ONCE UPON A MATTRESS Begins Today at Sol Children Theatre

Sol Children Theatre will follow up their recent sold out productions of The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Thumbelina with a classic musical comedy bound to appeal to audiences of all ages. ONCE UPON A MATTRESS opens today, December 3rd and run through December 20th in the company's charming black box venue in Boca Raton.

Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Princess and the Pea", ONCE UPON A MATTRESS puts a uniquely comic spin on the the tale of a medieval kingdom's search for a proper princess to marry the hapless Prince Dauntless. Enter Winnifred the Woebegone, princess of the far-off swampland Farfelot -- who makes her entrance looking like a drowned rat -- she swam the moat. Winnifred, or Fred to her friends, is altogether too common for Dauntless' mother, Queen Aggravain's taste. "Blood will tell," spits the Queen, "and yours doesn't tell quite enough." The Prince, however, immediately falls in love. But before happily ever after can ensue, Winnifred must pass a test, and prove to the Queen that she is indeed a true princess.

Gisbert Heuer will direct the production: "ONCE UPON A MATTRESS has always been one of my favorite musicals," says Heuer. "So I'm particularly excited to bring my own personal vision of this show to life and onto our stage. Our cast is inspiring - the fact that it includes children who are just beginning to learn the art of stage craft, and pairs them with adult professional performers, allowing them to experience all that goes into to an actual professional production, adds a unique and exciting aspect to the show."

Del Marrero and Burke Schoeppl will play Princess Winnifred and Prince Dauntless. Other cast members include Ellie Katz Murray (Queen Aggravain), Devin Tupler (Lady Larkin), Steven Michael Kennedy (Sir Harry), Courtney Ruebens (Minstrel), Jessi Ryan (Jester), Rylee Siegel (Lady in Waiting), Jennipher Murphy-Whitcomb (Wizard), and Meredith Levin (First Knight)

"It is such a pleasure to be under the direction of the incomparable musical genius, Gisbert Heuer," says Burke Schoeppl. "I am filled with utmost joy to be returning to performing onstage at Sol Theatre with such a fantastic cast and crew. I will be playing the role of Prince Dauntless, a total "mama's boy" on the search for a bona fide princess to meet his mother's high expectations of a perfect mate. This is a hilarious musical take on a classic fairytale that you will not want to miss!"

Tickets for ONCE UPON A MATTRESS are on sale now, and can be purchased on line at www.solchildren.org or by calling 561-447-8829. Tickets are $15; $10 for children aged 11 or younger. Sol Theatre is located at 3333 North Federal Highway in Boca Raton (33431).

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