Snohomish High Drama Club Reimagines ‘Once Upon A Mattress’ in the ’60s
Jim Scolman’s photo
Luke McClellan as Jester, Shyla Weeks as King Sextimus, and Levi Beck as Minstrel during a dress rehearsal on Wednesday, May 4, of Snohomish High’s “Once Upon A Mattress.”
Jim Scolman’s photo
Luke McClellan as Jester, Shyla Weeks as King Sextimus, and Levi Beck as Minstrel during a dress rehearsal on Wednesday, May 4, of Snohomish High’s “Once Upon A Mattress.”
SNOHOMISH — Snohomish High’s drama club takes a Broadway classic back in time to the beat of a different drum for its rendition of “Once Upon A Mattress,” which still has two weekends of performances.
The royal court of the Middle Ages is reworked around the 1960s for this musical.
The students decided to use the 1960s as the backdrop for their show as the vast changes of the decade offer a parallel.
Senior costume designer Tucker Ferguson, a college freshman, dresses each character in bold dresses, beige pants, and more: there are 10 costume changes across the 17 scenes.
The era is “a bit more relevant to us in the sense that it’s not ancient,” said sophomore Molly Dumont, dressed in a brown plaid sports jacket like one of the knights .
In “Once Upon a Mattress”, the royal court experiences a revolution underpinned by good and evil.
The show has two separate casts for performances.
Shyla Weeks and Lila Vice star as King Sextimus, whose voice was first taken by a curse. Weeks must mime with pronounced movements to communicate what is happening.
This curse on the king came from the queen, played by Kylie Anderson and Christina Draper.
The Queen protects her sweet son, Prince Dauntless (a role shared by Jackson Zimmerman and Logan Ferguson), and she has demanded that no one can marry until he marries a real princess.
Two others in the kingdom, Lady Larken and her beau Sir Harry (role shared by Luke McClellan and Dylan Baker), are blocked by the decree, and aim to remedy it. Kenzi Moore and Makenzie Stinson share the role of Lady Larken. Moore said Larken could be “very cocky”.
Playing Queen Aggravain is a challenge to “communicate evil while being kind,” Anderson said.
His advisers include an evil trio, once of whom is Nightingale, depicted as a bird puppet (role shared by Ella Byerly and Rachael Hassler).
Princess Winnifred, revolutionary princess, shakes up the court (role shared by Byerly and Sami Burton.)
The student-run theater troupe recruits freshmen, with new faces such as Weeks making their debut.
The cast is tight-knit and has tightened up in running the show after theater adviser Scott Randall quit for personal reasons in March. The acting theater adviser is Cami Cole.
Shows have the full Snohomish High Orchestra providing music.
The remaining sessions are May 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 7 p.m. and May 14 and 21 at 1 p.m. Tickets at the door are $15 for adults or $10 for students. The room is in the Snohomish High PAC, 1315 5th St.
Monroe High Theater Goes Crazy “Addams Family”
Monroe High Theater’s spring production is a wacky stage adaptation of “The Addams Family.” In it, the goofy family meets their daughter’s new boyfriend. Expect the unexpected in this room. The remaining sessions are Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 14 at 2 p.m. Tickets at the door are $15 for adults or $10 for students. Performances are held inside the Monroe High Performing Arts Center, 17001 Tester Road.
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