The Aspen Community Theatre is riffing on a classic fairy tale with their production of “Once Upon a Mattress” this weekend.
The musical is a slapstick, farcical take on “The Princess and The Pea,” with madcap characters, slapstick charades and some double entendre. (No wonder the musical starred Carol Burnett on Broadway.)
Turns out the princess, Winnifred the Woebegone, isn’t as miserable as her name suggests — and isn’t quite as timid as she loudly proclaims number, either: Julia Whalen, who plays the princess, sings lines like “I’m shy!” with open arms and cheerful vibrato.
Lynette Kidd Schlepp, the director of the show, believes Winnifred’s zest for life is something to celebrate.
“She brings light to this whole kingdom, and there are people like that around us everywhere,” Schlepp said in an interview during rehearsals last week.
“Once Upon A Mattress” finishes a two-weekend run at the Wheeler Opera House with shows this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And it isn’t the only comedy on the local theater calendar this fall.
Last month, a group from the nonprofit VOICES performed a silly play of their own at The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW), and later this month, Theatre Aspen Education students will stage Monty Python’s “Spamalot.”
Schlepp thinks people might need a little humor right now.
“There are so many things going on in the world that I hope it gives them two hours to just sit back and have some fun and smile and laugh,” Schlepp said.
But the musical is about more than jokes, too.
“It’s your classic fairy tale, but you get to see characters going through real life problems,” said Allison Fifield, who plays Lady Larken in the show. Her character gets pregnant and tries to escape the kingdom before returning to her lover, Sir Harry; it’s one of several “happily ever afters” in the show.
“I think you choose your own story, and it's very important to go after what it is that you truly deserve,” Larken said. “And for so many characters in this, that is love.”
“According to Schlepp, “Once Upon a Mattress'' is a show suitable for all ages. She said the Aspen Community Theatre staged it with kids and families in mind.
