Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.  The Nederland Middle Senior High School Spring Musical is always a much-anticipated event for the entire community. This year, “Once Upon a Mattress” is a show that the whole family can enjoy. The curtain rises at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 12, 2018, and will be presented Friday, April 13 and April 14. A 1 p.m. matinee will take place on Saturday, April 14 at 1 p.m. The following weekend will have shows on Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21 at and 1:00 and 7:00 p.m.

“Mattress” is a hilarious tweaking of the fairy tale, “The Princess and the Pea,” which takes place long ago and far away in a country which is locked under the strong arm of the Queen Aggravain. Her husband, King Sextimus, can’t speak, made mute by a malicious curse.

Aggravain wants to keep her son Prince Dauntless single but she has declared that no one under her rule can get married until her son Dauntless gets married. She has not approved of any of the princesses who have applied for the position and sets up a series of tests to make sure no one meets the standards. Meanwhile, Lady Larkin and Sir Harry have learned that Larkin is pregnant, and he heads to the swamps and returns with Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, who passes the final sensitivity test, that of being unable to sleep because of the discomfort caused by a single pea under 20 mattresses. Finally, taking a stand, Dauntless rises up in defiance and tells the queen to “shut up” and breaks the spell on the king, who reclaims his kingdom.

It is a happily ever after show that is filled with song and dance and spiced with humorous dialogue. The costumes are spectacular; purple wizard, mossy friends, a brassy but humble princess and a jester and mimes who are the king’s henchmen.

The Queen, performed appropriately arrogantly, is played by Sasha Godsil. Ellie Brewer plays King Sextimus and steals the show every time she is on the stage.

A bunch of Ladies in elegant finery make up the chorus and knights add to the choreography. The Wizard is played by a bearded Jamie Lammers who has become a regular with the Nederland Theater Department; Sydney Mayhew plays Princess Winnifred as she naively but stubbornly bumbles her way into the competition for the attentions of Prince Dauntless. Townes Bakke, as Prince Dauntless, takes on the role of the clueless son who has been dominated by his mother.

Most of the cast have been regulars on the NMSHS stage and/or have been performing with the Loquations and Festival Choirs. The production includes 27 performers and 11 techies.

On Monday after school, the cast did their first costume run through of the entire show and directors Josh Lake, Liz Evans and Susan Blurton helped them fine tune their performances for Thursday’s opening night.

Tickets are $8.50, available at the door. Senior Citizens are free.