Hingham Drama Club Set to Perform 'Once Upon a Mattress'

The Hingham High School Drama Club will perform “Once Upon a Mattress” as their annual Fall musical this week.

The Hingham Community is invited to their three shows which will be presented this Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.   Hingham students are invited to watch the musical during school hours on Thursday.

“Once Upon a Mattress” is a musical comedy  about a medieval kingdom ruled by Queen Aggravain and the mute King Sextimus the Silent. Due to a  curse, King Sextimus is unable to speak. Meanwhile, his evil wife, Queen Aggravian, has taken over control of the kingdom. In an attempt to keep Prince Dauntless single, she has decided that only the princess that can pass her test may marry her son.

Hingham Drama  Club director Anita Levy-Sisk calls the performance “an old fashion musical” and she recommends the Hingham community to come out and see the talented young student-actors who have been rehearsing since September.

The musical’s lead actors will be senior Megan Cashel who will play Princess Winnifred the Woebegone,  Aimee McManus who will act as Queen Aggravain, Brian Perrault who will play the role of Prince Dauntless, Kalli Jermyn who will play Lady Larken and Tyler Oser who will act as Sir Harry.

“Its so whacky and very different than every other show I’ve been in,” said Oser, a senior actor.  “A lot of the jokes are really funny and well placed. It’s such a strange, weird fun production and I am really looking forward to putting it on.  We’ve got mute kings, wizards that don’t even produce magic, an evil queen, and two love stories… it’s just a fun show.”

The last two years, the HHS Drama Club have performed  “Sweeney Todd” and “Bye Bye Birdie” as their fall musicals.

Actress Givney, who plays a wizard in the upcoming production pointed out that this year’s Fall musical will be entertaining to not only adults but for kids. She said the story line is funny and the costumes are amazing.

“I think it’s different than what we are used to,” she said  “It’s fun and amusing,” 

HHS Drama Club director Anita Levy-Sisk has developed talented actors over the past few years.  Last March, in a 115 high schools Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild competition.

Oser who was part of that group that advanced to the finals a year ago,  has had Levy-Sisk as a drama teacher since his days at the Hingham Middle School believes she is a one of a kind teacher.

“I had her for six years, and she has this vision in her mind, and she goes for it,” Oser said.  “She has a vision and she puts it on the stage every year.”

Freshman Actor Emma Davis agrees that Levy-Sisk is gifted at putting the drama students together.

“It’s an incredibly welcoming community,” Davis  said. “She makes you feel like part of a family.

“Once Upon a Mattress” will be showing at Hingham High School  auditorium from Nov. 17-19.