Ephesus Teatron Stages "ONCE UPON A MATTRESS"

Once Upon The Mattress is a musical adaptation from Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer and Dean Fuller’s book of the same name which is based from Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale of The Princess and The Pea.

With music by Marshall Barer, the 1959 musical was the stage debut of Carol Burnett. Following her footsteps, it was also staged by Sarah Jessica Parker and Jane Krakowski. Now, it will be locally staged by Ephesus Teatron Group, Inc.

The production is intended as a mobile which can be accessible to schools give them a theater experience. Traditionally, theater productions are considered expensive and staged in a specific location where the theater guild is based. For Ephesus, they want to bring it to a general public.

The name Ephesus is an ancient city in Turkey and is considered the center of performing arts during the Greco-Roman World. Once Upon The Mattress will be staged in Tanghalang Yaman Lahi Theater, Emilio Aguinaldo College in Ermita, Manila on one weekend only from January 20 to 22 with two performances daily at 3:30 and 7:30 P.M.

Sweet Samaniego-Buchanan is the president and artistic director of Ephesus. She performed in musicals at Repertory Philippines and gathered most of her colleagues in this ensemble. She went abroad for performance that when she went back after many years out of the country, she missed performing here which is why she formed Ephesus.

An excerpt during the press launch

Once Upon The Mattress is a parody musical of the Princess and the Peas. You might expect it with sexual innuendo or hint but it is toned down for younger audience especially since the target audiences are the campuses in the vicinity.

Clockwise from left: Yanah Laurel, Raymund Concepcion, Nino Alejandro, Carla Guevarra-Laforteza, Milay Guinid, Ayam Eckstein.

I got to watch an excerpt/song numbers from this musical and I already got hooked. If you are into medieval period with knights, kings, queens, princes, princesses, jesters, minstrels and damsels, then this is the musical for you. Cast includes Carla Guevarra-Laforteza, Cara Barredo, Nino Alejandro, Hans Eckstein, Chino Veguillas, Milay Guinid, Raymond Concepcion, Arion Sanchez, Steven Hotchkiss, Onyl Torres,  Alex Dagalea, Yanah Laurel, Sweet Samaniego-Buchanan, and more. Directed by Steven Conde.

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