Review: ONCE UPON A MATTRESS at Lake Shore Players

Lake Shore Players’ production of Once Upon a Mattress is the kind of show that reminds you how much fun community theater can be. It’s goofy, energetic, a little chaotic in the best way, and full of performances that clearly come from people who are genuinely enjoying themselves onstage.

The musical takes the familiar “Princess and the Pea” story and turns it into a fast-moving comedy packed with over-the-top characters, ridiculous royal rules, and plenty of old-fashioned musical theater humor. In this version, Queen Aggravain has banned marriages across the kingdom until her son, Prince Dauntless, can find a suitable bride — though she makes sure every princess fails her impossible tests. Naturally, everything changes when Winnifred the Woebegone arrives at the castle straight from the swamp.

Sophie La Fave is a great fit for Winnifred. She brings a lot of personality to the role and makes the character feel both funny and sincere at the same time. Winnifred can easily become too exaggerated, but La Fave keeps her grounded enough that the audience actually cares about her while still getting plenty of laughs. Her musical numbers are some of the strongest moments of the night.

Maya Vagle clearly has a blast playing Queen Aggravain, and that energy makes the performance even better. She leans fully into the Queen’s dramatic personality without pushing it too far, and her scenes consistently draw big laughs from the audience. Nick Richard also does nice work as Prince Dauntless, giving the prince an awkward sweetness that works well against the Queen’s controlling nature.

There are several supporting performances that help keep the show moving smoothly. Chris Klekamp gets a surprising amount of comedy out of the silent role of King Sextimus through expressions and physical humor alone. Thomas Friebe and Lizzie Stuebs bring genuine charm to Sir Harry and Lady Larken, and Devin Dolquist does solid work guiding the audience through the story as the Minstrel.

Director Eric Morris keeps the pacing moving well, which is important for a show like this. The comedy lands best when things keep moving, and the production rarely drags. The choreography by Annika Isbell adds a lot of energy to the larger ensemble scenes, and the cast looks fully committed from beginning to end.

The orchestra, led by Jack Johnston, sounds strong throughout the show and gives the musical numbers a lot of life. The set and costumes also help create the playful fairy tale atmosphere without trying to overcomplicate things.

More than anything, this production succeeds because it feels genuine. Nobody is trying too hard to make the show feel modern or overly polished. Instead, the cast and crew trust the material and focus on making it fun — and that approach works. By the end of the night, the audience is laughing, applauding, and clearly having just as much fun as the performers are.

It’s a lively, entertaining production that captures exactly what makes Once Upon a Mattress such an enduring musical comedy.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Off-Broadway Play - Top 3

1. A Christmas Carol (Thorne Adaptation) - PAC NYC

7.2% of votes

2. Prince F****t - Playwrights Horizons

6.3% of votes

3. Kenrex - Lucille Lortel Theatre

4.8% of votes

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