Brittney McLaughlin (right) teaches a routine for a song in Lincoln Community Theatre’s “Once Upon a Mattress” to Brian Bolton, Lee Funke, Nikos Poulos and Mike Koke.

Lincoln Community Theatre preparing for "Once Upon a Mattress"
Tickets on sale now for August 5 through 8 productions

[July 20, 2021]    After a successful kickoff to the 2021 summer season with “The Grunch,” Lincoln Community Theatre is thrilled to announce the conclusion of the season with the family favorite musical “Once Upon a Mattress.”

“Mattress” is a musical comedy adaptation of the 1835 Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea,” where a queen tests the validity of her son’s future brides by how sensitive they are to even the smallest pea under her mattresses. Potential bride after potential bride fail Queen Aggravain’s tests until Princess Winnifred the Woebegone arrives on a stormy night to charm Prince Dauntless the Drab and pass the test.

LCT president Brandon Davis directs the production which includes many of his former teachers and colleagues in roles on the stage where he himself cut his own acting teeth - Lincoln Community High School’s Auditorium.

“It’s a full circle moment to be directing on this stage,” Davis said. “It’s where I built my confidence and so many memories were made.”

The talented cast includes: Princess Winifred played by Kelly Rosendahl, Prince Dauntless played by Brian Bolton, Lady Larken played by Lauren Stanfield and Sir Harry played by Dough Drake. The Queen will be played by Kim Peterson-Quinn and the King by Tim Searby, both of Davis’s previous directors in vocal music and on the LCHS stage.

The cast is completed by Timber Ziegler as Minstrel, Melissa Cremeens as Jester, Caleb DeJarnette as Wizard, Tegan Follis as Lady Mabelle/Lady Rowena, Lee Funke as 1st Knight/Sir Studley, Mike Koke as 2nd Knight/Sir Luce, Linda Cole as 1st Lady-in-Waiting/Kitchen Wench, Ann Brookens as Lady Merrill, Nikos Poulos as Sir Harold, and Kambrea McCree as Lady Lucille.

Tickets are already on sale for the August 5-8 show dates at the LCT website:   www.
lincolncommunitytheatre.org  or reserve by calling 217-671-6371.

[Jennifer Keith]