Broadway

April 23 is World Book Day, and Broadway is a feast for book lovers this season. There are numerous [new play and musical adaptations of novels](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/from-page-to-stage-how-bestselling-books-became-broadway-blockbusters) on stage this season: [*The Wiz*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/27115-the-wiz-tickets), [*The Great Gatsby*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/38749-the-great-gatsby-on-broadway), [*Water for...

Broadway shows to see based on your favorite book

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We're celebrating World Book Day by providing play and musical recommendations for fans of hot new bestsellers, classic novels, and popular authors.

The circus is staying in town! *Water for Elephants* on Broadway has released a new block of tickets for performances through February 2, 2025 at the [Imperial Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/imperial-theatre). Get [*Water for Elephants* tickets](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/34684-water-for-elephants-on-broadway) now.

Adapted from the [bestselling 2006 book by Sara...

'Water for Elephants' tickets now on sale through February 2025

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The critically acclaimed, circus-themed Broadway musical, which stars *The Flash*'s Grant Gustin, is based on the bestselling 2006 novel by Sara Gruen.

Take a first look at [Rachel McAdams](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/rachel-mcadams) on Broadway! The Oscar-nominated actress known for films like [*The Notebook*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/33744-the-notebook-the-musical), *Mean Girls*, and *Spotlight* is making her Broadway debut in the title role of [*Mary Jane*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/6955-mary-jane-tickets), playing at the [Samuel J. Friedman...

See photos of Rachel McAdams and the cast of 'Mary Jane' on Broadway

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The Academy Award nominee makes her Broadway debut in the title role in Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award nominee Amy Herzog's drama about a single mother.

Discover where [Alicia Keys](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/all-the-times-alicia-keys-did-theatre)'s own dreams were made. The 16-time Grammy Award-winning musician has been working on the new Broadway musical [*Hell's Kitchen*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/37579-hells-kitchen-broadway) for over a decade, but its origins reach back to the '90s.

[Loosely inspired by her formative...

How 'Hell's Kitchen' reflects and differs from Alicia Keys' life

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Keys's song catalog makes up this new musical about a young girl coming of age in Manhattan — a story inspired by, but not identical to, Keys's own upbringing.

Come to the cabaret, old chum! Take a first look inside the Kit Kat Club at [*Cabaret*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/32847-cabaret-tickets) on Broadway, starring Academy Award winner [Eddie Redmayne](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/eddie-redmayne) as the Emcee and *Glow*'s [Gayle Rankin](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/gayle-rankin) as Sally Bowles.

Director Rebecca Frecknall's semi-immersive production comes to New York after winning numerous...

See photos of Eddie Redmayne, Gayle Rankin in 'Cabaret' on Broadway

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Director Rebecca Frecknall's semi-immersive, multi-award-winning production from London completely transforms the August Wilson Theatre into the Kit Kat Club.

Rock on! And on! And on! Broadway currently sports three very different shows featuring rock music, a diverse and exciting genre that never gets old. Not to mention, the shows feature rock legends like Pete Townshend, Huey Lewis, and (sort of) Fleetwood Mac.

These shows include the new musical [*The Heart of Rock and Roll*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/36584-the-heart-of-rock-and-roll) at the [James Earl Jones...

Rock music takes the stage in three Broadway shows this spring

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Songs by rock bands The Who and Huey Lewis and The News appear in high-energy musicals alongside a new play with music inspired by the 1970s rock scene.

You're gonna hear her roar! Maya Boyd will be the next Juliet in [*& Juliet*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/25598-and-juliet-tickets) on Broadway, beginning performances on May 14 at the [Stephen Sondheim Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/stephen-sondheim-theatre).

Boyd made her Broadway debut earlier this year in the cast of *Merrily We Roll Along*. In *& Juliet*, she will now replace [Lorna...

Maya Boyd to join '& Juliet' Broadway cast

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After making her Broadway debut earlier this year, the actor will now replace Tony Award nominee Lorna Courtney in the title role of the acclaimed musical.

Welcome to the Russian countryside! Here's your first look at [*Uncle Vanya*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/33211-uncle-vanya) on Broadway, with [Steve Carell](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/steve-carell) making his Broadway debut in the title role. The starry cast, directed by Lila Neugebauer, also includes [Anika Noni Rose](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/anika-noni-rose) (*Caroline, or Change*), [Alfred...

See photos of Steve Carell and the cast of 'Uncle Vanya' on Broadway

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The star of *The Office* makes his Broadway debut in the latest revival of the classic play, which also stars Anika Noni Rose, Alfred Molina, and more.

See two stars, alike in dignity! [Rachel Zegler](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/rachel-zegler) and [Kit Connor](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/kit-connor) will lead a new revival of [*Romeo + Juliet*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/40696-romeo-and-juliet-on-broadway) on Broadway. The Shakespeare production, directed by Sam Gold, will run this fall, with a theatre and dates to be announced.

Zegler is best known for starring as Maria in Steven...

Rachel Zegler, Kit Connor to star in ‘Romeo + Juliet’ on Broadway

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The *West Side Story* and *Heartstopper* stars will play Shakespeare’s tragic young lovers in the production, which features music by Jack Antonoff.

As the star of *The Office*, [Steve Carell](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/steve-carell) may be known for his comedic chops, but the roles he's played since that show’s Emmy Award-winning run have shown he can do so much more. He earned an Oscar nomination for playing a maniacal wrestling coach in *Foxcatcher*, played the father of a drug addict (played by Timothée Chalamet) in *Beautiful Boy*, and now makes his Broadway debut in the title role in Anton Chekhov’s [*Uncle...

All the celebrities who have starred in 'Uncle Vanya,' including Steve Carell

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The award-winning actor, best known for starring in *The Office*, is the latest person to tackle the coveted title role of Chekhov's classic family drama.

Scream and shout! Two new cast members have been set for [*Once Upon a One More Time*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/27127-once-upon-a-one-more-time-on-broadway) on Broadway. The musical begins performances at the [Marquis Theatre](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/marquis-theatre) on May 13 ahead of a June 22 opening night.

Newly announced cast members include two-time Tony Award nominees Jennifer Simard as Stepmother and Adam Godley as the Narrator. Simard is known for her acclaimed performances in *Company* and *Mean Girls* on Broadway, and Godley for *The Lehman Trilogy* and *Anything Goes*. 

They join the previously announced Briga Heelan as Cinderella, Justin Guarini as Prince Charming, and Aisha Jackson as Snow White.

Additional casting has yet to be announced.

The creative team includes creative consultant David Leveaux, scenic designer Anna Fleischle, costume designer Loren Elstein, lighting designer Kenneth Posner, sound designer Andrew Keister, projection designer Sven Ortel, and wig designer Nikiya Mathis.

## What is *Once Upon a One More Time* about?

*Once Upon a One More Time* features an original story by Jon Hartmere set to the chart-topping songs of Britney Spears. When a fairy godmother presents Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and more with *The Feminine Mystique* at their book club, the women learn they can write their own happily ever afters.

Spears songs featured include "...Baby One More Time," "Womanizer," "Oops!...I Did It Again," "Circus," and "Stronger," plus more than a dozen others.

*Photo credit: Jennifer Simard and Adam Godley. (Photos courtesy of production; Simard photo by Sarah Jenkins)*

Jennifer Simard, Adam Godley join 'Once Upon a One More Time' Broadway cast

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Once Upon A One More Time on Broadway - NYC

Genre: Musical (US and AUS)

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Once Upon A One More Time on Broadway

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*Once Upon a One More Time* - a new musical comedy featuring the hits of Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum-selling recording artist Britney Spears - is heading to Broadway stronger than yesterday.

The *Once Upon a One More Time* musical combines the songs of a pop princess with the stories of fairytale princesses. Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and more are part of a book club looking for a new story, and thanks to a fairy godmother, *The Feminine Mystique* appears. Betty Friedan's 1963 book, about how there's more to womanhood than being a housewife, inspires the princesses to rethink their own lives. Is there more to life than waiting around for a prince to bring them happily ever after, or can they create it themselves?

This story is set to more than 20 hit songs by Britney Spears, often referred to as the Princess of Pop. The multi-award-winning singer and musician's songs include "Oops!..I Did It Again," "Toxic," "...Baby One More Time," "Lucky," and "Circus." To date, she has released nine albums and earned a Grammy Award, seven Billboard Music Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, among other accolades.

The show has been in development since 2017, and its first presentation (which Spears attended and approved) was in 2018. The world premiere of *Once Upon a One More Time* was set for 2019 at Chicago's Nederlander Theatre, but it got postponed and then canceled when the pandemic hit. The show finally premiered at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington D.C. in November 2021 ahead of its Broadway transfer.

Two other shows besides *Once Upon a One More Time* on Broadway feature Spears's songs. [*& Juliet*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/25598-and-juliet-tickets), a revisionist sequel to *Romeo & Juliet*, includes five of her songs, and [*Moulin Rouge! The Musical*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/15911-moulin-rouge-the-musical-on-broadway-tickets), an adaptation of Baz Luhrmann's same-named film, includes "Toxic" in a medley. Only *Once Upon a One More Time*, however, exclusively features Spears's catalog.

Once Upon a One More Time - NYC - New York Theatre Guide

Get tickets to Once Upon a One More Time on Broadway from the official New York Theatre Guide. Have a blast at this fairytale musical set to Britney Spears songs.

Once Upon a One More Time Broadway Tickets | Official NY Theatre Guide

The Princess of Pop meets fairytale princesses in this show that will have you dancing 'till the world ends. Hear Britney Spears's hits set to an original story about Cinderella, Snow White, and more discovering there's more to life than princes. See why *Once Upon a One More Time* is making audiences scream and shout — find out more about tickets now.

In *Once Upon a One More Time* on Broadway, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and more are looking for something new to shake up their book club — and suddenly, a fairy godmother brings them *The Feminine Mystique*. Reading this feminist story inspires them to change their own stories. Who knew their destinies weren’t limited to happily ever after with a prince? Their loneliness ain't killing them no more after these princesses discover all the possibilities for their lives.

Spears is one of the most well-known pop artists of the 2000s, with nine albums, a Grammy Award, and 15 Guinness World Records to her name. Since exploding onto the music scene with the *...Baby One More Time* album in 1999, her name has become synonymous with catchy, sexy, and utterly dance-worthy pop tunes. At *Once Upon a One More Time*, you’ll be dancing ‘till the world ends to more than 20 of Spears's biggest hits, like "Circus," "Oops!...I Did It Again," "Toxic," and "Womanizer."

The *Once Upon a One More Time* musical has been in the works since 2017, with Jon Hartmere writing the original story set to Spears's music. After being rescheduled from 2019 in Chicago, the show premiered in D.C. at Shakespeare Theatre Company in 2021.

## What to Watch For

- *Once Upon a One More Time* has Spears's blessing — she attended an early staging in 2018 and loved it. Maybe when the show comes to Broadway, she'll go, baby, one more time!
- *The Feminine Mystique* is a 1963 book by Betty Friedan. The groundbreaking text disproves the false assumption that feminine women only want to be housewives and mothers, arguing they want to work, go to school, and be politically active on their own, too.
- *Once Upon a One More Time* puts creative, unique spins on Spears's songs to fit the fairytale plot. The motivational anthem "Work Bitch" becomes a song about Cinderella's actual housework, and "Toxic," about an alluring lover, is here about the Narrator and his power to change the princesses' stories — for better or worse.
- Cinderella and Snow White lead the princess pack, but look closely during some of the huge group numbers, and you'll see over a dozen of your favorite princesses and fairytale heroines, like Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Belle, Esmeralda, and lots more!
- Two real-life couples are involved in *Once Upon a One More Time*: married director/choreographers Keone and Mari Madrid, and longtime partners Jon Hartmere (bookwriter) and Adam Godley (who plays the Narrator). Talk about real-life fairytales!
- Sony Pictures got the rights for a *Once Upon a One More Time* movie in 2019. There's been no further news since, but we'll scream and shout if a film adaptation happens!

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Once upon a time, Cinderella and her fellow princesses realized that their happy-ever-afters, as written long ago by men, aren't all that happy. So they set out to change that, armed only with a book from the '60s, pop hits from the '90-00s, and each other's support. This new fairytale is the Broadway musical [*Once Upon a One More Time*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/27127-once-upon-a-one-more-time-on-broadway), a spectacle powered by the song catalog of the Princess of Pop: Britney Spears.

*Once Upon a One More Time* is certainly not the first piece of media interested in putting a modern, empowering spin on fairytales — even the notion of the "strong independent princess" has become a tale as old as time. But it certainly is the most fun. Spears's hits and impeccable dancing from director/choreographers Keone and Mari Madrid make *Once Upon a One More Time* an irresistible party. And quite frankly, that's what I want from a Britney Spears musical more than anything else. 

An all-powerful Narrator (Adam Godley) dictates the lives of everyone in *Once Upon a One More Time*. Fairytale characters lie in wait until a child chooses to read their stories, at which point the  Narrator summons them to live out the same tales over and over. "We do not make fairytales, we follow them," he repeatedly insists.

The princesses' newfound desire for change comes from Betty Friedan's 1963 book *The Feminine Mystique*, which The Notorious O.F.G. (Original Fairy Godmother, played by Brooke Dillman in eccentric-aunt fashion) bestows on the princesses' book club. Given that setup, one shouldn't expect a revelatory feminist story from *Once Upon a One More Time*: Friedan's book kicked off second-wave feminism, and Friedan famously excluded queer women from her movement, both long outdated notions by today's intersectional, fourth-wave standards.

A hastily drawn gay subplot and cursory nods to modern women's annoyances (through lines like "You're so much prettier when you smile," which elicited loud noises of disgust from my audience) come off as Hartmere's attempts to offset these concerns. Luckily, Friedan doesn't factor heavily into the musical (until the end, which contains a revelation that unwittingly invites the audience to root for her) — just the general notion that she wrote about women wanting to escape rigid, societally prescribed roles.

But like I said, if you're willing to accept *Once Upon a One More Time* as a kind of period piece in which feminism is new, you'll have a fantastic time, because there is still plenty to unequivocally love. The score is the obvious thing — Hartmere changed a few lyrics in each song to fit the plot, but high-energy hits like "Circus," "Womanizer," "...Baby One More Time," and "Oops!...I Did It Again" are still perfectly recognizable. ("Toxic" stays entirely intact, and even though the lyrics don't quite make sense plot-wise, hearing Godley and Jennifer Simard, as Cinderella's stepmother, sing it is so exhilarating that you won't care.)

But the dance is truly what makes *Once Upon a One More Time* worth the price of admission. The Madrids are choreographers first, and it shows — their hip-hop- and '90s music video-flavored moves tell a story. The princes dance with unabashed swagger from the start, taking up the whole stage with confidence. The princesses' moves begin small and ultra-precise, almost stilted, but have an underlying sharpness that suggests a fierceness inside them. Their choreography gradually gets bigger and freer — that is, more like the men's — as they tap into that fierceness and find their independence. 

Among the large ensemble cast, Justin Guarini is the undisputed standout as the womanizing Prince Charming. He gets two of Britney's biggest songs — "Circus" and "Oops!...I Did It Again" — and delivers them in full rockstar mode to make them the show's best numbers alongside "Toxic." Guarini and Simard deliver both the vocal power and impeccable comic timing (Simard's Stepmother is giving Jennifer Coolidge) — her commanding entrance during "Work Bitch" is one to behold. Among the princesses, Briga Heelan and Aisha Jackson are wonderfully poised as Cinderella and Snow White.

Though it's not the focus, the show does have one feminist element worth noting. *Once Upon a One More Time* faintly echoes Spears's own successful battle for autonomy; the trial to end her conservatorship, under which her father controlled her assets, was the subject of massive public attention in 2020 and 2021. The musical was licensed post-conservatorship and approved by Spears, the production states, so it's one of the first major projects she's actually profiting off since.

*Once Upon a One More Time* also ultimately urges us not only to be willing to change the stories we tell and be open to new ideas, but also that sometimes, we must pass the pen to new writers to tell their stories themselves. That message has continued relevance — if anything, it's continually stronger than yesterday.

[*Once Upon a One More Time* is at the Marquis Theatre. Get 
*Once Upon a One More Time* tickets on New York Theatre Guide.](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/27127-once-upon-a-one-more-time-on-broadway)

*Photo credit: The cast of Once Upon a One More Time on Broadway. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)*

'Once Upon a One More Time' review — Britney Spears musical delivers a princess pop party

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Read our four-star review of *Once Upon a One More Time* on Broadway, written by Jon Hartmere and featuring the songs of Britney Spears, at the Marquis Theatre.

Ages 8+. Children under 4 are not permitted in the theater.

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The Wiz on Broadway

Designed by John C. Portman, Jr., the Marquis Theatre is situated on the third floor of the Marriott Marquis Hotel.

The construction of the hotel resulted in the demolition of the original Helen Hayes Theatre, the Morosco Theatre, the Bijou Theatre, and remnants of the Astor Theatre and the Gaiety Theatre. However, the construction permit was only issued by New York City officials if Portman agreed to include a theatre within the building. The Marquis Theatre opened on July 9, 1986 with a series of concerts by Shirley Bassey.

## How to get to the Marquis Theatre on Broadway

The Marquis Theatre is closest to the 42nd Street - Times Square subway stop on the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W, and S lines. The 50th Street station on the 1 line and the 49th Street station on the N, R, and W lines are also nearby; all are about four blocks from the theatre on 46th Street.

The nearest bus stop is 8th Ave/W 46th St. on the M20 and M104 lines.

## Restaurants near the Marquis Theatre

The Marquis Theatre is located one block directly east of the stretch of 46th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues dubbed Restaurant Row. Some popular restaurants on this street include Becco (Italian), Hold Fast (American), Lattanzi (Italian), E.A.K. Ramen (Japanese), and Joe Allen (American).

[Learn more about popular pre- and post-show restaurants in the Theatre District.](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/where-to-eat-before-and-after-a-broadway-show)

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Both actors were Tony Award nominees in 2022, and they now join the cast of the new Britney Spears musical beginning performances at the Marquis Theatre in May.

Jennifer Simard, Adam Godley join 'Once Upon a One More Time' Broadway cast

What is Once Upon a One More Time about?

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