COD's College Theater puts on 'Once Upon a Mattress'
College of DuPage College Theater is presenting "Once Upon a Mattress" on July 6-16.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday in the Belushi Performance Hall of COD's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd. in Glen Ellyn.
The theater department chair Amelia Barrett is directing with music director Dan Brennan and choreographer Kyle Donahue.
Many years ago, in a far-off kingdom, the truly terrible Queen Aggravain (Elizabeth Nahulak) decreed that no couples may marry until her son, the gloomy Prince Dauntless (Luke Risch), finds a bride. A kingdom-wide search brings the less-than-regal Princess Winnifred the Woebegone (Alyssa DiVarco), who captures the prince's heart.
The Queen makes it her mission to come between her son and his soul mate in this revisionist retelling of Hans Christian Andersen classic fairy tale of "The Princess and the Pea."
"'Once Upon a Mattress' is a 'fractured fairy-tale' show for all ages," Barrett said. "With origins steeped in the Golden Age of Broadway, this saucy retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson classic packs belting songs, full dance numbers, echoes of pantomime and a whole lot of absurdity into a couple hours of pure entertainment."
The musical features lyrics by Marshall Barer, music by Mary Rodgers, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer.
Tickets are $16 or $14 for students and seniors. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit atthemac.org or call the MAC box office at (630) 942-4000. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, or three hours prior to performances.
Support is made possible by a generous gift from the College of DuPage Foundation's Dr. Donald and Helen (Gum) Westlake Fund for Student Productions.
The 2023-2024 College Theater season will feature "Dead Man's Cell Phone," "Twelfth Night," "Good Kids," and "Arsenic and Old Lace."