This coming weekend, All Student Theater (AST) will transplant their audience to Medieval times, presenting a stage version of a classic fairy-tale retold in a manner particularly suitable for college students. According to Director Kerry Mulvaney, “It’s the Real World version of “The Princess and the Pea.”

“Once Upon a Mattress” tells the story of Prince Dauntless, as he relentlessly seeks approval to marry a potential princess from his overbearing mother, Queen Aggravain. But no one is good enough for her boy. Worse yet, no one else in the village can get married-or even consummate their love-until the prince finds a suitable bride. The story unfolds as the characters try to resolve their promiscuous inclinations in a two-hour musical/comedy, AST’s tenth anniversary performance.

While the tale they bring to life this weekend is a story that AST promises to be a crowd pleaser, behind the brightly colored scenery and Medieval costuming lays another story, that of hard work, dedication and camaraderie.

As its name states, All Student Theater is completely student run: students build the sets, direct, choreograph, design costumes and, of course, act. More than 100 undergraduate and graduate students tried out for the cast of 29 by singing 16 bars of a song. AST prides itself in the fact that students from all five undergraduate divisions are currently represented in “Once Upon a Mattress.”

“We look for diversity when we cast, not just Performing Arts Department kids.It’s open to everyone,” said Mulvaney, a second year Master’s student in the Performing Arts Department (PAD).

Allison Schwartz, AST vice president and WU senior, said many of the students return to audition or offer their help year after year, in large part because of the community aspect of working on a show.

“I fell into it freshman year and was addicted to the positive energy, the real sense of togetherness and creating something totally from scratch,” said Schwartz.

Members of AST said that there group is very united: there is no dichotomy between directors, leads or others involved in the show.

“Everyone knows how important everyone else is,” said Mulvaney. “The distinction between leads and ensemble members becomes unimportant because we need every single person chipping in.”

Rehearsals started at the beginning of the spring semester when students gathered wherever they could find space, usually in Umrath Hall, four nights a week. As opening night approaches, preparation time grows.

“We eat, sleep, and breathe this experience for the three weeks prior to the show,” said Musical Director Heather Wessels.

The students work day and night on the set. During the daytime, students come to the set in the Quad throughout the morning and afternoon to build and paint. A several-hour rehearsal follows, and students then stay on the set throughout the night, keeping watch in 30-minute increments.

This task of watching the set at all times proved to be more of a bonding experience than a chore. Cast members said that even when it’s not a particular student’s turn to be there, many will often drop by in the wee hours of the morning just to check up on those who are there, regardless of freezing temperatures or rain.

Because the show is performed outside, the rehearsals and performances are entirely dependant upon the weather, Schwartz said. The weather usually cooperates: the last time AST had to cancel a performance was four years ago.

Plans for next year’s show will begin shortly after the final performance of this show and take shape during the upcoming Fall semester. All students are invited and encouraged to participate either on or behind stage.

Contact Tim at tim.bono@studlife.com

 Print This Post

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2002 at 12:00 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.