Penn Manor High School, 100 E. Cottage Ave., Millersville, will hold its spring musical on Friday, March 10 and Saturday, March 11. On Friday, the performance will begin at 7:30 p.m., and two performances will be held on Saturday: a matinee at 2 p.m. and the final show at 7:30 p.m. On Thursday, March 9, a special performance will be held at 6:30 p.m. for school staff members. To purchase tickets to the Friday and Saturday shows, visit https://pennmanor.seatyourself.biz.

This year's production is "Once Upon a Mattress," a whimsical twist on the classic tale of "The Princess and the Pea." Randall Frizado, the director of the play, decided to pick this specific musical for a variety of reasons. This is Frizado's first year with Penn Manor's performing arts department, and he wanted to choose a play that would be easily accessible to the students and their different strengths. "Once Upon a Mattress" also has many roles that are not gender-specific, making it easier for Frizado to cast the best actor for each role. "When I first came to Penn Manor, I didn't know the kids and where their strengths lie," said Frizado. "It's a fun and funny play with great music and it made it easier for me to find the person I wanted for each role."

Frizado and the cast have been working tirelessly to prepare for the show and have encountered many challenges that are specific to the play. Due to the playful and comedic nature of "Once Upon a Mattress," the students have learned to step outside of their comfort zones and enjoy the silliness. "It's a goofy play. You have to put yourself out there as this person who's all willy-nilly," said Rayn Andreychek, who will play Prince Dauntless. Andreychek is a freshman at Penn Manor High School and has been involved with theater since he was in sixth grade.

"One of the challenges is not caring what people think," said sophomore Madeline Stern, who will play Princess Winnifred. "There's a whimsical aspect to playing these characters." Stern started dancing at the age of 6 and performed in her first play when she was in sixth grade. Stern also noted that she enjoys the sense of community among her fellow cast members. "It's so much fun getting to interact with each other through music and dancing," Stern said.

"I'm most excited for the audience to see how much the kids have achieved," said Frizado. "I can't wait for the kids to hear the audience laugh for the first time. I think it will give them the energy they need to complete this run of shows."