of marriage by meddling in every courtship he attempts. When Sir Harry and Lady Larken urgently need to marry, Sir Harry introduces Princess Winnifred the Woebegone to Prince Dauntless, who is immediately smitten. Queen Aggravain, on the other hand, is aghast at her son’s choice. She once again attempts to foil her son’s plans to marry, but Princess Winnifred is not leaving without a fight. “Once Upon a Mattress” opened on Broadway in 1959, with Carol Burnett starring as Princess Winnifred, and was nominated for Best Musical at the 1960 Tony Awards.

Sandy Creek’s presentation features Courtney Justice as Princess Winnifred, Jackson Mulhall as Prince Dauntless, Angela Johnson as Queen Aggravain, Jamarcus Mathis as King Sextimus, Katelyn Dallman as Lady Larken, and Jerrell Melton as Sir Harry. Members of the band and orchestra will perform the music live. The production is directed by drama teacher Kathy Andersen and choreographed by Olive Ashley, with chorus director Craig Robertson directing the music. The choral department invites the community to enjoy an evening of musical theater presented by the students of Sandy Creek High School.