Meet the cast of Once Upon A Mattress Opening January 9, 2026 at Birmingham Village Players

Birmingham, MI – Bring warmth, charm, laughter and cheer to your new year when Birmingham Village Players presents the classic musical comedy, Once Upon a Mattress, January 9-25, 2026.

This delightful show is a re-telling of the fable, “The Princess and the Pea.” It has been a fan-favorite for over 60 years that gets its spunk from a host of upbeat songs and quirky characters.

“I think this is a show where performers can bring their unique gifts to these roles,” said Director Jay Kaplan of Oak Park. “They bring their enthusiasm to the songs they sing, the dances they dance, and the lines that they have to say.”

Valencia Morgan of Southfield plays Princess Winifred. She sings like a dream and brings her humor, silliness, and warmth that will make the audience fall in love with her. This is her first time performing with Village Players.

Noah Hanahan of St. Clair Shores has a gawkiness and nerdy energy as Prince Dauntless, but in real life he’s a national championship volleyball player who travels around the country when he's not working and doing shows

Betsy Steinart-King of Grosse Pointe Farms has a rich singing voice that lends itself well to the character of the imperious bossy Queen Aggravain.

Farmington’s Alonza Luzod plays the Queen’s silent husband who adorably communicates through pantomime.

Husband and wife, Mike and Pam Dundas of Southfield, have been members of BVP since the mid-1990’s and are delighted to be appearing on stage together.

The Jester is 19-year-old Charlie Allinder of Milford and he’s also the Assistant Choreographer. He’s been dancing for 12 years. Enjoy his talent while you can. He’ll pursue his training at The Australian Institute of Music in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia in January 2027.

From the Michigan Opera Theater stage to Birmingham Village Players, Nasir Naseem of Southfield, is a versatile and dynamic performer who brings a bit of eccentric goofiness to his role as the Wizard.

We have the lovely voices and chemistry of Curtis Moore (Holly) and Shannafay Guyton (Pontiac) as the young lovers Sir Harry and Lady Larken.

The Nightingale/Ensemble, Lauren Fuller Neuwirth of Troy, is a theatre/choir teacher for Southfield Arts and Technology High School by day and in her free time she also hosts a local theatre/comedy podcast, Down Stage Left Podcast.

Ensemble member Shawn Polito (Royal Oak) has also shared his love of theater for many years with High School students as both a Director and Technical Director in addition to working at local radio and television stations.

Several members of the cast first shared their talents on the BVP stage in last year’s production of Memphis and are now bringing their amazing energy to this show. They include Jayshona Boxx (Dearborn), Alexis Dawson (Bloomfield Hills), Tia Hockenhull (Southfield), and HayLee Richardson (Warren).

Additionally, BVP is delighted to welcome so many new performers both on and off their stage including Khalil Collier (Beverly Hills), Quinn Fritz (Commerce), Odera Office (Detroit), Branden R. Omoregie (Farmington Hills), Max Rotenberg (Farmington Hills), and Co-Producer Laura Melton (Bloomfield Hills).

“There’s a wonderful eclectic ensemble of singers and dancers who work hard and demonstrate their love and enthusiasm for this show at every rehearsal,” said Kaplan. Kaplan also has high praise for his backstage crew.

Eastpointe’s Shalayla (Suga Shay) Williams is the Lead Choreographer and another Memphis alum. She’s also the choreographer for the Detroit Youth Choir and was featured as the facilitating choreographer on the Disney + original docuseries Choir.

Curtis Rowe is the music director who brings joy teaching the music to the cast and whose warm presence inspires everyone.

Producers Susie Gardiner and Laura Melton, set designer Gene Czewski, lighting designer Shania Chenaub, and costumer Linda Watson, not only bring their expertise to the production elements, but also their love for this show.

“There's a reason why Mattress remains such a popular musical more than 60 years later. It’s fun, it's upbeat, and it's all about how we should never underestimate the underdog,” said Kaplan. “That message still resonates today.”

Don’t miss your chance to experience this delightful production. Once Upon a Mattress runs January 9-25, 2026 at Birmingham Village Players. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7:30PM, and Sunday matinees start at 2PM.

Individual reserved tickets are $30 (includes ticketing fee). Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office, 248-644-2075, or by placing an order on the website, www.birminghamvillageplayers.com. Once Upon A Mattress with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer. Once Upon A Mattress is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals www.concordtheatricals.com

On Wednesday, January 7th at 7:30P, Birmingham Village Players will present a special benefit performance of Once Upon a Mattress to raise money and awareness for The Franciscan Outreach Program at Church of the Transfiguration, a nonprofit organization in Southfield dedicated to collecting, storing, and distributing food to those in need. Tickets are available on the website.

About The Village Players:

The Village Players of Birmingham, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit community theater, presents high quality dramatic, comedic, and musical productions. Everyone is invited to participate on stage, backstage or as an audience member in the theater's main stage, youth theater, and Playwrights @ Work productions and programs. The Village Players have been entertaining the community from its location at 34660 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham since 1926.