Sutton Foster Was Upset When She Got the Title Role in Annie... Because She Wanted to Be Pepper

Hope you're sitting down theatre fans. There was once a moment in time in which Sutton Foster didn't want the lead.

The two-time Tony winner shared lots about her theatrical background—including an early local news appearance at the tender age of 10!—on a recent visit to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She shares that one of her earliest auditions was for a local production of Annie, and how Foster had set her eyes on rambunctious orphan Pepper. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the theatre gods intervened and got her cast in the title role anyway.

Foster was visiting The Tonight Show to talk about her upcoming Broadway return in Once Upon a Mattress. Watch the full appearance above to find out how she found out she had the blessing of the musical's legendary original star, Carol Burnett, to bring the show back to the Main Stem.

Foster will lead the revival, a transfer from New York City Center Encores!, as Princess Fred beginning July 31 at the Hudson Theatre. Opening night will be August 12, with the limited run continuing through November 30.

The Anything Goes and Sweeney Todd star will be joined by Ana Gasteyer as Queen Aggravain, Michael Urie as Prince Dauntless, Nikki Renée Daniels as Lady Larken, Will Chase as Sir Harry, Daniel Breaker as the Jester, Brooks Ashmanskas as the Wizard, and David Patrick Kelly as King Sextimus the Silent. Wicked and Newsies star Kara Lindsay will be the standby Princess Winnifred.

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.

Following the Broadway run, Foster and Urie (further casting is to be announced) 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 earlier 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; hair, wig, and makeup designer J. Jared Janas; and physical comedy and effect designer Skylar Fox. 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's Craig Burns.

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 a 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 are on sale at OnceUponaMattress.com.

See photos from the production's New York City Center run: