Arts Alive! Debuts Middle School Show

Arts Alive! presents four performances of  "Once Upon a Mattress" -- its first-ever Barrington Middle School production -- this weekend.

The Rogers & Hammerstein production debuts tonight at 7 and then continues Saturday at 1 and 7 pm and Sunday, March 10 at 1 pm.

More than 40 sixth- through eighth-grade students make up the cast described by director Dena Davis as very talented.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. All performances are in the Barrington Middle School auditorium.

"The play is set in Medieval England in the Royal Court," said Davis, one of the founders of Arts Alive! in Barrington. "In this hilarious tweaking of the fairy tale, 'The Princess and the Pea', Queen Aggravain has ruled that throughout the land, none may marry until her son, Prince Dauntless marries.

"However, she has managed to sabotage every princess that comes along," she said. "Sir Harry and Lady Larken long to marry, so he goes off to the swamps in search of a Princess and brings back Winnifred the Woebegone. The Queen is horrified and immediately begins to scheme with the help of her sidekick -- the Wizard. But Winnifred, with some help from Sir Harry, the King and some Minstrels & Jesters, isn't going to be quite so easy to get rid of!"

The students "will amuse, entertain and astonish audiences with their hysterical characters, lavish costumes and sometimes slapstick comedy," said Davis. "Catchy musical numbers and impressive dance routines make this a fun family event."

Take a tiny video peek of the show at last weekend's Later Winter Festival in the Barrington library auditorium.