As the new year rolls in, students are hard at work preparing for this year’s annual VRHS musical: Once Upon a Mattress. Every day after school, you can find actors blocking scenes in the auditorium, set crew perfecting every brick on the castle walls, and costumes tirelessly sewing dresses and creating authentic medieval outfits. Although January can be incredibly hectic and stressful for the cast, crew, and directors, it’s when every piece of the puzzle comes together and the production flourishes into its final result.
Based on the classic fairytale of The Princess and the Pea, Once Upon a Mattress tells the story of a medieval kingdom amid a crisis because nobody can get married until the prince, Dauntless, weds. After countless failed attempts to find a princess worthy of marriage due to the queen’s challenging qualifying tests, people are giving up. Hope is restored when Princess Winnifred arrives in the kingdom and falls in love with Dauntless, but she will first have to pass the queen’s most calculated test yet.
“Every day after school since October, we’ve worked on building everything on stage,” Set Head Rebecca Chang said. “One of the most difficult parts has been coordinating with the actors and making sure to always be on the same page as them whether it has to do with the set or simply running the show.”
The set, props, and paint crew have spent every rehearsal building the kingdom from the ground up. While actors are rehearsing on stage, you can always find someone hanging up banners, painting the walls, or screwing up the castle. To go along with the story, the musical has many hand-made, showstopping props and structures including a 20-mattress bed, bird cage, and two large towers overlooking the audience. Even the smallest details take part in fully immersing the audience in the show.
“My favorite part of the process is learning the dances,” Dance Captain Karter Wilde said. “It is always exciting to see what our choreographer comes up with and how well it combines with the music and the story.”
Choreography is an essential part of any musical and takes the most time to perfect. From teaching each dance during October and November to cleaning every detail on stage, the musical’s student choreographer, senior Sophia Velasquez, has been dedicated to making each number the best it can be. Whether it’s a classic ballroom dance or a kick line, the cast brings energy to each song, welcoming the audience into their kingdom.
“The costumes department has been hard at work finding time-accurate pieces and creating accessories for the actors,” assistant costumes head Jillian Reed said. “We always have to consider how well colors and fabrics will match with each person and how everyone will look together on stage.”
Ladies in waiting are dressed in ballgowns and lace headpieces, and knights have silver armors with crests. Every piece of clothing, accessory and even color scheme encapsulates each character’s identity. The princess’ swamp green dress shows her bold personality and origin in the marshlands while the queen’s elegant deep red gown complements her high status and royalty. The costumes are sure to make the audience feel the ambiance of 15th-century Europe.
“Although it can be stressful and time-consuming, being a part of the musical is an amazing and very rewarding experience!” Reed said.
See Once Upon a Mattress at the VRHS auditorium from January 29th to February 1st! Buy tickets at vrhs.booktix.com
