Once Upon a One More Time – 30 June 2023

Once Upon a One More Time uses the music of Brittney Spears and the ideas of Betty Friedan to teach a full cast of fairytale princesses that they don’t have to be damsels in distress. The show features a simple, barebones plot, enhanced by flashy choreography, beautiful design elements, and a concept that is heartfelt and genuine, despite not being terribly profound.

As I sat in the audience, I found myself genuinely having a good time. I enjoyed all of the performances, the cheesy humor, the intensity of Jennifer Simard’s “Toxic”, and the social commentary on the vagueness of what women are conventionally allowed to want in their personal Prince Charming. The show shines in its acknowledgment of the sexism inherent in fairy tales by making us laugh at it. From “Bibbidi bobbidi BOO HOO– DO IT YOURSELF” to Snow White being played by a Black actress to the exaggerated stupidity of the step sisters, there were many moments of this show that brought a smile to my face.

Although Once Upon a One More Time does, in fact, include the word “bitch”, I felt that the content was not just appropriate for children, but empowering for children of all ages. The moral of individual bravery in the face of a manipulative society, women banding together to be who they want to be whether that includes a man or not, and letting the reader decide which stories matter to them, was a very accessible idea. This would be a great show to take a young girl to that isn’t a familiar Disney story, and an incredible way to introduce a child to the types of issues frequently addressed in theatre: LGBT love, sexism, racism, classicism, growing up, self discovery, finding a community, etc. while also introducing the way that theatre tells its stories: singing, dancing, scenes that go by really fast, emotional high points and low points, and ultimately understanding that not every loose end is going to be tied up.

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan was available at the merchandise stand. Like Once Upon a One More Time, today Friedan gets an unfair amount of criticism for all of the issues she didn’t handle instead of appreciation for the conversation that she got started. While I don’t agree with Friedan in every respect, she wrote The Feminine Mystique at a time when there was truly nothing like it, sparking important conversations that are still relevant today. In a way, Once Upon a One More Time’s lack of success is the same. Though not exceptionally profound, Once Upon a One More Time made space for a musical that feels good to watch. It made space for the audience to show up and have fun, to not take themselves too seriously, to laugh and to smile, and then to leave. What some would label “fluff” is socially acceptable in every other genre of media. We watch sitcoms and rom-coms. We read mysteries and fantasy, sometimes even actual fairy tales. We listen to pop music and dance to songs even though we can’t even distinguish the words. Why can’t theatre also hold space for a fun evening where everyone gets to just exist for a couple hours? Well, Once Upon a One More Time, in the Marquis Theatre on Broadway, it did.

I did not attend this performance on a press pass.