Once Upon a Mattress, Starring Sutton Foster, Starts Getting Cozy on Broadway Tonight
(Photo: Joan Marcus)
Once Upon a Mattress, the loopy fairy-tale musical comedy starring two-time Tony winner Sutton Foster as Winnifred the Woebegone, begins performances at the Hudson Theatre on July 31, with an official opening set for August 12. Foster is joined by Michael Urie as Prince Dauntless, along with Brooks Ashmanskas as The Wizard, Daniel Breaker as The Jester, Will Chase as Sir Harry, Nikki Renée Daniels as Lady Larken, David Patrick Kelly as King Sextimus and Ana Gasteyer as Queen Aggravain. Kara Lindsay serves as the Winnifred standby.
Rounding out the company are Daniel Beeman, Wendi Bergamini, Cicily Daniels, Taylor Marie Daniel, Ben Davis, Sheldon Henry, Oyoyo Joi, Amanda Lamotte, Sarah Michele Lindsey, Michael Olaribigbe, Adam Roberts, Jeffrey Schecter, Darius Wright and Richard Riaz Yoder.
Directed by Lear deBessonet, the show premiered at New York City Center in January as part of the Encores! 2024 season. Following its limited Broadway engagement, set to run through November 30, Foster and Urie will headline the production in Los Angeles for a four-week engagement at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre from December 10 through January 5, 2025.
Once Upon a Mattress is a comedic twist on the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea. Debuting on Broadway in 1959 starring Carol Burnett, the show features music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and a book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer, which has been newly updated by Emmy-winning Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.
The revival features choreography by Lorin Latarro, scenic design by Tony Award winner David Zinn, lighting design by Tony Award winner Justin Townsend, costume design by Andrea Hood, sound design by Tony Award winner Kai Harada and hair and wig design by J. Jared Janas. Orchestrations are by Tony Award winner Bruce Coughlin, with music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell and music direction by Annbritt duChateau. Cody Renard Richard serves as production stage manager.
