Wireless Mics and Projection for Once Upon a Mattress

Show guide · Full-length · 9 principals plus a singing, dancing court · Reviewed by Stage Gear staff, October 2026

Stage Gear supplies wireless mics, rentals and projection to school and community theatres across the U.S. Our staff work in theatre; this guide is how we'd mic Once Upon a Mattress.

Who gets a mic

We counted the roles that sing or carry scenes over music: Winnifred, Prince Dauntless, Queen Aggravain, King Sextimus, Lady Larken, Sir Harry, the Minstrel, the Jester and the Wizard. That is 9 body mics plus 2 spares, for 11 channels.

Borderline: King Sextimus is silent for most of the show, but he mimes through "The Minstrel, the Jester and I" and "Man to Man Talk" and finally speaks in the last scene, so he needs a working mic by the finale. The Wizard is the first role to drop on a 10-channel budget; his scenes are short and mostly with the Queen, so a spare or area mic can cover him. Princess No. 12 and the Kitchen Wench have brief moments that area mics usually handle.

Bigger budget: add packs for Sir Studley, Lady Mabelle and the three named Ladies-in-Waiting (Rowena, Merrill and Lucille), who lead court moments, for about 16 channels. The "Nightingale Lullaby" is listed as an orchestra cue, so it needs no singer's mic; if your director adds an offstage voice, use a wired or handheld mic in the wings.

Mic plot

Every Bodymic is wired for one transmitter family: Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, MiPro or Creative Audio. Build your Bodymics to match the packs you own. Cast Pack: every 4 Bodymics of the same style and capsule size earn a 5th free. This plot is a starting point; change any row to suit your cast.

The ensemble

The Ladies-in-Waiting, Knights and the rest of the court sing as a group in "Opening for a Princess," the Act II opening and the finale, and dance "The Spanish Panic." Cover them with 3–4 area or choir mics along the stage edge and bring big group moments downstage. If a featured lady or knight gets a solo line, a spare body mic is simpler than adding a channel.

Show notes from our team

• Winnifred's wet entrance. Winnifred arrives having swum the moat. If you use real water, seal her pack in a moisture cover and dry the element before "Shy." A spray-bottle wet look is much safer for mics.
• The silent King speaks at the end. King Sextimus mimes all evening, so his channel stays down for most cues. Mark the moment he regains his voice in the mixing script so the board operator brings him up on time.
• Crowded court scenes. The Queen, Dauntless, Winnifred and the court trade lines quickly in the arrival and sensitivity-test scenes. Keep only the speaking principals' faders up to avoid feedback and a hollow, phasey sound.
• The mattress stack. Winnifred climbs and lies on a tall stack of mattresses for the sleepless-night scene. Place her pack where she will not lie on it, and route the cable so it cannot snag on the climb.

Projection

Once Upon a Mattress moves between the throne room, the castle courtyard, the Wizard's chamber and the bedchamber with its towering mattress stack, and all of these suit projected scenery that changes locations without big set moves. Most school auditoriums need 7,000–10,000 lumens with the right lens; smaller black boxes need less.

Our sister company Broadway Media makes Scenic Projections for Once Upon a Mattress. Not sure which projector? Read Stage Projectors for Digital Scenery.

Rent it for the run, or own it

Buying for a school? U.S. public schools can pay by purchase order. How school ordering works.

Common questions

How many wireless mics does Once Upon a Mattress need?

Plan on 11 channels: body mics for Winnifred, Dauntless, the Queen, the King, Larken, Sir Harry, the Minstrel, the Jester and the Wizard, plus 2 spares. Cover the Ladies-in-Waiting and Knights with area mics at the stage edge.

Do the Ladies-in-Waiting and Knights need body mics?

Usually not. They sing as a group, so 3–4 area or choir mics along the stage edge cover them. If budget allows, add packs for Sir Studley, Lady Mabelle and the three named Ladies-in-Waiting, who lead court moments.

Does King Sextimus need a mic if he never talks?

Yes, plan one. The King is silent most of the show, but he mimes through two numbers and speaks in the final scene. Keep his channel down until the finale, then bring it up on cue.

Can we rent mics just for our show week?

Yes. Stage Gear rentals run Monday to Monday around tech week, so you have mics for rehearsals and every performance. Systems arrive tested with return labels, and school purchase orders are welcome.

Stage Gear is not a show licensor. Once Upon a Mattress is licensed through Concord Theatricals (R&H Theatricals); production rights come from them. Stage Gear sells and rents the equipment. See you on stage!