Once Upon A Mattress

Music by Mary Rodgers / Lyrics by Marshall Barer / Book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller & Marshall Barer

Central City Opera, Summer 2025 Festival

Role: Properties Supervisor

Directed by Alison Moritz

Conducted by Kelly Kuo

Scenic Design by Andrew Boyce

Costume Design by Elivia Bovenzi Blitz

Lighting Design by Abigail Hoke-Brady

Wig & Makeup Design by Candace Leyland

Properties Supervisor of Central City Opera’s Summer 2025 Festival

  • Supervised the properties department and run crew for the repertory festival of three operas: The Barber of Seville, The Knock, and Once Upon a Mattress

  • Worked closely with the scenic designers and directors of each opera to research, source, design, and create all of the props for each opera

  • Created all properties lists, budget documents, and archival documents

  • Organized the rental of props for The Barber of Seville

Shot of the prince and princess on the designed and built bed, holding a small pea, in the ending of the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
A shot of the ladies in waiting in the dressing room set of the opera “Once Upon a Mattress,” featuring furniture and a book sculpture
The queen on the throne and the prince reading a very long scroll in the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
A celebratory picture with a large barbell and pom-poms in the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
A dancer holding a gigantic sparkly pea in the opening scene of the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
The narrator in a castle hat in the opening scene of the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
Princess Winnifred with the tall bed in the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
The wizard holding a large spell book in the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
The bird on her nest, presenting her egg, in the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”

SELECTED BUILDS

  • Almost every prop was a complete design and build for this show to fit within the magical 1960s flair

  • The following are a few choice designs

Architectural drafting of the bed for the opera “Once Upon a Mattress,” done in Vectorworks

  • From discussions with the set designer, created drafting for the bed using a stock bedframe surrounded by carved foam “mattresses”

  • Hand painted each mattress level using stencils and 1960s pattern inspiration

The Bed

Architectural drafting of the bed for the opera “Once Upon a Mattress,” done in Vectorworks
The designed and built bed for the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
The designed and built bed for the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”

The Jester’s Staff

  • Designed & created a “mini me” Jester staff with a head carved to match the singer and a matching mini costume & hat

The sketch of the jester staff in the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
The foam carved head for the jester staff in the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
The jester staff with matching costume pieces in the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”
The foam carved head for the jester staff in the opera “Once Upon a Mattress”

pictured here held by the head of run crew

< Previous / Next >

Return to Prop Design Home