SFA theatre Professor Angela Bacarisse works with students Keelan Bourne, a senior Rose Bruford American Theatre Arts student from Nuneaton, United Kingdom, and senior theatre major Connor Molen from Denton, on perfecting their roles in the SFA School of Theatre and Dance and School of Music’s presentation of “Once Upon a Mattress.” The show runs Nov. 2 through 5 in the Flex Theatre, Griffith Fine Arts Building, SFA campus.
The School of Theatre and Dance and the School of Music will combine their talents to present Concord Theatricals’ musical version of “The Princess and the Pea” in a Mainstage Series event Nov. 2 through 5. With music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer, “Once Upon a Mattress” is the first large-scale musical SFA has produced since before the Covid pandemic, and the shows directors have chosen to present the musical in the new Flex Theatre, according to Angela Bacarisse, professor of theatre and the show’s director.
It’s fitting that the musical is “testing” the capabilities of the new Flex Theatre in the renovated and expanded Griffith Fine Arts Building. Senior theatre major Connor Molen, who began his studies at SFA in the fall of 2020, a challenging period when the world was grappling with the pandemic’s impact, considers it a “gift” to be attending class and performing in the state-of-the-art facility.
“It truly feels like a gift to be able to conclude my studies at SFA in a grand finale at the Griffith building, and believe me, it’s grand,” Molen said.
“Once Upon a Mattress” takes place “many moons ago” in a far-off place when Queen Aggravain decreed no couples could marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, found a bride. Princesses came from far and wide to win the hand of the prince, but none could pass the impossible tests given to them by the queen. That is, until the “shy” swamp princess, Winnifred the Woebegone, showed up. Would she be able to pass the Sensitivity Test, marry her prince and help Lady Larkin and Sir Harry to the altar? Carried on a wave of wonderful songs, by turns hilarious and raucous, romantic and melodic, this rollicking spin on the classic tale “The Princess and the Pea” provides some side-splitting shenanigans.
Molen takes on the role of the Wizard, the proud and loyal servant of Queen Aggravain. Wizard quietly longs for the glory days of years passed. “I like to encounter the Wizard as an eccentric academic who, in his youth, pushed the boundaries of what magical performance could be,” Molen explains. “You can see his stardom in his gate, his gesture and even his cape. However, due to the Queen’s dominance, all that is left on the surface is a magic man who entertains in order to appease those in charge.”
“Once Upon a Mattress” marks four years of Molen working with Bacarisse on MainStage and other productions, including her direction of “Rideshare/Overshare,” “The Taming of the Shrew,” and now “Once Upon a Mattress.” He also had the opportunity to perform on the Mainstage in “The Maids,” “Ajax in Iraq” and “Everybody,” as well as assistant direct on the Mainstage production “The Moors” and direct the Centerstage productions “30 Neo-Futurist Plays from Too Much light Makes the Baby Go Blind” and “Sagittarius Ponderosa.” All of these productions took place in alternative theater venues while Griffith Fine Arts Building was under renovation.
“Working outside of a traditional theatre facility encouraged me as an artist and student to confront my beliefs about what theatre could or should be,” he said. “The ambition of the faculty never allowed us to feel defeated by the circumstance of being removed from a traditional theatre space in the midst of a global health crisis. Instead, they pushed us to innovate and expand our abilities and perceptions of our art through digital production, found space staging, and intentional show selections utilized on productions like ‘Reality’s TV: The Perception Project,’ ‘Ajax in Iraq’ and ‘Rideshare/Overshare.’
“This semester, I have the opportunity to attend class and host creative ideas in the fabulous Griffith Fine Arts Building,” he added. “The space is beautiful and already so full of life. I am excited to share the hard work with the community in a space that can fully embody the talents of the school. I could not help but feel a sense of pride giving my Dad a tour of the building when he came to visit me this semester. I am thankful for my experiences leading up to this point.”
A similar excitement is shared by Keelan Bourne, a senior Rose Bruford American Theatre Arts student from Nuneaton, United Kingdom, who’s in the role of the Minstrel, an omniscient otherworldly storyteller, with a “lovely British accent.” He’s also a loyal servant/confidant to the King, and along with the help of the Jester, aids the fairytale along to its happily ever after.
“I started my journey at Rose Bruford in 2021,” Bourne said. “For the past three years I’ve been learning about American history/politics there, but most importantly American theatre. I’ve really enjoyed spending the penultimate semester of my degree here at SFA. The way community is so vital to the overall production of theatre here has been very inspiring.”
Bacarisse fondly recalls the many Rose Bruford students she’s worked with over the years, their talents and the excitement each has brought to the biennial musicals and other productions.
“I have cast Rose Bruford College students as King Arthur in ‘Spamalot,’ Andrew Jackson in ‘Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson’ and Curly in ‘Oklahoma,'” she said. “And just like students who are at SFA for their whole career, we keep in touch and I follow their careers and life events over in the U.K. Just this past summer, I saw performances by two Rose Bruford alumni who I had in class back in 2009 at the Edinburgh Fringe and visited with one Rose Bruford stage management student who happens to now live and work in Edinburgh.”
Bourne said he’s excited for audiences to just relish in “joyous whimsical theatre” with “Once Upon a Mattress.”
“There is such a need for spreading happiness right now with all that’s going on in the world, and I think ‘Once upon a Mattress’ really provides that,” he said. “Who doesn’t enjoy a musical? Everyone in the cast and crew, from our spectacular production crew, to musicians, to performers, have worked so hard on this show, and I think audiences are going to love it.”
“Once Upon a Mattress” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 2 through 4, and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 4 and 5. General admission ticket prices are: adult, $15; senior (62+), $10; youth (high school and younger), $8; SFA faculty/staff, $8; non-SFA student, $8; and SFA student, $5. For ticketing information or to purchase tickets, call the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS, or visit sfasu.edu/boxoffice. For information about the play, call (936) 468-4003 or visit sfasu.edu/theatre-dance.
