Britney Spears Honored With Her Songs & Choreography in a Feminist Musical Play Inspired by Her Life

Once Upon a One More Time, a musical that brings together classic fairy tale princesses and a catalog of pop icon Britney Spears has finally opened on Broadway. The production, which has been in the works for nearly a decade and received support from Spears herself, reintroduces the library of one of the music industry's most influential artists to a new generation of fans. It also provides Spears' loyal followers with an opportunity to experience her music live and in person for the first time in years.

The arrival of Once Upon a One More Time on Broadway aligns with a wave of feminist storytelling that has been taking the stage, including shows like Six and, & Juliet. This trend is further emphasized by the upcoming release of Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie's movie Barbie. The musical delivers a fitting message, as it explores the theme of women reclaiming control of their narratives. This message resonates strongly with Spears, who recently won her freedom from a 13-year conservatorship under her father. It is also one of the first deals signed by Spears since her freedom.

The concept behind the musical is credited to the princess of pop, Spears herself. It follows classic fairy tale princesses such as Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Belle, Aurora, and Rapunzel as they begin to question their existence after reading Betty Friedan's feminist manifesto, The Feminine Mystique. The book writer of the musical, Jon Hartmere, developed the story from a spec script he had been working on since 2016. The director-choreographer duo Keone and Mari Madrid brought their own distinctive storytelling styles to the production at the Marquis Theatre.

This creative collaboration has resulted in a musical that appeals to both casual and devoted fans of Spears. The show's use of butterflies and references to her fragrance line, particularly the unexpected Curious perfume joke, may particularly resonate with eagle-eyed fans. Keone explained, "We’ve always said the intersection between fairy tales and Britney — anything that is inside of that is where we want to pull from. It’s hard sometimes to even pluck out what fits in between those two things, and I think creatively has been the ultimate balance for all of us — to try and figure out when do we serve Britney? When do we serve story? When do those two things work at the same time?" to The Hollywood Reporter. 

Hartmere further said about the lyrics that "people are coming in, they know the songs and for me, the only time that I want to change a lyric is if it really serves the story, and where people will be delighted by the change versus frustrated with it..."

The long-awaited premiere of Once Upon a One More Time on Broadway offers audiences a chance to immerse themselves in the magic of fairy tales and experience the iconic music of Spears in a new and innovative way. The production's success is a testament to the enduring popularity of both classic stories and Spears' music, as well as the power of female empowerment narratives on stage.