Production Dates: May 8, 9, 14, 15, and 16 at 7 p.m.

And on May 16 for a 1:30 p.m. matinee in the PAC

Tickets are available by contacting ZHS or online by clicking here: Buy Tickets Now!

What can be nicer than a fairy tale with a happy ending? Try one with great songs, laughs and a few stagecraft surprises along the way. That's what to expect with Once Upon a Mattress, the spring production of the Z Center Stage Theater Company of Zillah High School.

Shows will be performed on May 8, 9 14, 15, and 16  at 7 p.m., and on May 16 for a 1:30 p.m. matinee. Tickets can be purchased from a cast member, or by calling ZHS at 829-5565.  Online ordering, including credit card purchase, is available through our website at www.zillahschools.org/drama.

“Once Upon A Mattress,” by Mary Rodgers, Marshall Barer, Jay Thompson and Dean Fuller is an updated, musical version of the fairy tale, “The Princess and the Pea.” Most people will probably recognize the traditional premise—the prince wants to marry, but his mom wants to test his chosen princess to make sure she’s royalty, so she stacks up 20 mattresses and sticks a tiny pea in at the bottom. Miraculously, the princess feels the insignificant legume and doesn’t catch a wink of sleep. All live happily ever after.               

This new rendition, however, has plot twists galore.  The play is set in a small, presumably European kingdom in the year 1428. The aforementioned prince is Prince Dauntless, and Queen Aggravain is his mother. The kingdom is restless. The prince desperately wants to get married, but his mother will not let just any princess marry her son. The queen has rejected just about every eligible woman in the land when suddenly, from out of the castle moat crawls Princess Winnifred the Woebegone. The prince falls in love with her instantly. She’s friendly, loud, athletic, and honest… the embodiment of everything the queen hates. Everyone in the kingdom but the Queen seems to think Princess Winnifred is the perfect match for the prince. Upon Winnifred’s arrival, the Queen immediately begins plotting ways to keep the marriage from happening. It’s up to Winnifred, Dauntless, and a few others to thwart Aggravain’s mischief. 

"This is a very funny show that is full of great characters," said director Lynn Brant. "It is a good fit for our group...the kids have the chance to do everything from solos to a soft-shoe routine, as well as get into lots of hilarious characters and situations. There's everything from a very expressive mute king trying to explain the "birds and the bees" to his grown son...in pantomime, to people running at each other with mattresses," she said.

Speaking of mattresses, what about that 20 mattress high bed? That is the challenge for the talented set crew, led by director Jeff Charbonneau, as they recreate it, and a full castle worthy of the fairy tale setting full of princes and princesses needed for this madcap tale.

Seating is divided into standard and premium areas, and all tickets are numbered.  That means that once you purchase a ticket, your seat is guaranteed.  Tickets are sold on a first-come, first served basis, and there will be no refunds or exchanges on tickets.

Standard seating will be $5.00 and premium seating $7.50 for all audience members.  We invite you to attend our performances.  If you would like to attend as a group and sit together, please call Lynn Brant at Zillah High School by Wednesday, April 15 at 829-5565 or by email at brant_L@zsd.wednet.edu.

Z Center Stage performers are excited to perform our third musical in the recently remodeled Performing Arts Center.  We have comfortable seating, handicap accessible areas and listening devices for the hearing impaired.  There is no food allowed in the auditorium, but we do sell bottled water.
               
So, if you want an evening of laughs and a great musical comedy based off a classic fairy tale, come see Once Upon a Mattress!

Lynn Brant
Director Z Center Stage Theater Company
Zillah High School, 1602 2nd Avenue
Zillah, WA 98953