Once Upon a Mattress

Tacoma Musical Playhouse
7116 Sixth Avenue Tacoma

On New Year's Day 1835, Hans Christian Andersen wrote to a friend: "I am now starting on some 'fairy tales for children.' I am going to win over future generations, you may want to know" (he was a couple centuries too early to add a #humblebrag). One of the crown jewels among Andersen's tales was The Princess and the Pea, which now comes to life in this rollicking musical adaptation at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. Hitch a ride on this rollicking, song-filled road to happily-ever-after that centers around Winnifred, just an ordinary, high-spirited girl who wants to escape her childhood home: a swamp. Driven by true love, she swims the castle moat to be with the young Prince Dauntless the Drab. But before they can marry, the prince's overprotective mother concocts a secret test that the young princess must pass before she'll allow them to wed involving a stack of 20 mattresses and one single, teeny-tiny pea.