HOW Y'ALL ALL DOING BROADWAY FANS?! You are waking up with New York Broadway Tours as we continue to countdown to Broadway?s biggest night of the year just 35 DAYS AWAY?. The 73rd Annual Tony Awards. We have more of the best show stopping performances from the previous telecasts on our TOP 40 TONY AWARDS COUNTDOWN.
At # 35 on our countdown, we travel to a 15th Century fairytale kingdom. There, a test has been made for one lucky lady to marry the handsome prince struggling to find the bride of his dreams. However, everything turns upside down when a unique princess from the swamps arrives on the scene. This is the beloved musical comedy classic?.. Once Upon A Mattress. The show features a score by Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer along with a book by Barer, Jay Thompson, and Dean Fuller. It?s a musical comedy retelling of the classic fairy tale THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA.
From the 1997 telecast, Sarah Jessica Parker as ?Princess Winnifred? and the cast of the 1996 Broadway revival perform once of the musical?s signature songs SHY.
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS originally was consisted as an Off Broadway show. It premiered in 1959 at the Phoenix Theatre (which today is now the Village East Cinema on the Lower East Side). A few months later, it moved to Broadway?s Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre) for 460 performances. The reviews were mixed. Under the direction of George Abbott and choreography by Joe Layton, the cast consisted of?
The legendary Carol Burnett in her breakout performance (and then later Ann B Davis) as ?Princess Winnifred?,
Joe Bova as ?Prince Dauntless?,
Allen Case (later Will Lee) as ?Sir Harry?,
Anne Jones as ?Lady Larken?,
Matt Mattox as ?The Jester?,
Jack Gifford as ?King Sextimus?,
Jane White as ?Queen Aggravain?,
Harry Snow as ?The Minstrel?,
and more.
The show was nominated for 2 Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Leading Actress in a Musical (for Carol Burnett) but lost both its categories.
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS went on to play London?s West End and on tour across America. The show was revived twice in New York City.
The first ON Broadway revival happened in 1996 at the Broadhurst Theatre for 223 performances. Under the direction of Gerald Gutierrez and choreography by Liza Gennaro, the cast featured?.
Sarah Jessica Parker as ?Princess Winnifred?,
David Aaron Baker as ?Prince Dauntless?,
Lewis Cleale as ?Sir Harry?,
Future Tony winner Jane Krakowskii as ?Lady Larken?,
David Hibbard as ?The Jester?,
the late Heath Lamberts as ?King Sextimus?,
Mary Lou Rosato as ?Queen Aggravain?,
Lawrence Clayton as ?The Minstrel?,
and more.
The production was nominated for only 1 Tony Award in 1997 for Best Revival of a Musical. However, it lost the category.
Most recently, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS returned to its original routes OFF Broadway back in 2015. Produced by the Transport Group Theatre Company, it played the Abrons Arts Center Playhouse for a limited engagement of 48 performances. Under the direction of Jack Cummings III and choreographed by Scott Rink, the cast featured?.
Jackie Hoffman as ?Princess Winnifred?,
Jason SweetTooth Williams as ?Prince Dauntless?,
Zach Resnick as ?Sir Harry?,
Jessica Fontana as ?Lady Larken?,
Cory Linger as ?The Jester?,
David Greenspan as ?King Sextimus?,
John Epperson as ?Queen Aggravain?,
Hunter Ryan Herdlicka as ?The Minstrel?,
and more.
Along with its success on the stage, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS was well received on the screen 3 times.
The first filmed presentation was an abridged 90 minute live televised version for CBS back in 1964. For this abridged several scenes and songs were cut (including the role of ?Sir Harry?). Filmed in black and white, the cast was consisted of majority of the original cast and several newcomers to the musical consisting of?.
Carol Burnett reprising her breakout performance as ?Princess Winnifred?,
Joe Bova reprising the role of ?Prince Dauntless?,
Shani Wallis as ?Lady Larken?,
Elliott Gould as ?The Jester?,
Jack Gifford reprising the role of ?King Sextimus?,
Jane White reprising the role of? Queen Aggravain?,
Bill Hayes as ?The Minstrel?,
and more.
The 2nd filmed presentation was another 90 minute abridged CBS television special in 1972. This version also featured several characters, scenes and songs that were cut (including the removement of ?The Minstrel? featuring the opening song now being performed by Carol Burnett as a bedtime lullaby). Filmed in color, the cast was consisted of majority of the original cast once again and several newcomers to the musical consisting of?.
Carol Burnett reprising her breakout performance as ?Princess Winnifred?,
Ken Berry as ?Prince Dauntless?
Bernadette Peters as ?Lady Larken?,
Wally Cox as ?The Jester?,
Jack Gifford reprising the role of ?King Sextimus?,
Jane White reprising the role of "Queen Aggravain?,
and more.
The 3rd and most recent filmed adaptation of the musical was a Television movie for Disney and ABC. Directed and choreographed by Tony winner Kathleen Marshall, the cast featured?
Tracey Ullman as ?Princess Winnifred?,
Tony winner Denis O'Hare as ?Prince Dauntless?,
Tony nominee Matthew Morrison as ?Sir Harry?.
Zooey Deschanel as ?Lady Larken?,
Tom Smothers as ?King Sextimus?,
Carol Burnett this time taking on the role of ?Queen Aggravain?,
and more.
Today, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS is a popular musical performed in schools, community, and regional theaters everywhere.
Isn?t this musical such a fun fairy tale musical comedy?
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