Once Upon a One More Time

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Once Upon A One More Time
215px
Playbill of the Broadway production
Music Various
Lyrics Various
Book Jon Hartmere
Basis Songs recorded by Britney Spears
Premiere November 30, 2021 (2021-11-30): Sidney Harman Hall, Washington D.C.
Productions 2021 Washington, D.C.
2023 Broadway

Once Upon a One More Time is a jukebox musical based on songs popularized by Britney Spears. Set in a fantasy storybook realm, the plot follows numerous fairy-tale characters transformed by a feminist awakening.[1][2]

Following a 2021 tryout in Washington, D.C., the Broadway production opened at the Marquis Theatre on June 22, 2023.[3]

Premise

While gathered together at a reading group for fairy-tale princesses, Cinderella makes a desperate wish for a story beyond Grimms' Fairy Tales. A fairy godmother grants her wish, introducing the enchanted land to The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. The book emboldens the likes of Snow White, the Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and the Princess and the Pea to gain a new perspective on themselves, as they realize waiting around to be rescued or kissed by a prince isn't the only road to 'happily ever after'. [4]

Development

Work on a musical based around Britney Spears songs was initially announced in May 2017.[5] A year later Britney attended the first reading of the musical.[6] Theater owner James L. Nederlander announced Once Upon a One More Time would be staged by Broadway In Chicago at the Nederlander Theatre in late fall 2019 prior to a New York City transfer.[7]On May 15, 2023 James L. Nederlander and Hunter Arnold confirmed that Once Upon A One More Time is fully authorized and licensed by Britney Spears, and that the license agreement was negotiated, agreed to and signed post-conservatorship by the Grammy-winner in 2022.[8]

Productions

Canceled Chicago premiere (2020)

Once Upon a One More Time was initially scheduled to premiere October 29, 2019 in Chicago, but was soon delayed to the following year.[9][10] The musical premiere at the James M. Nederlander Theatre was then scheduled for April 14, 2020, running through May 17 (anticipating New York previews at the Marquis Theatre on June 26, and a Broadway opening July 30).[11] But on March 12, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker announced a ban on all large gatherings through May 1, 2020, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[12] As a result of widespread theatre closures across the United States, producers canceled the Chicago engagement.[13]

Prior to the cancelation of the Chicago engagement, producers announced casting Briga Heelan as Cinderella and Justin Guarini as Prince Charming,[14] with direction and choreography by Keone and Mari Madrid, the acclaimed husband-wife duo whose choreography work includes Disney's "Us Again", "Beyond Babel", and music videos & appearances for Justin Bieber, BTS, Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran, Flying Lotus, and Kendrick Lamar.[15]

In an interview on the podcast Turning Cole Into Diamonds, actor Kevin Trinio Perdido confirmed that the production remained slated for a Broadway debut in 2022, even without Chicago previews.[16]

Washington DC (2021)

When theater operations resumed following the Covid-19 pandemic, the show announced a new world premiere run, at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington DC, from November 30, 2021 to January 3, 2022 at Sidney Harman Hall.[17] Subsequent demand for tickets extended the engagement to January 9, to become the top-selling show in the company's 35-year history. Ahead of the musical's opening night, Peter Marks of the Washington Post wrote that the musical is "one of the most ambitious new musicals in a theater world awakening to a creative new day. Once Upon a One More Time seems a most unlikely cultural mash-up, reframing Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty and a bevy of other storybook characters in an enlightened, modern context. Filling out their story is a narrative inspired by Betty Friedan’s groundbreaking 'The Feminine Mystique,' Spears’s songbook, the choreography of a pair of hip-hop-savvy directors — and “American Idol” runner-up Justin Guarini as Prince Charming."[2]

In a 2021 interview, star Briga Heelan spoke about "how the show explores the content of the stories we pass on, and the effect they have on the aspirations of the listeners. This raises the question of what kinds of fairy tales we want the next generation to take as their own. Our show speaks to the legacy and the history of these princess stories.” Justin Guarini added, "People are going to come expecting a jukebox musical light, and they’re going to be very pleasantly surprised when they recognize that this is an emotional journey, a beautiful story of discovery and redemption. It turns out that we are able to marry these songs that we cherish to a new set of ideas and concepts. And they take on a whole new life.”[2]

Reviews of the Washington D.C. production praised the cast's exuberant performances, as well as the musical's clever and timely script. “Once Upon A One More Time is as thought-provoking as it is toe-tapping, as clever as it is hilarious, as bold as it is shiny, and a bona fide success." (DC Metro Theater Arts).[18] Broadway World wrote "the show's high-energy numbers are so full of sharp choreography and powerful vocal performances, you'll want to keep dancing and singing, even after these numbers are over.”[19]The Washington Post lauded Briga Heelan's "winning caliber of poise in her portrayal of Cinderella… and the cast, nearly two dozen strong, meets the material with the zest demanded of them,” but also expressed concern that the production is "vibrating on hyperdrive" and "packs in too many songs."[20] Some critics debated the show's aim to appeal to multiple generations - DC Metro Theater Arts critic John Stoltenberg wrote, “Once Upon A One More Time wakes up centuries of bedtime stories, and I predict it will be an intergenerational smash.” [21] Maya Phillips of The New York Times wrote "The audience cheered at the clever pairings of songs with plot points, like an unfaithful prince singing “Oops! … I Did It Again” or Cinderella’s evil stepmother singing “Toxic." But as I watched the show, I wondered: Who is the target audience? So many Broadway shows are aimed at a general audience, and similarly, this one seems to want to appeal to both children and adults."[22]

Broadway (2023)

A Broadway run at the Marquis Theatre began previews on May 13, 2023, with the opening planned for June 22.[23] Keone and Mari Madrid once again directed and choreographed. Heelan, Guarini, Jackson, and Lauren Zakrin all reprised their respective roles as Cinderella, Prince Charming, Snow White, and The Little Mermaid. Tony nominees Jennifer Simard and Adam Godley replaced Emily Skinner and Michael McGrath as the Stepmother and the Narrator. Britney Spears has expressed her love and approval of the show, and it has been made public that the licensing for using her music was reached after her conservatorship.[24] The Broadway production has received mixed reviews, lauding the design elements and choreography, but criticizing the weak plot and book.

Musical numbers

Washington, D.C. (2021)

The show features 23 songs originally recorded by Spears. This set list is the version performed in Washington, D.C.

Broadway (2023)

Casting

Character Washington, DC (2021) Broadway (2023)
Cinderella Briga Heelan
Prince Charming Justin Guarini
Stepmother Emily Skinner Jennifer Simard
Narrator Michael McGrath Adam Godley
Fairy Godmother (The O.F.G.) Brooke Dillman
Snow White Aisha Jackson
Belinda MiMi Scardulla Amy Hillner Larsen [25]
Betany Tess Soltau
Belle Belinda Allyn Liv Battista
Rapunzel Wonu Ogunfowora Gabrielle Beckford
Esmeralda Pauline Casiño
Sleeping Beauty Ashley Chiu
Gretel Selene Haro
Prince Brawny Joshua Daniel Johnson
Goldilocks Amy Hillner Larsen Ryah Nixon
Clumsy/Prince Ebullient Raymond J. Lee Nathan Levy
Red Riding Hood Jennifer Florentino Justice Moore
Prince Mischievous Kevin Trinio Perdido
Prince Gregarious Mikey Ruiz
Prince Erudite Ryan Steele
Prince Suave Stephen Brower Josh Tolle
Little Girl Adrianna Weir
Mila Weir		 Mila Weir
Isabella Ye
Princess Pea Morgan Whitley
Prince Affable Stephen Scott Wormley
Little Mermaid Lauren Zakrin

Film adaptation

Sony Pictures acquired film rights to Once Upon a One More Time in April 2019, with Spears producing alongside her ex-manager Larry Rudolph and John Davis through his company Davis Entertainment.[26]

See also

  • & Juliet, a jukebox musical based on the music of Max Martin, including five songs made famous by Spears

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Replaced an injured Ryann Redmond during previews. https://www.instagram.com/p/CtHUTycu0jl/?hl=en
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.


<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Stub icon

This musical theatre related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Once_Upon_a_One_More_Time&oldid=727021095"