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'Once Upon a Mattress' on GHS stage this weekend

| 14 Mar 2013 | 01:23
    Senior cast members: front row (from left): Makaela Farley, Morganne Battle, Leeanne Dross, Sarah Burns, Rosalie Felice, Ashley Wade and Rachel Morano; second row: Jonathan Laskoski, Robert Corr and Tasheim Jordan; third row: John Cavaliere, Emma Zahren-Newman, Heather Koennecke, Marielle Frederick, Hannah Kaplan and Jenna Freeman; fourth row: Mackenzie Sproul, Morgan Heinrich, Nick Sullivan, Malik Moses-Westphal, Rob Scheuering, Bailey Goumas, Tucker Brownell and Kat Scheuering. Missing from photo: Ray Garcia.
    Senior cast members: front row (from left): Makaela Farley, Morganne Battle, Leeanne Dross, Sarah Burns, Rosalie Felice, Ashley Wade and Rachel Morano; second row: Jonathan Laskoski, Robert Corr and Tasheim Jordan; third row: John Cavaliere, Emma Zahren-Newman, Heather Koennecke, Marielle Frederick, Hannah Kaplan and Jenna Freeman; fourth row: Mackenzie Sproul, Morgan Heinrich, Nick Sullivan, Malik Moses-Westphal, Rob Scheuering, Bailey Goumas, Tucker Brownell and Kat Scheuering. Missing from photo: Ray Garcia.
    From left: Nick Sullivan (Prince Dauntless), Emma Zahren-Newman (Queen Aggravain), and Rob Scheuering (King Sextimus) are pondering the search for a suitable princess to marry Prince Dauntless in rehearsals for "Once Upon a Mattress."
    From left: Nick Sullivan (Prince Dauntless), Emma Zahren-Newman (Queen Aggravain), and Rob Scheuering (King Sextimus) are pondering the search for a suitable princess to marry Prince Dauntless in rehearsals for "Once Upon a Mattress."
    Senior members of the stage crew: front row (from left): Lindsay Rysinger, Karlie Senak, Rebecca Guerrera, Katie Garnett, Alyssa Frenette, Kelsey Lippert and Monica Polii. Second row: Dalton Pawliczak, Steven Dest, Kayla Wells, Taylor Ouellette, Sarah Knoell, John Navilio and David Ciliberto. Third row: Liam McGuire, Kevin Cosgrove, Colby Mohr, Will Smith, and Kevin Rudy.
    Senior members of the stage crew: front row (from left): Lindsay Rysinger, Karlie Senak, Rebecca Guerrera, Katie Garnett, Alyssa Frenette, Kelsey Lippert and Monica Polii. Second row: Dalton Pawliczak, Steven Dest, Kayla Wells, Taylor Ouellette, Sarah Knoell, John Navilio and David Ciliberto. Third row: Liam McGuire, Kevin Cosgrove, Colby Mohr, Will Smith, and Kevin Rudy.

GOSHEN — Goshen High School’s Performing Arts Department presents “Once Upon A Mattress” through special arrangements with The Rodgers and Hammerstein Theatre Library of New York, N.Y.

The curtain goes up this Friday, March 15, at Goshen High School on Scotchtown Avenue. Additional performances will be on Saturday, March 16th at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday March 17 at 1:30 p.m.

“Once Upon A Mattress” is the delightful story of an overbearing Queen Mother willing to do anything to find fault with the string of beautiful princesses trying to become the bride of her son, Prince Dauntless. Even if you don’t remember the Broadway version starring Carol Burnett, most people know the story of the Princess and the Pea, the rough premise for this story line. The Queen (Emma Zahren-Newman) plots with the Wizard (Tucker Brownell) to “test for sensitivity” by placing a pea at the bottom of a mountain of mattresses. If Princess Winifred (Heather Koennecke) passes this test, Queen Aggravain will have no choice but to allow Winifred to marry Prince Darling (Nick Sullivan).

More than 100 kids are involved on-stage and backstage. Very few activities can claim participation of at least 10 percent of the student body at one time. Then factor in that most of these students spend approximately 191 hours in rehearsals from January through three March performances — all while maintaining good grades, participating in other school activities, and holding down part-time jobs.

Why? Ask anyone of the 100-plus students involved and you might get 100-plus answers. Yet they all seem to agree that the time spent preparing for the spring musical is one of the best parts of their high school experience. That’s no small praise considering the stress each and every one of these kids feels getting ready for this weekend’s shows.

The vocal department’s teaching assistant, accompanist, and friend, Molly Lloyd is directing this year’s show with much help from her daughter, Kristen Lloyd, a Goshen High School alumnus, leading lady for three shows, and now a music teacher in the Pine Bush district; Hugh Mackay, English teacher; Ruth Hulbert, a retired Goshen School District employee and volunteer assistant at the shows since the mid 1970s; Ronda Barber and Veronica Nogrady, choreographers; and countless parents of alums and current students. Hiding among the lights you can spot Roy Reese, the former superintendent, who in retirement is still lending his considerable talents and experience to Goshen’s spring extravaganza. This is his 28th year and counting.

The students, faculty members and community members working on “Once Upon a Mattress” have all proved long ago that they were fit to be among theater royalty. Regardless of the obstacles, there was never a doubt that the “show would go on.” That's because of the mantra they repeat during notes at the end of every rehearsal: "We don’t put on a high school musical. Never have, never will."

See for yourself. Call 615-6105 for ticket information. All seats are reserved.