Actress follows in her mom's footsteps in 'Once Upon a Mattress'

Allison Hartl will take the stage at the Playhouse Thursday in a role she saw her mother perform 15 years ago.

Hartl plays the role of Winifred, the princess in the musical "Once Upon a Mattress," which is based on the fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea."

Hartl's mother, Kathy Klaber-Hartl, performed as Winifred in the last Duluth Playhouse production of the musical.

"I remember watching her do the role when I was younger," said Hartl, who was about 7 at the time.

But seeing her mother perform was not what inspired Hartl toward acting. Actually, it was the other way around.

Hartl's mother, Cathy Klaber-Hartl, was inspired to begin acting by her daughter's passion for the art. "I would hold her absolutely responsible 100 percent," Klaber-Hartl said.

Hartl said she remembers her mother taking her to shows when she was a little girl. At the time, Hartl thought the people acting on the stage got to perform because they showed up at the theater first, she said.

Klaber-Hartl explained about acting to her daughter, and Hartl has been acting as a hobby off and on ever since.

"My mom took me to my first audition, and that's kind of how she got involved too," Hartl said.

Klaber-Hartl's first time on stage was in the chorus of a Hermantown Community Theater production of "Annie" that Hartl was performing in.

"I didn't know what I was getting myself into," Klaber-Hartl said.

Her second role was as Winifred in "Once Upon a Mattress."

The experience was a memorable one for Klaber-Hartl, but she said Hartl probably remembers more about her performance than she does.

Hartl does remember the performance, but through practicing the role herself she's gotten to know the character better, she said.

"All I remember is a goofy, funny kind of character," Hartl said. "And she is goofy, but she's really kind, too."

"Once Upon a Mattress" follows the story of Winifred, a princess from the swamp who is not at all delicate. She comes to the castle of Prince Dauntless the Drab who must marry before anyone else in the kingdom can marry. {IMG2}

The kingdom needs Winifred, but she needs them as much as they need her, Hartl said.

During auditions, Hartl said she decided the only role she would accept was that of Winifred.

With a cousin getting married this summer and a full time job, Hartl said she couldn't spare time for a role she didn't love.

Director Cat Gleason had no idea Hartl's mom had played Winifred or that Hartl had such a strong desire to perform the role, she said.

At auditions, Hartl impressed Gleason. "From the first moment I saw her, I said 'Oh, that's Winifred right there,'" Gleason said.

"Once Upon a Mattress" opens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Playhouse, 506 W. Michigan St.

Klaber-Hartl hasn't seen her daughter perform the role yet, but she said whatever Hartl does with the role, there will be no comparison between mother and daughter.

She has a wonderful voice, and she's been doing this all her life. She didn't wait until she was 35 to try acting, Klaber-Hartl said.

"We're just tremendously proud of her, and I think she will be a wonderful Winifred," Klaber-Hartl said. "I know that her Winifred will be her Winifred."