This summer's musical: "Once Upon a Mattress"

As you can tell by the lack of written blogging, the community theater musical this year has been much more involved for me.

In other words…

I’M HAVING SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a wonderful time in the musicals the last two years, but this one is even more fun than those were.  The chorus numbers are very involved and humorous.  The teen chorus is with the adult chorus this year so I’ve gotten to know more of the teens than I usually do.  That’s one of the things I love about community theater – you just end up talking to whomever you’re next to, or working with, onstage (or backstage).  You get to know all sorts of people. 

I’ll back up.  We’re doing Once Upon a Mattress this year.  It’s a musical based on The Princess and the Pea, only this is a princess with more attitude.

Who swims.

The music was written by Mary Rogers, daughter of Richard Rogers who wrote the music for The Sound of Music, The King and I, etc.

Since most of the members of the chorus play lords, ladies, knights, and musicians, the costumes are particularly beautiful.  Some of the chorus members are scullery maids, but they have a lot of fun things to do.   I’ve been helping with the costumes this year, although, one morning last week, younger son and I went and helped paint sets.

I’ve never painted before, but, if you volunteer, they’ll find something at your skill level to do.  That’s one of the (many, many, many) things I love about this group!  I painted the fronts of some of the steps, and younger son and I painted the ladder to the bed.  I occasionally look at the front of the steps:  “I painted that!” – and now I know how to use a paint roller.

Younger son has painted sets and helped with props.  He sprained his foot a few weeks ago so he’s had that foot in a “rigid shoe” to keep it from bending or putting stress on the sprained area while it heals.  He’s sick of it so we now call it the “wretched shoe.”  He’s had to come to lots of the rehearsals because dear husband has been traveling a lot, and I don’t feel comfortable with younger son being home alone after dark.  This week, he said he’s caught the fever – he now loves coming to rehearsals and helping with theater work. 

Oh, and I haven’t had a chance to mention – I’m dancing in this one!!!!!

There was a try out for six women dancers for one brief scene.  I knew it was a long shot because there are a lot of good, younger dancers in the chorus.  I tried anyway – at least I could dance during the try out – and you never know what happens.

What happened, was that 5 teen/20’s dancers and I tried out.  I was in!!!!!

I’ve been bouncing around the house for weeks:  “I’m dancing!  I’m dancing!”

After me, the next oldest dancer in the formal scene is at least 10 years younger than I am (probably more). 

Also, in this musical, there’s a really good dance scene for the chorus in general, too. 

There are rehearsal pictures posted on the group’s Facebook page, and they’re open to the public so you don’t have to be a Facebook member to see them.  Here are some of them:

• The princess and the prince (I'm in the green tank top in the chorus)  
• The princess introducing herself (Older son is second from the left with a surprised look)
• Learning the dance (The dance teacher is in white, daughter and I are both in green (how did we do that?), and older son is in sage green behind us)

We've got a wonderful cast.  Click here for a video of Sir Harry and Lady Larkin singing the first part of their love song.  I wish they'd recorded more - they harmonize in the second part and it's beautiful!

If you're in Central NC, and you'd like to see it, here's the information:

Performances will be at the Orange High School auditorium in Hillsborough, NC:

July 28 - 8:00 p.m.
July 29 - 8:00 p.m.
July 30 - 8:00 p.m.
July 31 - 2:00 p.m.

For more information on tickets, see their website.

 

Comments

[GreenJello]

Alaina's school did Mattress this past March. She was Fred. :)

[Summer]

We (Pip and I) are very much looking forward to the Friday night show. He has been dancing around happily about getting to go to the theatre.

[M Light]

GreenJello: That's such a fun part!

Summer: Great! If the two of you have the energy to hang around after in the lobby, we'd love to see you! - but I know it's late.