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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2016)
JULY 7, 2016 // 11 Actors dance during rehearsal for “Once Upon a Mattress” at Fort Columbia Theater. The cast dances of “Once Upon a Mattress” performs a dance number in the comedy musical. mouse consumes a hawk.” The roy- a royal-lady nine-month way. But al couple’s rather spineless though no wedding is permitted until the handsome and princely son is prince is wed. Prince Dauntless the Drab, played Enter Winnifred the Woebegone, by Ron Thompson. The prince and played by Brooke Brown, a swamp his knightly sidekick, Sir Harry, princess and royal bride interview- played by Billy Phillips, search for ee No. 13. After swimming across suitable royal marriage material for the castle’s moat twice, a feat never the prince. before accomplished, she swims And that, folks, is no easy task. herself into the heart of Dauntless. The queen has decreed that Now it’s game on. To wed, none of her subjects “Fred” must rise may marry until to the nasty Queen IF YOU RUN her son has taken Aggravain’s INTO ANYBODY seemingly undoable a bride. If you run WITH LONGINGS challenges. into anybody with longings to marry Ladies in wait- TO MARRY A a prince, heed this PRINCE, HEED ing, jesters, knights piece of advice: Get minstrels sing, THIS PIECE OF and to know his mother dance and thread ADVICE: GET irst. Each princess- their way through- TO KNOW HIS out the kingdom. bride-wanna-be MOTHER FIRST. The suspense must pass a series of the queen’s tests, builds, all of it set which are trumped-up teasers such to catchy music and lyrics. as, “What was the middle name Making it all come to life, Glenn of the daughter-in-law of the best Ripley runs the lights and sounds friend of the blacksmith who forged while Becca Bageant operates a the sword that killed the beast?” simple-looking-but-complex music These challenges aren’t looking computer system, which matches good for any girl’s chances — or the fully orchestrated music to the for Dauntless. actors’ live voices. Grants and gifts The prince’s pal, Harry, has his by donors have provided a superb own fast-track agenda to ind the sound system. Costume designers, set prince a mate. One of the royal designers, stage managers and more ladies, Lady Larkin, played by — it is evident that the PAPA troupe Kristen Gadzik, is Harry’s sweet- love what they do each summer. heart, and she has found herself in The play’s original musical Princess Winnifred, performed by Brooke Brown, center, sings with others in “Once Upon a Mattress.” score is by Mary Rodgers — the daughter of Richard Rodgers of Rodgers and Hammerstein fame. The lyrics, which cleverly run the gamut from side-splitting comedy to romantic swooners, are by Mar- shall Barer. The play irst appeared off Broadway 1959, moving to Broad- way the same year. Theater buffs and trivia gatherers may remember it as the debut of a long and illus- trious career for Carol Burnett. To use stage terminology, “This play has legs.” With several revivals and television adaptations, it remains a popular choice for playhouse and school productions. PAPA’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress” adds to the sum- mer’s offerings for theater lovers of all ages — there’s magic in the air. Brooke Brown, left, performs as Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, a prin- cess who can hold her own against the scheming Queen Aggravain. Cast members, including Cindy Flood, right, who plays Queen Aggravain, take a break during rehearsal at Fort Columbia Theater in Chinook, Wash- ington.
