The cast for “Once Upon a Mattress” got to experience the show before they knew they’d be in it.
Right after Christmas, they attended a master class at the Prospect Theater in New York City, which was hosting a Broadway revival of the musical.
The kids got to perform one of the numbers on stage, with Tim Dolan (the company’s dance captain) giving them directions. A “captain,” we learned, is a cast member who is also responsible for the dancers around him.
Laurie Perrone of Riverside Theatre Arts arranged the class and got to see Mr. Dolan in action. She liked the way he worked with the kids, and she thought the script fit their talents.
So she decided to produce “Once Upon a Mattress” at the middle school, and she hired Tim Dolan as her director. The kids auditioned in June, got their parts, and started learning their scripts at home. By the first day of rehearsal (July 18), they knew their lines and all their songs.
For Tim Dolan, a long-time resident of Queens, the daily visit to Cornwall was like a breath of fresh air. “You actually have trees,” he said in admiration.
As for working with young performers, he said the kids are sometimes so focused that you can’t tell that they’re having fun. They’ll tell him that a number was awesome, but you can’t see the enjoyment in their faces. He encourages them to let it show.
“Once Upon a Mattress” is a musical spoof of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, “The Princess and the Pea.” The show debuted Off Broadway in 1959 with, a then unknown, Carol Burnett in the lead role.
The Cornwall production will be staged in the middle school at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 29. People can get tickets in advance by calling 534-4314.
A portion of the proceeds will go the Lee Road PTO, who will use the money for next year’s drama production. The cast includes students from all five Cornwall schools. The youngest member is seven.
CAST: Alexandra Amatulli, Quinn Andrews, Leah Boucher, Ceci Diaz, Rose Bywater, Maggie Diaz, Erin Farmer, Matthew Graves, Greta Grossman, Kayla Hughes, Charlotte Koziak, Harrison Kulic, Penny Kulic, Carson McLendon, Taylor Moreno, Alex Neighbors, Mia Pagano, Alex Raposo, Stekka Reyes, Lucas Russo, Taylan Salisbury, Zach Stach, Arianna Stayton, Alex Thurtle
