|
Once Upon a Mattress by Peter Pan Junior Theatre 
No doubt you've heard the Hans Christian Andersen tale of The Princess and the Pea. The queen of a small kingdom won't let her son marry until the prospective bride demonstrates the delicate sensitivity found only in a true princess. As a test, the queen has a tiny pea placed beneath twenty thick downy mattresses. If the princess-to-be finds the presence of the pea too painful to sleep on, she may marry the prince. If she snores right through it, she's out!
As it turns out, Andersen was only providing us with the Readers Digest version of the story. He left out several intriguing details. For instance, did you know that the entire kingdom was brought to a screeching halt on marriages until the queen found a suitable princess for her son? Or that the queen had already flunked twelve previous maidens through the use of different, but equally outrageous, tests? Or why the king was so silent while his wife wickedly deprived his son of a bride year after year? Or that the princess who passed the pea test was actually brought from the faraway swamplands in a last-ditch, desperate attempt to find the thirteenth contestant? Or that this super-sensitive swamp princess was in fact coarser and stronger than the prince as well as pretty much everyone else in the little kingdom? It's all true. We get the story from an actual eyewitness, a wandering minstrel (Katy Oyarzun) who was passing through the kingdom just as the twelfth contestant (Kayla Lauzier) was struggling with some of the ridiculously hard history questions posed by the queen. During her stay there, the minstrel gets to see all the hilarious events take place culminating with that restless night above the pea. Terrific characters, great songs, and a fun plot make this one of the most entertaining musicals ever. And the group at Peter Pan Junior Theatre pay handsome tribute to it.  Peter Pan Junior Theatre veteran Karisa Archer is regally aggravating, but in a highly amusing way, as Queen Aggravain. Her voice inflections, intoned with superiority, selfishness, and feigned concern for others, are perfect for the character. Karisa teams nicely with her Wizard accomplice (Jonathan Emerson) in Sensitivity where she covertly devises her pea test.
But the Wizard is one of the Queen's few friends. Her selfish nature has made many people in her kingdom unhappy including her mute husband, King Rextimus (Jeremy Holliman), who uses expressions and body language to say a lot without saying a word. Lady Larken (Blair Hollingsworth) is also a little frustrated with the monarch, as she desperately wants to marry Sir Harry (Dirk Stenger) and begin making a family. Blair has a sweet, soft singing voice well suited to her demure character and is at her best acting-wise when she mistakes the princess-to-be for a scullery maid. Dirk's Sir Harry is appropriately confident/cocky. Other good performances include Prince Dauntless the Drab (Spencer Beck) as the young prince who is completely wowed by the swamp princess, the court Jester (Jackee Bianchi) whose winning smile and dancing feet make the big dance number a success (assisted by dancers Kate Herrod and Andrea Thiltgen), and Erynne Grecco who turns in a small but hilarious appearance as the squawking/singing Nightingale of Samarkand.  And what about this mysterious princess of the swamps? Mia Wilson gives a phenomenal, charismatic performance as the Princess Fred (her nickname for "Winnifred"). With tremendous stage presence, strong and beautiful singing, a natural knack for comedy, and the ideal role to make use of all those elements, Mia earned an enthusiastic ovation every time she finished a number. These numbers include her flamboyant Shy in which she claims to be far shier than she obviously is, the more subdued but equally funny Swamps of Home where she describes the sights and sounds (gluga-luga-lug) of her home in the swamplands, and her impressive Happily Ever After solo routine. And then of course there is the big, rousing finale to the first act that has Mia showing off her strength, dancing, singing, and drinking abilities whilst Prince Dauntless and the entire cast (well, except for Queen Aggravain) sing Fred's praises in one of the strangest love songs in all of musical theatre featuring the line "I'm in love with a girl named Fred." It's safe to say the audience agreed with them!
Peter Pan Junior Theatre has been staging performances for nearly thirty years now. The cast consists of kids from fourth to eighth grade in the La Mesa/Spring Valley School District, with much of the backstage work being done by their parents and other volunteers from the District. They have been performing in San Diego State's Don Powell Theatre for the past fourteen years, giving them a classy forum in which to perform. Director Mark Arapostathis (Mr. A), who grew up in PPJT, teaches Second Grade at Glenn E. Murdock Elementary School, and has directed these high-quality productions for the past nine years. Through extensive fund raising and volunteer efforts, the theatre company puts together lavish sets and costumes and boasts a live orchestra, giving the young actors (many of which have little to no prior theatre experience) an opportunity to perform in a polished, professional environment. The actors go through a rigorous three-month rehearsal schedule consisting of two hours on weekdays and four hours on Saturday (not to mention Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve!), and includes a background education on theatre and the play they are about to do. And all the work they put into it definitely shows on stage! Rob Hopper San Diego Playbill ~ Cast ~
~ Royal Court ~ Queen Aggravain: Karisa Archer King Rextimus: Jeremy Holliman Minstrel: Katy Oyarzun Jester: Jackie Bianchi Wizard: Jonathan Emerson Sir Harry: Dirk Stenger Lady Larken: Blair Hollingsworth Prince Dauntless: Spencer Beck Princess Winnifred: Mia Wilson Princess Vanna (No. 12): Kayla Lauzier Chuckles (Jester's Apprentice): Kate Herrod Giggles (Jester's Other Apprentice): Andrea Thiltgen Igore (Wizard's Apprentice): Cameron Wilson ~ Ladies In Waiting ~ Lady Lucille: Alissa Bordeaux Lady Rowena: Megan Wheeler Lady Godiva: Allison Winet Lady Merrill: Aubryn Stevens Lady Harriet: Jessica Roach Lady Guinevere: Shawnda Numan Lady Mle: Kara Markland Lady Irene: Katie Francis Lady Elaine: Corinna Francis Lady Endoora: Jordan Orosz Lady Bernadette: Erynne Grecco Lady Luck: Maddy Havern Lady Roxanne: Lacey Hurst Lady Pandora: Megan Teachworth Lady Penelope: Breanna McMillan ~ Knights and Dukes ~ Sir George: Van McGue Sir Jon: Peter Vertefeuille Sir Gallahad: Steven Atkinson Sir Lancelot: Barrett Tilley Sir Arthur: Anthony Acero Sir Robin: Neil Weiss Sir Richard: Austen Suhay Sir Boss: Brice Suhay Duke Ellington: Quincy Herron Duke of Earl: Jared Dyson Duke of Snyder: Scott Doherty ~ Servants and Staff ~ Friar Tuck: Kyle Archer Chamber Maids: Hazel: Corinne Wright Grace: Ali Paradise Brunnhilde: Emily Drummer Rosie: Jessi Jacobs Lady Nemesis (Queen Aggravain's Apprentice): Kirsten Turkle Nightingale of Samarkand: Erynne Grecco ~ Court Musicians ~ Johann: Jennifer Fuller Sebastian: Tikva Cohen Ludwig: Brittany Fuller Wolfgang: Kaitlyn McMillan ~ Palace Guards ~ Sir Vive: Megan McKee Sir Render: Alaina Spruell Sir Round: Lauren Dyson Sir Upp: Toni Dondero Sir Viss: April Ramirez Sir Plus: Aubree Numan ~ Maidens ~ Maid Marian: Valerie Wright Maid Gwendolyn: Hilary Batchman Maid Minerva: Hannah Ryan Maid Jablink: Julie Brown Maid Amess: Stephanie Grecco Maid Michelle: Kiersten Fuller Maid Jalook: Erica Schlesinger Maid Matilda: Bonnie Alexander Maid Melody: Katelynn Collins Maid Margaret: Stacey Leavitt Maid Melannie: Averie Aguon Maid Jalaugh: Camille Jacobson-Ingram Maid Monica: Alison Dunlevy Director: Mark Arapostathis Artistic Director: Bob Kuhne Choreographer: Monica Thurman Orchestra Director: Joe Dyke |