-- — The musical “Once Upon a Mattress,” presented by the Batesville High School Drama Club and BHS Music Department, is slated for Friday-Saturday,  April 13-14, at 7 p.m. in the BHS auditorium.   

“This famous musical comedy is produced in cooperation with Rodgers and  Hammerstein,” reports Batesville Middle School language arts teacher Lisa Barnett, who is directing the show with BHS art teacher Mary K Cambron.    

“‘Once Upon a Mattress’ is a unique version of the classic princess and the pea tale,” Barnett explains.   “However, in this version, the story is not quite what the audience expects.  Prince Dauntless the Drab has been searching for a wife.  No one in the kingdom can get married until he ties the knot. Dauntless, who is being portrayed by Brady Cavinee, falls in love instantly with Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, played by Emily Rozman. 

“Winnifred, better known as Fred, swam the moat to arrive at the kingdom, and she appears to be anything but a princess.  Dauntless’ mother, Queen Aggravain, played by  Megan Volk, does everything in her power to keep her son from getting married.  She and the kingdom’s Wizard, portrayed by Graham Hawley, decide to test the princess by hiding a pea under 20 mattresses.  They don’t know that the King, Andy Nolan, a Jester, Lindsay Ward, and the Minstrel, Christian Werner, are going to do everything in their power to help Winnifred and Dauntless unite.

Forty-seven BHS students will appear onstage.  Other leads include Emily Bryan as Lady Larken and Cody Cole as Sir Harry. 

Members of the female chorus, with BHS and BMS choral music teacher Carla Thomas as the vocal director, are Heather Phillips, Sarah Call, Layne Kirchoff, Clare Parker, Terra Claybrook, Kia Anderson, Sam Brandt, Kate Brunner, Kaitlin Christie, Kaitlin Cole, Anna Crume, Brooke Hartman, Alex Heidlage, Sarah Hoseus, Jenna Huber, Karen Lane, Emily Meer, Jessica Meer, Lisa Miller, Mikaela Mustaine, Staci Records, Elizabeth Roell, Katy Shell, Morgan Wagner and Audrey Wilson.

The male chorus consists of  Caleb Abshear, Leo Giesey, Ian Prickel, Crosby Bingaman, Colin Brown, Spencer Deak, Grant Greene, Tyler Leising, Nathan Longstreth, Kegan Main, Brian Streit, Nick Wanamaker and Austin Wilhelm.

Five additional students helping in the light and sound booth: Justin Sauerwein, Austin Peters-Roberts, Melissa Tanner, Andrew Turpen and Cory Laker.

Members of the pit orchestra, led by BHS and BMS band teacher Eric Stauffer, are Emily Doll, Gabi Spurlock, Jessie Mittleman, Rachel Laker, Brandon Bebe and Ben Barr.  Three adults will  join these students: Mary Scherzinger, David Hartkoph and Carla Thomas.

Numerous students, including Sarah Beetz, Brittney Gunter, Jill Crane, Claire Crane, Kaitlin Christie, Sarah Call and Hannah Rogers, have been involved in set construction under the supervision of Cambron and parent volunteer Darin Hawley.

Tickets at $7 for adults and $5 for students can be purchased at the door or in advance at the BHS  office.