By GARY DEMUTH

Salina Journal

Caitie Ziegler has a lot in common with Princess Winnifred, the brash and unrefined heroine of the popular musical "Once Upon a Mattress."

"We're both really independent and strong, and we make our opinions known," said Ziegler, 18, a senior at Sacred Heart Junior-Senior High School. She plays Winnifred in a school production of the musical.

But Winnifred also lives in a marsh and acts "like a hillbilly," Ziegler said, which is where the comparison with herself ends.

"I'm not a swamp girl," she said. "I definitely like my creature comforts."

"Once Upon a Mattress" will be performed Nov. 13 and 14 at Salina Community Theatre, 303 E. Iron.

The musical comedy is based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea," which tells the story of a princess who has to withstand a test to see if she is worthy and sensitive enough to be married to a prince. A tiny pea is placed beneath 20 thick downy mattresses. If the princess is unable to sleep, then she has passed the test.

As in all fairy tales, everything ends happily ever after.

"Once Upon a Mattress" resets the story in a fictional medieval kingdom with an evil queen, silent king, sarcastic jester and mama's boy Prince Dauntless. And, of course, there's Winnifred, whose loudness and brash manner initially repel everyone in the kingdom.

Michelle Dolan, director of the musical and vocal music instructor at Sacred Heart, said "Once Upon a Mattress" is ideal for a high school.

"It's very funny, and I have the students who can do the show," she said. "We don't have a theater program at Sacred Heart, so it's always a struggle to get (students) involved. But once they do get involved, it becomes a fulfilling experience."

Sacred Heart sophomore Kelly Bachofer is thrilled to be playing her first major role at the school after being in the chorus of last year's musical production, "Godspell."

"It's been really fun," said Bachofer, 15, who plays the evil queen. "It's a lot of hard work, but rehearsals are fun."

Choreography for the musical is by Salina dance instructor Peggy Simms. The orchestra will be a combination of school band members and community orchestra musicians, Dolan said, under the direction of Sacred Heart band teacher Richard Koshgarian.

Dolan said she is thrilled to be performing the musical at Salina Community Theatre. School events usually are staged in the Sacred Heart gymnasium.

"It's quite a treat for us," she said. "We'll have a real light and sound system and a set designed by J.R. (Lidgett, a technical director at SCT)."

Sacred Heart freshman Kaiden Thompson is happy to be performing at Salina Community Theatre. The 14-year-old, who plays Prince Dauntless, is a veteran of summer youth theater at SCT and was in a mainstage production of the musical "Fiddler on the Roof."

"I usually have the chorus parts," Thompson said. "This time, I'll be going back playing a main part. But I like to do all shows; it doesn't matter."

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