The Broadway Theatre Report: Sutton Foster Returns to Broadway in Once Upon a Mattress

By Ross

Sutton Foster, fresh off that delicious turn in Broadway’s latest revival of Sweeney Todd, will return to the part made famous by Carol Burnett, starring this summer as Princess Winnifred in the musical revival of Once Upon a Mattress but this time on Broadway.

The musical comedy, with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and a book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer, opened off-Broadway in May 1959 and then transferred later that year to Broadway at the Alvin Theatre (the modern Neil Simon Theatre). Moving around to several other Broadway theaters, the show finally settled its mattress down at the St. James Theatre, for a total run of 470 performances. Once Upon A Mattress, directed by George Abbott and choreographed by Joe Layton, marked the Broadway debut of comedian Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred. The musical received a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical as well as a Best Leading Actress nomination for Carol Burnett. The play was written as a humorous adaptation of the 1835 Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea”.

After a quick, and far too brief, two-week engagement at New York City Center’s Encores in January 2024, a run that co-starred Michael Urie as Dauntless, the new adaptation, penned by Amy Sherman-Palladino and directed by Lear deBessonet (Broadway’s Into The Woods), will begin previews at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre on July 31, with an opening night set for August 12. During its run at NYCC’s Encores last January, the cast also included Nikki Renée Daniels as Larken, Cheyenne Jackson as Sir Harry, Harriet Sansom Harris as the Queen, David Patrick Kelly as the King, and J. Harrison Ghee as the Jester. Interestingly, this production cut the role of the Minstrel as well as the song “The Minstrel, the Jester, and I“, and made the Jester, played by Ghee, non-binary using they/them pronouns, with an implied romance between the Jester and the Wizard. On Broadway this summer, Foster will reprise the role of Princess Winifred with further casting to be announced soon. Fingers crossed that they don’t make too many changes, as I was devastated that I missed the Encores run earlier this year.

Following the close of the Broadway run on November 30, Mattress will play a four-week engagement at Center Theatre Groups’ Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles beginning December 10.

The upcoming revival will be the eighth Encores! production to play Broadway after running on the main stage of NYCC. Other notable transfers are 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.

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.