Presented by

Once Upon a Mattress

Grades PreK-12

Get Tickets (link coming soon) | Register Grades PreK-12

Students in Grades PreK through 12 this school year: Join us for our Youth Theatre Jr. Companies, Companies, and Jr. Troupe Spring 2026 Musical: Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition!

Many moons ago in a far-off place, Queen Aggravain decreed no couples could marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, found a bride. Princesses came from far and wide to win the hand of the prince, but none could pass the impossible tests given to them by the Queen. That is, until the “shy” swamp princess, Winnifred the Woebegone, showed up. Would she be able to pass the Sensitivity Test, marry her prince and help Lady Larken and Sir Harry to the altar? Carried on a wave of wonderful songs, by turns hilarious and raucous, romantic and melodic, this rollicking spin on the classic tale The Princess and the Pea provides some side-splitting shenanigans. After all, a princess is a delicate thing.

There are three ways for students to participate onstage in Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition:

  • Jr. Companies – All students in grades PreK-K and 1-2, performing in a couple of scenes in the main play as Jr. Ensemble, as well as a pre-show song and dance routine! No audition required. Monday rehearsals only until tech.
  • Companies – Students in grades 3-5 and 6-12, playing various Ensemble and Featured roles. Auditions are encouraged but not required; everyone is welcome! Monday rehearsals only until tech.
  • Jr. Troupe – Selected students in grades 3-12, playing Supporting and Lead roles (Character descriptions and the script will be provided in advance.) Auditions required; everyone will be cast in either the Companies or Jr. Troupe! Rehearsals throughout the week as called.

Register Here!

 

Important Dates & Times

How to Prepare for Auditions (Optional, Grades 3-12 only)

  • Fill out your student’s Registration Form.
  • Headshots and resumes are encouraged (but not required) and can be emailed to theatre@cfcarts.com at least 48 hours prior to your audition in PDF, JPG, or PNG format. If emailed late or in a different format, we may not be able to access your resume. Please do not bring hard copies to your audition.
  • All auditioners will participate in cold readings from Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition. The script will be made available before auditions. Students do not need to memorize any part of the script or prepare a monologue.
  • Prepare and memorize a 16 to 32-bar selection from a musical theatre song. Please do not sing selections from Once Upon a Mattress. Please bring sheet music with full piano accompaniment, three-hole-punched, double-sided, and in a three-ring binder (please do not put music in page protectors.) An accompanist will be provided. Tracks may not be used. Students may not sing a cappella (without accompaniment.) If you need assistance locating appropriate sheet music, please contact us at theatre@cfcarts.com at least 48 hours before your audition (but preferably sooner!) and we will help you.
  • Please bring a water bottle. Food and gum is not permitted.
  • Dance or athletic shoes required. No restrictive attire, open-toed shoes, flip-flops/sandals, heels, or skirts/dresses without leggings or shorts beneath.
  • Auditions, as well as rehearsals, are closed to parents and other visitors. For safety reasons, only students and approved staff/volunteers are permitted.
  • Students may choose to attend our Audition Prep Workshop on Wednesday, February 25, 5:30-7:30 PM at our audition and rehearsal location of First Congregational Church of Winter Park (225 S Interlachen Ave, Winter Park FL 32789.). Students will gain familiarity with the shows and characters, have the opportunity to participate in a mock acting audition and receive feedback, and participate in a Q&A session with casting staff. You can register your student for the Audition Prep Workshop on their Registration Form and use the links below to pay. We offer a sibling discount for this workshop! Payment links will be made available closer to the auditions.
  • Coming up Wednesday, December 3 at 6 PM, we will be holding a brief virtual Q&A with leadership about spring shows, and we will also take questions about our summer camps and summer shows! We highly recommend that any parents of students auditioning, or students themselves, attend. No need to turn on your camera; you can just type in your questions if desired or just watch. You can also submit questions in advance to be answered during the session, anonymously or not. HERE is the Google Meet link. Click here to submit questions in advance (anonymously or not.)

Feb 25 | Audition Prep Workshop (Optional, Grades 3-12 only)

Want to audition for the Jr. Troupe - Supporting and Lead roles? Students in grades 3-12 may choose to attend our Audition Prep Workshop, Wednesday, February 25 from 5:30-7:30 PM at our audition and rehearsal location of First Congregational Church of Winter Park (225 S Interlachen Ave, Winter Park FL 32789.). Students will gain familiarity with the shows and characters, have the opportunity to participate in a mock acting audition and receive feedback, and participate in a Q&A session with casting staff. We offer a sibling discount for this workshop! Select the Workshop on your Registration Form to attend, or to register later, email theatre@cfcarts.com.

  • 1 student - $20
  • 2 siblings - $35
  • 3 siblings - $50

Feb 27 - 28 | Auditions (Optional, Grades 3-12 only)

Auditions will take place on February 27 and 28 (callbacks for selected students March 1) at First Congregational Church of Winter Park (225 S Interlachen Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) and are fully optional for Grades 3-12. (Students in Grades PreK-2 may not audition in advance.) These auditions will determine the lead and supporting roles for our Jr. Troupe as well as featured roles for our Companies. Auditions are for placement only - there’s a role for all actors in this production!

If your young actor wishes to participate without auditioning, that is completely fine! You will be able to note that preference on your student’s registration. We are happy to find a place in this production for your young performer, even if they are audition-shy!

Audition blocks:

Audition blocks are listed below, and you can select which one your student will attend on your student’s registration form. Students must stay for the duration of their audition block.

  • Block A - Friday, February 27, 5:30-8 PM
  • Block B - Saturday, February 28, 9:30 AM-12 PM
  • Block C - Saturday, February 28, 1-3:30 PM
  • Block D - Saturday, February 28, 4-6:30 PM
  • Callbacks will be held for selected students on Sunday, March 1, sometime between 2-6 PM. Students will be informed of their callback status and exact call time by email no later than 10 PM on Saturday, February 28.

Mar 1 | Callbacks (Audition Follow-Up)

Callbacks will be held for selected students on Sunday, March 1, sometime between 2-6 PM. Students will be informed of their callback status and exact call time by email no later than 10 PM on Saturday, February 28.

Mar 23 - May 18 | Rehearsals (Required)

All students will rehearse on Mondays at First Congregational Church of Winter Park (225 S Interlachen Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) from March 23 through May 18. There will be no rehearsal Monday, April 27 due to another show conflict. Rehearsals will take place at the following times:

  • Jr. Company (Grades PreK-2): 6-7:15 PM (check-in from 5:45-6 PM, 1.25 hours of rehearsal)
  • Company and Jr. Troupe (Grades 3-12): 5:30-7:30 PM (check-in from 5:15-5:30 PM, 2 hours of rehearsal)
  • Jr. Troupe students may be asked to stay as late as 8 PM some Mondays.

Jr. Troupe students will also rehearse on an as-called basis on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Fridays at First Congregational Church of Winter Park (225 S Interlachen Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789) from March 24 through May 22 anytime between 5:30-8 PM. There will be no rehearsals Friday, April 3 due to Easter weekend. Important things to note for Jr. Troupe rehearsals:

  • Not every Jr. Troupe student will be called to every rehearsal! A full rehearsal schedule will be released after auditions by Wednesday, March 25. The number of rehearsals required will depend on the size of your student’s role.
  • All Jr. Troupe students should plan to attend a read-through rehearsal on Tuesday, March 24.
  • All Jr. Troupe students should plan to attend every Monday rehearsal as listed above and of course, all tech and dress rehearsals as listed below.

May 25 - 28 | Tech & Dress Rehearsals (Required)

Tech and dress rehearsals will take place at the following days and times at Trinity Preparatory School Auditorium, 5700 Trinity Prep Lane Winter Park, FL 32792. Please note that the first day of tech week is Memorial Day, Monday, May 25.

  • Jr. Company (Grades PreK-2):
    • Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day), 5:30-7:30 PM
    • Thursday, May 28, 5:30-8:30 PM
  • Companies and Jr. Troupe (Grades 3-12):
    • Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day), 5:30-8:30 PM
    • Tuesday, May 26, 5:30-9 PM
    • Wednesday, May 27, 5:30-9 PM
    • Thursday, May 28, 5:30-9 PM

All cast must attend all their scheduled tech and dress rehearsals and performances or they will not be able to perform.

May 29 - 30 | Performances (Required)

Performances will take place on Friday, May 29 at 7 PM, and Saturday, May 30 at 2 PM and 7 PM at Trinity Preparatory School Auditorium, 5700 Trinity Prep Lane Winter Park, FL 32792. See below for show day schedules:

  • Friday, May 29, 5:30 PM call time, 7 PM performance, estimated end time around 9 PM (Jr. Companies students released to parents/guardians at intermission unless staying to watch Act 2 with their teachers)
  • Saturday, May 30, 12:30 PM call time, 2 PM performance, estimated end time and dinner break start around 4 PM
    • Students in grades 3-12 may stay through the break or leave with parents/guardians and return by 5:30 PM
    • Students in grades PreK-2 are released to parents/guardians at intermission as usual (unless staying to watch Act 2 with their teachers, in which case they are released to their parents/guardians directly after the show) and may not stay through the break
  • Saturday, May 30, 5:30 PM call time, 7 PM performance, estimated end time around 9 PM
    • All Jr. Troupe and Companies students in grades 6-12 must stay for strike until latest 10 PM
    • All Companies and Jr. Troupe students in grades 3-5 are released following the performance end time as soon as their personal costumes are neatly hung and dressing rooms are clean
    • All Jr. Companies students in grades PreK-2 are released to their parents/guardians at intermission as usual unless staying to watch Act 2 with their teachers

Audience members may purchase in-person tickets on the event page.

All cast must attend all their scheduled tech and dress rehearsals and performances or they will not be able to perform.

Info

Tuition

There is a seasonal $35 registration fee per student, which covers all enrollments in Youth Theatre Programs from January through May 2026. Registration Fees are now a part of the overall tuition cost! If your student participates in more than one production with us in a season, you will be sent a special coupon code that will subtract the $35 registration fee from your student’s tuition payment - it’s a “thank you” from us!

Payment can be made on the Registration Form.

Tuition for all performers is as follows: (scholarships and payment plans available; see below.)

  • Jr. Companies (All Grades PreK-2): $210
  • Companies (Grades 3-12, Featured and Ensemble Roles): $235
  • Jr. Troupe (Grades 3-12, Lead and Supporting Roles): $260

There are four ways to cover tuition:

  • Complete the tuition payment in full via the Registration Form (Jr. Troupe will receive an email with instructions following auditions for those selected) or by bringing cash or a check (made out to CFCArts) to your student’s rehearsal (please email theatre@cfcarts.com to confirm that you will be bringing payment in person.) Payment is due no later than Monday, March 23, the first day of rehearsals.
  • Reach out to theatre@cfcarts.com to set up a tuition payment plan of two installments. Once a payment plan has been determined, you will be sent a payment link via email. The first installment will be due no later than Monday, March 23, the first day of rehearsals, the second installment no later than Monday, April 20, and the third and final installment no later than Monday, May 11, two weeks prior to tech rehearsals starting. Students must have tuition paid in full to perform in the production. Installment payments may be made via the payment form or by bringing cash or a check (made out to CFCArts) to your student’s rehearsal (please email theatre@cfcarts.com to confirm that you will be bringing payment in person.)
  • Complete the Financial Assistance Application as a part of your student’s Registration Form to be considered for a need-based scholarship for this program. Once a scholarship amount has been determined, you will be sent a payment link via email. Any remaining balance for your student’s tuition will be due no later than Monday, May 11, two weeks prior to tech rehearsals starting. Students must have their remaining tuition balance paid in full to perform in the production. Payment of the remaining balance may be made via the payment form or by bringing cash or a check (made out to CFCArts) to your student’s rehearsal (please email theatre@cfcarts.com to confirm that you will be bringing payment in person.)
  • CFCArts is a Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES, formerly Gardiner Scholarship) direct pay provider, and the FES can be used to cover program tuition. Simply include your student’s FES ID number on their Registration Form and we will begin the process.

      Financial Assistance

      There are two options for financial assistance:

      • Complete the Financial Assistance Application as a part of your student’s Registration Form to be considered for a need-based scholarship for this program. Once a scholarship amount has been determined, you will be sent a payment link via email. Any remaining balance for your student’s tuition will be due no later than Monday, May 11, two weeks prior to tech rehearsals starting. Students must have their remaining tuition balance paid in full to perform in the production. Payment of the remaining balance may be made via the payment form or by bringing cash or a check (made out to CFCArts) to your student’s rehearsal (please email theatre@cfcarts.com to confirm that you will be bringing payment in person.)
      • CFCArts is a Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES, formerly Gardiner Scholarship) direct pay provider, and the FES can be used to cover program tuition. Simply include your student’s FES ID number on their Registration Form and we will begin the process.

      Service Project

      Central Florida Community Arts exists to serve and build community through the arts. With our mission in mind, our Youth Theatre Program students for each production have the opportunity to participate in a service project to benefit another non-profit organization in Central Florida - and to build friendships and bond with their castmates! These service projects are carefully selected to align with the message of the story that our students are telling on stage.

      More information coming soon.

      Casting Policies

      Please click here for a thorough review of our casting policies.

      Staff

      Click here to meet the Once Upon a Mattress staff! (coming soon)

      Registration

      Please follow these steps to register your student.

      • Please register for an audition, or to participate without auditioning, by filling out the Registration Form.
      • Make the $35 seasonal registration fee payment, and if applicable, payment for the Audition Prep Workshop via the Registration Form.

      Questions?

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