I've said it before and I'll say it again: No other amateur community theater troupe in this area does musicals like Stage 62.

		'Copacabana' "Once Upon a Mattress," presented by Stage 62b> Where: Andrew Carnegie Free Library Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Ave., Carnegie. When: 8 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 11 and 12; 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $15; call 412-429-6262.

That group's current production, Mary Rodgers' sweetly funny "Once Upon a Mattress," does nothing to alter that judgment. While not as jaw droppingly impressive as its recent, nearly flawless "Into the Woods," Stage 62 has still put together a cast, orchestra and production team for "Mattress" that could hold its own with many a professional entity.

With the help of librettists Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer and Dean Fuller, Ms. Rodgers, daughter of composing legend Richard, retells the story of "The Princess and the Pea," featuring an off-kilter bunch of 15th century zanies. The king (Patrick Palamara) is mute, the queen (Marianne Shaffer) is not, but everyone wishes she was, and their son (Brian Naccarelli) is named Prince Dauntless the Drab.

When Dauntless insists that his overbearing and weirdly attentive mother allow him to marry, the queen devises a test of worthiness for his potential bride: A real princess would be so sensitive that she would experience discomfort if a small pea is placed under 20 mattresses upon which she is supposed to sleep. The poor girl, of course, is likely to fail the test, but members of the court try to stack the deck -- or the mattresses -- in her favor.

Director Rick Campbell manages his large cast deftly, pulling off some tricky blocking with grace and style. Kristen Bixby's choreography is spotty, but the bright moments outnumber the dark. Solo and ensemble singing is well above typical community theater standards. Music director Evonne Henry and her musicians play the mostly upbeat score with the playful bounciness needed to make the numbers fun.

Individual standouts include Ms. Shaffer, who handles the queen's rapid-fire kvetching with ease and delivers a punch line with the best of them. Cara Walkowiak is funny, appealing and in fine voice in the physically demanding role of the prince's potential bride, who is so intent on filling the opening that she swims the moat rather than wait for the drawbridge to fall.

As the knight who is commissioned by the prince to find him a bride, John Baumgardner shows off a nice tenor/baritone in a couple of solos and a pretty fair set of gams in costume designer Mr. Campbell's Elizabethan-era garb.

Mr. Palamara shows a gift for mime as the voiceless king, Becca Smith makes a lovely and vocally adept lady-in-waiting and Andy Folmer pleases as the jester, especially in his dance-heavy solo number.