The Scotch Plains Fanwood Repertory Theatre wowed the audience once again with their comical and impressive production of “Once Upon a Mattress”. The spring musical told the story of Princess and the Pea, but with a dramatic and comedic spin that surely captivated anyone who came to see it.

Narrated by the minstrel (Samantha Sprechman), the show presents the dilemma of Prince Dauntless (Billy Kasper) looking for a princess to marry. Unfortunately, the prince has to abide by the the Queen’s (Kaitlyn Lamendola) overbearing and dramatic mother’s rules. The whole kingdom is waiting on this marriage, because they are only allowed to get married after the prince does.
 
All hope seems lost until Princess Winnifred (Sara Miller) comes in with a splash, after swimming in the castle’s moat, immediately stealing the heart of Prince Dauntless and the whole kingdom. Unfortunately, the queen wasn’t so smitten. As an unfair test to her merit and “sensitivity”, she puts a pea under the 20 mattresses Princess Winifred will be sleeping on in the castle, and if she feels it, it will determine whether or not she is a true princess, worthy of Prince Dauntless’s hand.

The production never failed to end with a standing ovation from the crowd. All aspects of the show, from lighting to props to music, were phenomenal. Students in rep have been working day and night, sacrificing hours towards this production.
 
“Repertory theatre is a big commitment and a lot of work,” Grace Ahlin, a junior who has been in rep for three years now and payed Sir Luce’s Lady, said. “But it’s also a lot of fun!”
 
An aspect that was especially outstanding this year was the casting. All the students played their role perfectly, diving into the character and bringing out just the right emotion, and most commonly, a good laugh out of the audience.

Many of the students in repertory theatre, along with the parents and teachers, worked hours during rehearsals and outside of school, building the set, working on lighting, and practicing over and over again. The pit also worked tirelessly for a flawless performance during the show.
 
After all the late nights and hard work from the actors, actresses, stage crew, pit and everyone else who took part in rep, the production came to a close. It was once again a success from the SPFHS Repertory Theatre, with more great musicals expected in the years to come!