Broadway's got an opening for a princess. The New York City Center Encores! revival of Once Upon a Mattress, which played the Manhattan venue earlier this year, will transfer to Broadway's Hudson Theatre with Sutton Foster reprising her performances as Princess Winnifred. Further casting is to be announced.
Performances will begin July 31 ahead of an August 12 opening night. The limited run will continue through November 30.
Featuring a book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer; music by Mary Rodgers; and lyrics by Barer, Once Upon a Mattress is a comedic retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Princess and the Pea. The musical, which premiered Off-Broadway in 1959, launched the career of Carol Burnett, who starred in the work's Off-Broadway and Broadway bows along with a string of live TV performances. The musical has since become a favorite at high schools and theatre groups around the world. This revival features a book adaptation penned by Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Read reviews for the Encores! run here.
Following the Broadway run, Foster will take the revival to Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre via Center Theatre Group, with performances beginning December 10 and continuing through January 5, 2025.
Encores! Artistic Director Lear deBessonet (Into the Woods) staged the January run, and will reprise her work on Broadway, alongside fellow returning creative team members choreographer Lorin Latarro, scenic designer David Zinn, costume designer Andrea Hood, sound designer Kai Harada, and hair and wig designer J. Jared Janas. New for the Broadway bow will be lighting designer Justin Townshend. Cody Renard Richard will serve as production stage manager, and casting is by The Telsey office.
And, it also appears that the transfer will not use the musical's original orchestration as it did in the earlier run. The transfer will feature orchestrations by Bruce Coughlin, who also scored the musical's 1996 Broadway revival. Encores! Music Director Mary-Mitchell Campbell will serve as music supervisor, with Annbritt duChateau as music director.
The upcoming revival will be the eighth Encores! production to play the Main Stem, following earlier transfers of Chicago, The Apple Tree, Gypsy, Finian's Rainbow, After Midnight, Violet (which originated as New York City Center Encores! Off-Center production, also starring Foster), and Into the Woods. A 2000 Encores! concert of Wonderful Town also inspired a full Broadway revival in 2003.
Seaview and Creative Partners Productions are producing.
Tickets will go on sale May 28 at 10 AM ET with a special fan pre-sale. Registration is required at OnceUponaMattress.com. General sales will begin May 29 at 10 AM ET.
See photos from the production's New York City Center run:
Michael Urie and David Patrick Kelly in Once Upon a Mattress
Michael Urie, Sutton Foster, and company of Once Upon a Mattress
David Patrick Kelly, Nikki Renée Daniels, and J. Harrison Ghee in Once Upon a Mattress
Company of Once Upon a Mattress
Michael Urie, Sutton Foster, and company of Once Upon a Mattress
Company of Once Upon a Mattress
Company of Once Upon a Mattress
Francis Jue in Once Upon a Mattress
Harriet Harris, Michael Urie, Cheyenne Jackson, and Nikki Renée Daniels in Once Upon a Mattress
Harriet Harris and Francis Jue in Once Upon a Mattress
J. Harrison Ghee in Once Upon a Mattress
J. Harrison Ghee and company of Once Upon a Mattress
Sutton Foster in Once Upon a Mattress
Sutton Foster in Once Upon a Mattress
Company of Once Upon a Mattress
Sutton Foster and cast of Once Upon a Mattress
Sutton Foster and cast of Once Upon a Mattress
Sutton Foster in Once Upon a Mattress
Nikki Renée Daniels and Cheyenne Jackson in Once Upon a Mattress
