Donegal Performing Arts has an opening for a princess. Tryouts for the role will be held on stage when the club presents "Once Upon a Mattress." The show will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11, as well as at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 12.

The main contender for the part isn't your typical princess, said Erin Kready, a senior who portrays Winifred, a girl who comes to the kingdom to find love. "The show is a rendition of 'The Princess and the Pea,' but the princess isn't really a princess," she shared. "She has to pass a series of tests set up by the queen in order to find the man she loves." The queen is holding the test to find a bride for her son, Prince Dauntless.

Because the test is a surprise, Winifred practices everything she can think of to prepare, including spelling, dancing and singing, Erin stated. "Twelve princesses have gone before her and failed," she said. "Winifred is lucky No. 13."

Madison Mutterspaugh, a freshman who portrays The Minstrel, said the message of the show is a simple one. "The message is centered around the cliche 'be yourself.' Winifred is very different from what people would expect a princess to be," she remarked. "She's a tomboy. She lived in a swamp."

The cast members emphasized that the show is upbeat and silly. "Expect a bunch of family fun and a lot of lighthearted jokes," said Jordan Echterling, a junior who plays The Wizard.

Senior Noah Fitz agreed. "Come see this show for some great laughs," said Noah, who plays Sir Harry. "It's a show that's easy to follow, and it's really fun to watch."

There's always something happening on stage, Jordan noted, adding, "It's a very visually interesting show."

Noah said the show has been a lot of fun to perform. "We are really enjoying ourselves as a cast," he commented. "We're creating something on stage, and we invite the community to come live the experience with us. We want to share it with them."

"Once Upon a Mattress" features a cast and crew of 82 students. It is directed by Brianna Wilhelm, a 2017 Donegal graduate who also directed the fall play, "Clue." That production has been nominated for "Best Play" at the Hershey Theatre Apollo Awards, which will be presented in May.

For tickets to "Once Upon a Mattress," visit http://www.dpa.donegalsd.org.