Britney Spears Reveals the Untold Truth Behind 'Once Upon a One More Time' Musical, Shocking Fans

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Britney Spears enthusiastically offered her discography to Broadway, but with one specific condition. Producer Hunter Arnold revealed, "It was actually Britney who approached us and expressed her desire for a show based on her music, but not a traditional biographical musical." Referring to the pop star, Arnold explained, "The initial concept was inspired by her own ideas: her love for fairy tales, princesses, and storybooks. We went through a few iterations before finding the right direction. After putting together the current version, we held a workshop and Britney herself attended to provide feedback."

Once Upon a One More Time, currently playing at New York City's Marquis Theatre since May, unites six well-known princesses from storybooks as they convene for a book club meeting. During this gathering, an unexpected "rogue fairy godmother" surprises them with copies of Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique, thus igniting a newfound passion for feminism among the princesses. This musical, aptly described as "powered by the hits of Britney Spears," showcases an impressive cast including Justin Guarini, Briga Heelan, Jennifer Simard, Adam Godley, Aisha Jackson, Liv Battista, Gabrielle Beckford, Ashley Chiu, Morgan Whitley, and Lauren Zakrin.

As the princesses and the rest of the cast and crew embark on a journey of self-empowerment, it becomes impossible to resist belting out some of Spears' most memorable songs along the way.

“I always ensure that I am properly warmed up and stay hydrated because I tend to perspire profusely,” Guarini, 44, shared with Variety earlier this month. “From ‘Circus’ straight into ‘Sometimes’ and then ‘Oops,’ it's a continuous flow. Everyone is dancing, and every time I step off the stage, we all marvel at how we managed to pull it off. That's the enchantment of Broadway's allure.”

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The musical made some slight adjustments to Britney Spears' lyrics to better align with the storylines.

According to Arnold, "The songs work way better than they have any right to work. Most importantly, Britney and her team gave us the freedom to tweak lyrics here and there, ensuring that everything felt purposeful and cohesive. We didn't want to change too much because this music is beloved by people worldwide; it required a delicate balance of art and science to ensure that everything seamlessly fit into place. While some of her big numbers didn't have suitable spots in the musical, it wasn't expected that every song would be included. The creative team had the liberty to do what was necessary to make the show make sense."

The actress from "Crossroads" recently got married to Sam Asghari in June 2022, and she expressed her support for the show on her Instagram. She captioned a tribute post on Thursday, wishing luck to the dedicated cast and crew of "Once Upon a One More Time" on their opening night. She also mentioned that she had seen the show and found it to be incredibly funny, smart, and brilliant.

Once Upon a One More Time signifies Britney Spears' first professional endeavor following the termination of the conservatorship, which was overseen by her father, Jamie Spears, and Jodi Montgomery, in November 2021.