An epic laugh: 'Mattress' opens tonight
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You've missed thirty minutes of the movie at this point, and now your girlfriend is calling you for the third time since you pressed play. The neighbors have decided that, hey, 7 o'clock at night is a good time to cut grass, so the soaring John Williams score has been replaced by the violent hum of lawn mowers. This isn't exactly the great, all-encompassing motion picture experience Steven Spielberg envisioned for his take on War of the Worlds. This is, in fact, the complete antithesis to everything he had in mind. Tom Cruise and Spielberg are deeply ashamed and, out of the gentleness of their souls as true patrons of the art, they even feel embarrassed for you. If you need some redemption for your lack of respect for the visual arts, then look no further than CAST's production of the beloved musical/comedy "Once Upon A Mattress." The show, made popular in the '50s thanks to Carol Burnett, is based on the popular Hans Christian Anderson story The Princess and the Pea, though admittedly told with a bit more charm and wit. Many would say that, in the dawn of the digital revolution, the average individual has chosen to forget, or completely ignore, the power of the live performance and the pure, raw magic of actually being there. They instead prefer art to be a simple click away. The ability to watch movies, shows or concerts whenever and wherever you see fit is fantastic. But as ladies' favorite Caleb Clark, who plays the role of Prince Dauntless, puts it, that "can't rival a live performance." The overwhelming spectacle of people coming together to experience one thing, whether it's a comedy, a drama or a concert, is truly something to behold. "It makes the magic more tangible," said Stephonn Ammons, who plays the court jester. "I'm grateful for video, but the feeling of being there ... it's indescribable." The theater not only gives the audience a chance to witness performed arts in their purest form, it allows them to be a part of it; something 3-inch iPod screens inarguably lack. Regardless of personal tastes, art is fueled by the passion lying underneath; without which it's merely disposable spurts of failed potential. "I remember the day I figured out I could sing," says Jennie Mallory Wall (Queen Aggravain). "I've never looked back. I can't not do it." The passion in this cast, and in the production in general, is visible almost immediately. Each person involved is continually longing for their next connection with the audience, and it shines brightly in the results — something they're justly proud to admit. "Come see the show;" says Denise Davis, who plays Princess Winnifred. "It's going to be cute!" So give up the loud neighbors and cell phone-interrupted DVDs for a night, and join director Kimberley Dobbs and the rest of "Once Upon A Mattress" for a night of pure, passionate fun. You owe it to Steven Spielberg, and more importantly, you owe it to yourself. Once Upon A MattressWhat: Musical/comedy |
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