AS SEEN ON THE

Madison native shines in fairy tale
By Damien Jaques
Journal Sentinel theater critic

Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin - The point of the old fable "The Princess and the Pea" was that the young woman who felt the pea under all of those mattresses had to be an extraordinary person. Something special was going on there.

Something special is going on with the Fireside Dinner Theatre's production of "Once Upon a Mattress," a little gem of a musical from the '50s based on "The Princess and the Pea." And like the fairy tale, an extraordinary young woman is at its center.

Written in the late '50s by composer Mary Rodgers, lyricist Marshall Barer, and librettists Dean Fuller, Jay Thompson and Barer, "Once Upon a Mattress" was the Broadway hit that established Carol Burnett as a star. But the show has receded into the theatrical twilight, receiving few revivals. That's a shame.

Although "Mattress" is clearly a fairy tale, its creators twisted it into a comically skewed cartoon that pokes fun at itself as it tells the story of a domineering mother's search for a wife for her obedient son. The time is the 15th century, mommy is a queen and sonny boy a prince.

Of course, we know how this is going to turn out. The fun is in the getting there.

The musical's creators expanded on the fable's basic story line, fleshing it out with a royal court full of comic characters and situations that forge a gentle looniness. As an extra bonus, the audience gets the real story of why Princess Winnifred passed the mattress test and won the prince for her husband.

More than 40 years after the initial Broadway production, "Once Upon a Mattress" is still fresh, cute and funny. Credit Fireside producer/director Ed Flesch with capturing that in his sparkling production. Effervescence is an elusive and difficult quality to create on stage, and this "Mattress" has it.

The Fireside's superb cast makes the musical an ensemble show, but Tari Kelly is certainly first among equals. From the moment the Madison native hits the Fireside stage and pulls a fish out of her bodice, her portrayal of the pea-sensitive princess is a tour de force of non-stop comic energy.

She is a lovable tomboy everyone wants to win the prince sweepstakes, and it is difficult to remove one's eyes from her whenever she is on stage. Kelly's deft ability with physical humor is the equal of Burnett's in the same role that sent that accomplished comedian to television stardom. Watch the diminutive Kelly, who has worked on Broadway and at Milwaukee's Skylight Opera Theatre, hoist a giant barbell in a comical series of lifts, and tell me Burnett could do it any better.

Despite all of that, the Fireside actress somehow retains her femininity to the point that we know Prince Dauntless the Drab, her future husband, has made an attractive catch.

It's a measure of the strength of the rest of the cast that it can shine in Kelly's dazzling presence. Michael Haws demonstrates a quieter flair for physical comedy in his delightful portrait of King Sextimus, the prince's mute father. Gary Lindemann and Valerie Accetta are the epitome of the manly knight and sweet ingenue in their portrayal of young lovers eager to marry.

Scott Ehret and Cathy Newman are on the mark as Prince Dauntless and his controlling mother, Queen Aggravain. Playing the scene-setting minstrel very well, Ken Kordick displays a beautiful tenor singing voice and a natural presence. All of the principals are strong singers.

Costumes designed by Scott A. Lane and Matthew A.J. Gregory are fun and contribute to the show's slightly goofy tone.

"Once Upon a Mattress" continues through Oct. 8 at the Fireside Dinner Theatre in Fort Atkinson. To order tickets, call (800) 477-9505 or online at www.firesidetheatre.com