Belhaven Theatre Presents Once Upon a Mattress with a Colorful Twist and a Special Connection to Its Past
JACKSON, Miss. (October 19, 2026) – Belhaven University Theatre will present Once Upon a Mattress November 5–7 and 12–14, 2026, in the Blackbox Theatre. Evening performances begin at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with additional Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. November 7 and 14.
The spirited musical turns “The Princess and the Pea” into a tale filled with unexpected twists, bold characters, and a heroine unlike any other. Loud, fearless, and gloriously unrefined, Princess Winnifred arrives in a kingdom ruled by an overbearing queen and upends the search for a suitable bride for the timid Prince Dauntless.
“With catchy tunes, lively dances, and lots of laughs, Once Upon a Mattress offers audiences a light-hearted escape from the worries of the world,” said director Elissa Sartwell.
This production also marks a special anniversary for Belhaven Theatre. Exactly 25 years ago, the department staged the musical under the direction of its founder, Dr. Lou Campbell. The student playing Princess Winnifred in that 2001 production was Vanessa van Wormer, who joined Belhaven this year as a professor of dance. Opposite her as Prince Dauntless was Nickel Van Wormer, the man she later married.
“When we chose Once Upon a Mattress for the 2026-2027 season, we really hadn't put it together that our production would come exactly 25 years after Belhaven Theatre produced Once Upon a Mattress under the direction of Dr. Lou Campbell, who founded the Theatre Department in the late 1990s,” Sartwell said. “What a fun full circle moment!”
For this year’s production, scenic and lighting designer Braden Graves has imagined a kingdom where medieval details meet the colorful style of a 1960s television game show. The musical’s unusual princess tests inspired a set filled with geometric shapes, bold colors, and playful touches.
“It's such a funny, over-the-top take on a traditional fairy tale, and we didn't want the set to feel too serious or conventionally medieval,” Graves said. “The idea of all these princesses competing in bizarre tests reminded us of 1960s game shows, and that became the foundation for the design.”
The cast brings together students from across the university, including theatre, music, and dance majors, as well as students studying biology, criminal justice, sports medicine, creative writing, and history.
Once Upon a Mattress features music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and a book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. Belhaven’s production is directed by Sartwell, with musical direction by Chrissy Hrivnak and choreography by Elle Ciccarone. The production is recommended for ages 13 and older due to some mature humor.