Thursday, October 1, 2026
Students in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s Extended School Year program took to the screen Aug. 13 with a production of “Once Upon a Mattress,” continuing an 11-year tradition of giving students with special needs an opportunity to perform in a supportive, creative environment.
The film was shown at Merrick Avenue Middle School for family members, teachers, administrators and other supporters. About 50 students participated in this year’s production, according to Kathy Brickmeier, a Calhoun High School paraprofessional who writes and directs the shows.
The musical, a comedic adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Princess and the Pea,” follows Prince Dauntless as his mother, Queen Aggravain, tries to prevent him from finding a bride. Princess Winnifred the Woebegone arrives and challenges the queen’s plans while winning over the prince.
For the students, however, the production is about more than the fairy tale.
The six-week ESY program serves students with special education needs ages 11 to 21. Along with academics, students participate in social activities, trips, recreation and enrichment opportunities.
“It’s also to help with socialization,” Brickmeier said. “They do have the academic part of the day, but they also play outside, they go on trips ... and they do act.”
Brickmeier and her son, Vonn, began filming the productions about 11 years ago after recognizing that traditional theater could create challenges for some students. Vonn serves as the production’s cameraman and film editor.
“We started this program years ago when we realized that the special ed. kids enjoy performing, but unfortunately, remembering lines and the occasional case of stage fright interfered with the kids performing,” Vonn said.
Filming allows students to do multiple takes when they forget a line or make a mistake, removing some of the pressure associated with performing live. Vonn said the approach helps “level the playing field” for the actors.
Brickmeier said students can initially be nervous when they enter a set filled with green screens, lights, costumes and props. Staff members gradually introduced them to the equipment and characters.
“We let them see themselves on camera, just to break them in, so to speak,” she said.
Preparing the production also requires extensive work. Brickmeier begins adapting the script weeks before the ESY program starts, cutting the original production to about 40 minutes and removing material that may not be appropriate or easily understood by the students.
Because memorizing lines can be difficult for some performers, individual lines are printed and held near the camera as a makeshift teleprompter.
Brickmeier estimates production requires 250 to 275 hours of work, while Vonn spends at least five hours a day editing the footage.
The pair have produced musicals including “Oliver Twist,” “Les Misérables,” “Into the Woods,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “Seussical the Musical.”
Technology has expanded production in recent years. Vonn uses green-screen effects, and this year incorporated artificial intelligence to create animated scenes and backgrounds. One scene featured a student riding a horse through a forest.
“The kids loved it,” Brickmeier said. “They loved how we were able to animate them in some scenes.”
Vonn said the productions allow students to step outside their everyday routines.
“They have the ability to escape from reality for a few minutes,” he said.
At the premiere, students cheered for their peers as family members, teachers, administrators and even bus drivers applauded the performances.
“It’s just pure joy,” Brickmeier said.
Vonn said the most rewarding part is watching students reach their potential and capturing those moments on film.
“It’s just so touching to see them reach their maximum potential, and to be able to capture that so that others can see it too,” he said.
For Brickmeier, the production creates an atmosphere where students can discover their abilities while supporting one another.
“It’s an atmosphere of acceptance and of being creative and having fun,” she said. “They really support each other.”
