The Johnson County Community Theater will present its production of Once Upon a Mattress, the wildly comic musical retelling of the classic fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea,” from October 16 through October 24 at Heritage Hall Theatre in Mountain City.
Debuting on Broadway in 1959, Once Upon a Mattress was notable for introducing Carol Burnett to the world, and its riotously funny story has made the show a favorite of university and community theaters ever since. Recent years have seen a revival of interest, with a star-studded production in New York in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2025.
Director Kathy Tyrell has loved the show since she and her husband saw it in Johnson City, shortly after she co-founded JCCT in 1986.
“We had just started JCCT, and I said to myself, one of these days JCCT was going to do this play. The timing was right! This play is timeless, and what a way to celebrate our 40th anniversary.”
With music by Mary Rodgers (the daughter of famed composer Richard Rodgers), lyrics by Marshall Barer, and a book by Barer, Jay Thompson, and Dean Fuller, the musical can almost be considered Monty Python a decade before Monty Python. Hilarious and, at times, bawdy, it turns the traditional fairy tale on its head while still delivering a satisfying happily ever after.
In this telling, Queen Aggravain, the aptly named archvillain of the piece, rules over her court and her hapless son, Prince Dauntless, decreeing that no one can marry until Dauntless does. She intends to make sure that never happens, undermining and sabotaging every princess who catches her son’s eye.
For Dawn Harris, playing the overbearing Queen Aggravain has been part of the fun.
“She’s just so over-the-top ridiculous, but also I can relate to her as a mother of two teen boys. I certainly hope I would never go to her extremes in parenting or marriage, for that matter.”
Anyone who knows “The Princess and the Pea” knows how things turn out. But getting there in Once Upon a Mattress is half the fun, with plenty of laughs and memorable songs along the way.
“I love the storytelling nature of the music in this show,” Harris said. “A lot of the story is conveyed through the music, which makes it so entertaining and a challenge to perform. And all of the cast are so supportive of each other. It makes for a wonderful experience.”
Once Upon a Mattress will be performed at Heritage Hall Theatre on Friday, October 16, and Saturday, October 17, at 7:00 p.m. The matinee performance on Sunday, October 18, is at 3:00 p.m. The final two performances will be held on Friday, October 23, and Saturday, October 24, at 7:00 p.m.
Heritage Hall Theatre is located at 211 N. Church Street in Mountain City, Tennessee. For tickets, visit Heritage Hall Theatre’s website at heritagehalltheatre.org.
