Overview
Synopsis
Our story begins in a faraway kingdom long ago. Due to an unhappy curse, King Sextimus is unable to speak. Meanwhile, his terror-of-a-wife, Queen Aggravain, has taken over control of the kingdom. Most importantly, in an attempt to keep Prince Dauntless single, she has decreed that only the princess that can pass her test may marry her son. Further, no one else in the kingdom may marry until Prince Dauntless does. Lady Larken and Sir Harry are extremely disturbed by this fact since Lady Larken is now pregnant with Sir Harry's baby.
Luckily, Sir Harry is able to find an amazing princess, Winnifred the Woebegone. She instantly catches the attention of Prince Dauntless, and in the end, is able to pass the Queen's supposedly impassable sensitivity test. When the Queen still tries to prevent the Prince Dauntless from marrying, he tells her to 'shut up' which ends up breaking the curse on the king. Now able to speak, King Sextimus regains his rightful position as leader of the kingdom, and all is well. Mary Rodger’s classic Once Upon A Mattress is a delightful musical that is sure to become a fan favorite in theatres everywhere!
Show Information
Context
Once Upon a Mattress premiered in 1959 at the off-Broadway Phoenix Theatre before transferring to Broadway later that year under the direction of George Abbott. With music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and a book by Barer, Dean Fuller, and Jay Thompson, the show was adapted from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. Its witty and irreverent humor marked it as one of the earliest fairy-tale spoof musicals, an approach that prefigured later works such as
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Act One
Our story begins in a faraway medieval kingdom, very long ago. The kingdom is ruled by Queen Aggravain and her mute husband, King Sextimus the Silent. Sextimus was struck dumb by a witch’s curse when his son was a baby. The curse states that Sextimus will remain silent until “the mouse devours the hawk.”
The court’s Minstrel sings the classic tale of The Princess and the Pea, although he informs the audience that this version is not the truth-- which he ought to know, since he
to read the plot for Once Upon a Mattress and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Alto |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Silent |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Baritone |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Alto |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Silent |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
|
Songs
Act I
Act II
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
An Italian theatrical form featuring masked stock characters, improvisation, and physical comedy, influential in modern comedy and clowning.
A genre of story involving magical and fantastical elements, sometimes adapted for theatrical performance.
Farce is a comedic style that emphasizes exaggerated situations, improbable coincidences, mistaken identities, and rapid pacing. It often includes physical humor such as slamming doors, frantic chases, or characters hiding in plain sight. Farce is designed to generate nonstop laughter, often prioritizing chaos and absurdity over realistic storytelling.
The imaginary wall separating the audience from the actors onstage, often 'broken' for direct address. This term plays a vital role in understanding theatrical structure and is commonly encountered in stagecraft or performance settings.
A period of artistic flourishing, often referring to 1940s-60s Broadway or English Renaissance theatre. This term plays a vital role in understanding theatrical structure and is commonly encountered in stagecraft or performance settings.
The “Golden Age Musical” refers to Broadway shows written roughly between the 1940s and 1960s, a period known for integrating songs, story, and character development. These musicals often balanced romance, comedy, and social themes with memorable melodies and large ensembles. Classics from this era continue to shape the foundation of modern musical theatre.
Parody is a comedic imitation of a style, genre, or work that exaggerates its features for humorous or satirical effect. In theatre, it playfully mocks conventions, characters, or cultural icons while still relying on audience recognition of the original. Parody can both celebrate and critique its subject, often blurring the line between homage and ridicule.
Rapid and rhythmic speech or singing, often used in comic opera roles or musical theatre for humorous effect.
Satire is a dramatic style that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to criticize human behavior, social institutions, or political systems. In theatre, it highlights flaws and hypocrisies through wit and parody, encouraging audiences to laugh while also reflecting on serious issues. Satire can range from lighthearted comedy to biting social commentary, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Slapstick is a type of physical comedy that relies on exaggerated actions, pratfalls, and humorous accidents to provoke laughter. It often includes broad movements, funny sound effects, and comic violence, such as someone slipping on a banana peel or being hit with a harmless object. The style originated in commedia dell’arte and became popular in vaudeville, silent film, and stage comedy.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Themes
True Love vs. Appearances – The musical
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