This year’s school musical, “Once Upon a Mattress,” was sensational, with outstanding performances, set design and musical numbers. The classic Broadway show delighted audiences first in 1959 by turning the classic fairy-tale “The Princess and the Pea” into a comedy.

Princess Winnifred (better known as Fred), played by Jordan Adeniyi, lacks the air of royalty: she is clumsy, exceedingly strong, a little boorish and, most important, self-proclaimed shy. The song “Shy,” in which Fred claims to be timid despite her outgoing presence, reportedly took around 20 tries to perfect, but in the end, it was worth it. Throughout the musical, Fred and Prince Dauntless, played by senior Michael Mark, face difficulty in their quest to get married. The pair’s chemistry elevates the whole show, with Prince Dauntless’s whiny and boyish nature juxtaposed by Fred’s strength and brazenness.

In her attempts to keep her beloved son away from another woman, Queen Aggravain, played by senior Alice Brodsky, creates deliberately unfair tests that any possible suitor is bound to fail. These tests are loathed by the rest of the country, as they are unable to marry until Prince Dauntless does so. Lady Larken, played by Riley Westlund, and Sir Harry, played by Sebastian Casanova, are especially injured by this policy, as Lady Larken is pregnant.

For Fred’s royalty test, Queen Aggravain places a tiny pea underneath 20 layers of mattresses to test Fred’s sensitivity, a necessity for a princess. To everyone’s surprise, Fred feels the pea and is unable to sleep through the night. Thus, the story ends happily ever after, with Fred and Dauntless wed, and the rest of the kingdom able to marry.

The pit orchestra did a spectacular job bringing the musical performances together. Junior Elizabeth Kim said the music they get is difficult because it is professional level, “but the practice is really fun and helps everyone get better at their instruments.”

Numbers such as “In a Little While” and “The Swamps of Home” sounded wonderful, with the talented orchestra and singers combining beautifully.

Working on “Once Upon a Mattress” was truly a bonding experience for the cast. Sophomore Molly Powers noted the tight-knit community, describing it as a “loving, hardworking and committed family.”

She said that the seniors and upperclassmen worked hard to make sure everyone was included, especially the freshmen. For next year’s musical, the team encourages new people to join, whether it be through pit, crew or on stage.