It s common for someone to say that they re in love with food, but how often do you hear someone say that they re in love because of food? In a magical, musical spinoff of the beloved fairytale The Princess and The Pea, a small vegetable is a big deal.

“Once Upon A Mattress” debuted on Broadway in 1959, with music by Mary Rodgers and lyrics by Marshall Barer. It tells the tale of Prince Dauntless as he scours the kingdom for the perfect princess to marry. When Prince Dauntless falls head over heels for a girl named Winnifred who swims across the moat to enter the kingdom, Queen Aggravain doubts that Winnifred’s truly a princess. Queen Aggravain makes Winnifred undergo a series of  tests  to prove herself, one of which is seeing if Winnifred will feel a pea underneath twenty mattresses. With the help of a jester, a wizard, and a knight, Winnifred passes Queen Aggravain s test and marries Prince Dauntless. Liberty High School welcomes the audience into this astounding kingdom of characters that enchant the audience from the first note to the last.

The cast begins the show with high energy that doesn t decrease; everyone on stage is engaged and committed the entire time. An exquisite stained glass window is part of the set that demands attention, eye-catching and beautifully crafted. The costumes are notable as well, selected with respect to the mood of the show and the time period in which it takes place.

Lauren Bishop (Princess Winnifred) has a soprano voice that s as strong as her character as her character steadfastly tries to prove her worthiness throughout the show. Ryan Zeitler (Prince Dauntless) does an impressive job in his first musical, portraying the lovestruck character well through voice and movement. Jack Patterson (Sir Harry) uses his powerful tenor to sing of his character s powerful love for Rachel Jancereck s character (Lady Larken). Patterson and Jancerek s voices complement each other well, making their duets in the musical some of the most enjoyable parts.

Will Young (King Sextimus) has a character with no lines, a challenge that he makes appear effortless; Young demonstrates strong acting ability through hilarious movements and facial expressions to develop his character. Catherine Dangel (Queen Aggravain) creates a character that is as vibrant as the red dress she wears on stage. Wil Clancy (Jester) captures the audience s attention in every scene he s in, specifically shining in his song Very Soft Shoes with the talented dancer Kyle Anders.

Standout technical elements in this musical include the lighting and a fountain made by the Liberty construction crew. The soft-pastel lights effectively create an enchanting, magical mood. The fountain is creatively constructed and functions virtually seamlessly. Any noticeable problems with the microphones are fixed quickly, thanks to the hard work of the sound designers and operators.

This show will make all audience members smile; regardless of age, audience members will find the pea working its’ way from underneath the mattress into their hearts.

by Mara Lynch of Seton Keough