UKIAH, Calif. – The Mendocino College Theatre Department’s current production, “Once Upon a Mattress” is a raucous, entertaining re-envisioning of the “Princess and the Pea” with a heroine who, unlike the original, takes the bull by the horns and fashions her own Happily Ever After.

In the realm of fairy tale retellings, the play itself may not have the most inventive of plot twists, but who can resist a princess who swims a moat to catch her prince? Or story characters who answer to the names of Princess Winnifred Woebegone, Prince Dauntless the Drab and King Sextimus the Silent?

From the over-the-top antics of the Wizard (Shannon Sawyer), the chirrupy Queen Aggravain (Denise Doering), to the mostly silent (due to a curse that has rendered him mute), but very expressive King Sextimus, the large ensemble cast enthusiastically embraces roles that range from the slightly absurd to the downright comedic.

The result is a highly energetic production that’s sure to amuse and delight audiences of all ages.

It’s the 15th century in a faraway Kingdom, and Lady Larkin (Lindsey Chapman) is in a bit of a pickle.

She is pregnant but is unable to marry her gallant knight, Sir Harry (Eddie Haehl) because Queen Aggravain has decreed that no one in her land shall marry until her precious son, Prince Dauntless (August Kaster), has found a wife.

This, however, is turning out to be an impossible task as every potential bride has to prove herself to be a true princess by passing a test designed by the shrewish Queen.

“A princess is a delicate thing, delicate and dainty as a dragonfly’s wing. You can recognize a lady by her elegant air, but a genuine princess is exceedingly rare,” sings the Minstrel (Maria A. Monte) who also helps narrate the story.

At the play’s opening, 12 princesses have already tried and failed to win Queen Aggravaine’s approval, prompting Sir Harry to travel beyond the kingdom into the marshlands in search of a proper princess.

However, who shows up at the castle door – or over the wall, rather – is Princess Woebegone, wet and bedraggled after having just swum across the moat in her eagerness to meet the Prince, spunky and boisterous, and as undainty and indelicate as she can possibly be.

Much to Queen Aggravain’s chagrin, Prince Dauntless falls hopelessly in love with her. But of course, she must pass the test. In this case, a pea under a pile of twenty mattresses.

If Princess Woebegone sleeps undisturbed through the night, she’s not a true princess at all, and Prince Dauntless must remain haplessly single.

To aid the dastardly plot along, Queen Aggravaine throws a ball and demands that everyone dances the Spanish Panic (to tire Woebegone out) and spikes the princess’ drink with a sedative.

The ensuing dance numbers are a hilarious whirlwind of quick steps and mad cavorting as Woebegone alternately wields a weight over her head to showcase her strength, and drinks goblet after goblet of wine.

The cast exuberantly leads the audience through rompy, toe tapping tunes such as “Song of Love”, the amusing “Man to Man Talk”, and a rousing “Once Upon a Mattress” finale.

Most notable in their roles are Blare Elliot whose strong vocals and bouncy performance charmingly embodies the ever-jaunty and buoyant Princess Woebegone and Schuyler Marcier as the mute King Sextimus, humorously pantomiming his way through most of the show.

This being a fairy tale, the princess triumphs and wins her prince, but getting there is all the fun in this production.

“Once upon a Mattress” runs through March 31 in the Center Theatre at the Mendocino College Ukiah campus. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday March 31 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are available at the Mendocino College Bookstore on the college campus, at the Mendocino Book Co. in downtown Ukiah and also online at www.artsmendocino.org . Prices are $20 for adults and $15 for students, seniors, and ASMC cardholders.

For more information, call 707-468-3172 or visit http://www.mendocino.edu/the-arts/theatre.

The Mendocino College Ukiah campus is located at 1000 Hensley Creek Road.