Fairy tales meet Vaudeville in Ohlone College’s production of Once Upon a Mattress. Based on the classic fable The Princess and the Pea, this new production infuses modern humor to better tell this story of love, self expression and the pursuit of greater autonomy to kick off Ohlone College’s Summerfest 2025 series.
“From the royal court to the moat, this show is a celebration of individuality, bravery and the joy of finding your voice—even when it’s not what people expect,” says director Hilary Ann Stevens in the show’s Director’s Note.
Audiences follow the plight of the well-meaning but timid Prince Dauntless (played by Charles Monk) and his overbearing mother Queen Aggravian (Angela Pappachan) as told through the eyes of the kingdom’s bard Minstrel (Matthew Stein) and its Jester (Chloe Genevieve Fehr).
Determined to never let her son marry, Queen Aggravian disqualifies any and all eligible suitors through the use of impossible tests with the ultimate challenge being this: a woman can only marry Prince Dauntless and rule at his side if her sleep is interrupted by the placement of a single pea under no less than 20 mattresses that she must rest on.
As the queen’s antics wreak havoc on other subjects such as the mischievous Sir Harry (Tim Balajadia) and his lover Lady Larken (Kristen Dabu), the entry of “dark horse” suitor Princess Winnifred (Melian Bilello-Rodriguez) upends the entire kingdom and its court in this story filled with heart, wit and slapstick humor.
The crux of the show lies within the performances of Monk, Pappachan and Bilello-Rodriguez. In addition to their impeccable singing, Monk and Bilello-Rodriquez’s on-stage chemistry is expertly pitted against the chaotic energy of Pappachan as Queen Aggravian. Her ostentatious presence, paired with gaudy outfits, is a testament to not only her acting but to the costumes and production team as well.
Additionally, Balajadia and Dabu’s portrayals of Sir Harry and Lady Larken provide a decent subplot which is accompanied with tracks such as “In a Little While” and “Yesterday I Loved You.” Other standout performances include Stein’s angelic singing of songs such as “Many Moons Ago” and “Normandy” which conveys the transformation of Minstrel’s character from the musical’s narrator into a full-fledged participant.
An absolute “show stealer” is Fehr’s performance as the Jester. While initially seen as a tertiary character in the show’s first act, Fehr’s Jester is given standalone triumph in Act II as her singing and tap-dancing number “Very Soft Shoes” harkens back to the days of Fred Astaire and Shirley Temple.
Much credit is also due to the live orchestra in the pit of Ohlone College’s outdoor Starlight Stage. The live music further immerses the audience into the fantasy setting of the play and the orchestra members even get to execute a hilariously-timed ʻfourth wall-breakʻ joke in Act II. The orchestra’s decision to play pre-show “Meme Core” music such as Smash Mouth’s “All Star” and the song from “Coffin Dance” indicate to the audience exactly what kind of show they’re about to see.
With its modern humor, lovable characters and its mastery of physical comedy, Ohlone College’s Once Upon a Mattress is sure to please families and theatergoers of all ages this summer.
Ohlone College’s ‘Once Upon a Mattress’
July 11-19, 2025
Friday, Saturday and Sunday show
ASL-interpreted show Thursday, July 17
8:15pm
Starlight Stage at the Gary Soren Smith Center
43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont
ohlone.edu/event/once-upon-mattress-summerfest
Tickets: $25 General, $20 Staff / Senior / Student, $18 Youth
