Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette Sir Harry, played by Adam Shaffer, consults Princess Winnifred's long list of titles during "Once Upon A Mattress." A disbelieving Queen Aggravain, played by Stefanie Kraycar, and a hopeful Prince Dauntless, played by Jake Wattenphul, are at left. Click photo for larger image. Photo gallery View more pictures from Franklin Regional's "Once Upon A Mattress" as a click-through gallery of as thumbnails. More musicals An index to the Post-Gazette's coverage of this season's high school musicals.

Spring is waiting in the wings, already announced, not by the first robin, but by the earliest high school musicals.

In southwestern Pennsylvania, these happy annual rituals first appear at the end of February, then start popping up all over these first weeks of March, continuing, except for a pause at Easter, right through April and trickling into May.

As with other heralds of spring, the early ones are really products of the dark days of winter. For months, high schools have buzzed with preparation. No matter how much joy there is in the few hours of performance, the true heart of the musical is that long gestation. It's one of the biggest cooperative ventures of the year, drawing on the skills and energy of students, staff and parents from sectors of school and community that rarely have occasion to work together so energetically, happily and well.

Performances glow with this unseen commitment and hard work. That's what I felt Saturday at "Once Upon a Mattress," staged by Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville. Individual scenes depend on individual talents; the real taste of group endeavor comes elsewhere. At Franklin Regional, I felt it most vividly in the lobby and at the curtain call.

By design but also by natural dynamic, the lobby felt like a town fair thronged with all ages, a whole community on holiday. There was food filling several tables in different directions, not just an elaborate bake sale but also hot dogs, popcorn and more. (Only coffee was missing, so I tried to get the caffeine equivalent from chocolate, stuffing myself with brownies.) There were balloons to buy, and flowers, T-shirts and medieval souvenirs, including even magic peas. But mainly there were happy, enthusiastic people.

	Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette Kim Adams, left, a dancer in the ensemble, and Lindsay Mason fix their makeup in the girls' dressing room backstage during intermission. Click photo for larger image.

The curtain call was such fun because Director Matt Wolfgang put 93 students on stage (in addition to the 27 more in Nicole Wolfgang's professionally augmented orchestra, and who knows how many backstage). And thanks to the colorful costumes designed by student Ryan Park, the cast made a brilliant and jubilant final tableau across the broad front of the stage.

I could have drunk in that picture much longer than it lasted. Part of the pleasure was that you could actually see them all, shining with the high of performance, reflecting back the audience's love.

But you couldn't always see them throughout the show itself. Wolfgang wisely moved the ensemble up and down the aisles in a couple of production numbers. But sometimes they were packed onstage so thickly that only the front row could do anything with Kim Meyers Merge's choreography, and there wasn't room to do much. If Franklin Regional continues to cast everyone who tries out -- a laudable policy -- future set designs should include different levels, so the performers can be better seen.

Based on the fairy tale of the Princess and the pea, "Once Upon a Mattress" tells a comic story about a domineering queen, cowed prince, randy king stricken mute by his wife's volubility and a very improbable princess.

Winnifred the Woebegone she's called, or Fred, for short, and she's a galumphing delight. A self-assured Abbi Novic gave her a determined deadpan enthusiasm that was both endearing and funny. Her fit complement was Jake Wattenphul's Prince Dauntless, more woebegone than she, but with a naturally sweet smile, who gradually blossomed into a young man able to seize his good luck.

Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette Top to bottom: Caroline Franzke (Lady Merril), Lauren Rybacki (Lady Rowena), center, Vanessa Lora (Princess No. 12), and Jocelyn Babich (Lady Lucille) watch from backstage as two characters perform a kiss scene in "Once Upon A Mattress." Click photo for larger image.

That meant standing up to Queen Aggravain, played by Stephanie Kraycar as a shrill, energetic tyrant, topped by a deliciously ridiculous Wagnerian headdress. Some of the weirder psychology of the family dynamic was lost, as is natural when actors are all about the same age. But we probably wouldn't enjoy too realistic an image of a smothering mother, anyway.

The comic hit of the show was Mike Marchetti's King Sextimus, a mime role into which Marchetti threw himself with winning invention. The Jester turned female, giving the acrobatic Mallory Merge a chance to lead the "Very Soft Shoes" number, converted into a kick-line with 17 silver-clad female dancers led by dance captain Renee Revetta.

Lindsay Pingor made a fetching, sweet-voiced Lady Larkin, the bimbo opposite the equally bimbonic Sir Harry of Adam Shaffer. David Sandness handled the Minstrel's prologue song with aplomb.

With the exception of a couple of the leads, the production wasn't strong on acting, but that was made up for by its visual pageantry -- chiefly those varied costumes, made entirely by the cast and parents. Like an explosion in a paint factory, they were heavy on strong primary colors, plus plenty of witty details.

Michael Chambers' set featured some pretty windows and never necessitated long set changes. But it was disappointing that the show did tend to come to a stop between scenes, with the cast slow to take positions and the capable orchestra waiting rather than vamping to maintain momentum.

That crowded blocking meant it was sometimes hard to figure out just who was talking and where they were. And the humor of the many huge implements pulled out of the stacked mattresses at the end was muffled.

But youth, numbers, energy and enthusiasm triumphed. I especially liked the Act 1 trio ("The Minstrel, the Jester and I") and the antic Act 1 finale.

As befits a community event, the program was thick with affection and support. The audience turned out in large numbers, assuring that the self-supporting enterprise will have production funds for next year. Franklin Regional is building a fine tradition.

	Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette King Sextimus (Mike Marchetti) gives Prince Dauntless (Jake Wattenphulin) a lecture on the birds and the bees in Franklin Regional High School's performance of "Once Upon A Mattress." Click photo for larger image.