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[title]The 1959 fractured-fairy-tale musical Once Upon a Mattress, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Princess and the Pea,” is the show that made Carol Burnett a star. In its latest Broadway revival, directed by Lear deBessonet, the spunky central character Princess Winnifred is played by Sutton Foster, who is already one of the Street’s biggest names; this will be her 10th lead role in a Broadway musical this century. But Once Upon a Mattress—which has music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer and a book by Barer, Jay Thompson and Dean Fuller (newly adapted for this production by The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Amy Sherman-Palladino)—is also a showcase for a wacky cast of supporting characters, who are played by a royal assemblage of veteran Broadway pros: Michael Urie as the highly eligible but childlike Prince Dauntless, Ana Gasteyer as his smothering mother, David Patrick Kelly as his mute father, Will Chase and Nikke Renée Daniels as a frustrated knight and his lady, and Daniel Breaker and Brooks Ashmanskas as key members of the court. We asked each of them a few questions to help you get to know them and their characters a little better.
Exclusive photographs by Jenny Anderson. Mattresses courtesy Casper. Sleepwear courtesy Lunya.
MEET THE COURT
SUTTON FOSTER as PRINCESS WINNIFRED
You may know her from: Broadway’s Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes, Violet and The Music Man; TV’s Younger and Bunheads
What is your character’s role in the court?
Princess Winnifred is not in the court, she’s from the swamp beyond the moat!
How are you personally most like your character?
She brings a genuine optimism and cheerfulness, and she isn’t afraid to be goofy.
How are you least like your character?
I’m not a princess, I don’t live in a swamp and I don’t have a nickname.
What is your favorite moment in the show to perform?
The end of Act One, “Song of Love.” I love doing this show—it’s so funny and smart, and the cast is made up of such pros. We are constantly trying to make each other laugh.
What is your favorite moment that you aren’t in?
Listening to Nikki and Will sing their duets!
Where would be your character’s favorite spot in New York City?
Most likely the Central Park reservoir. Or Serendipity, with Dauntless. I think she really loves a milkshake.
MICHAEL URIE as PRINCE DAUNTLESS
You may know him from: Broadway’s Torch Song, Grand Horizons and Spamalot; TV’s Ugly Betty and Younger
What is your character’s role in the court?
Prince Dauntless is the son of the king and queen. Until he gets married, no one in the kingdom can get married—so he has met and vetted many, many princesses, and they have all failed the tests that his mother has concocted.
How are you personally most like your character?
I too am in love with a girl named Fred. It is so much fun to be in love with Sutton Foster. [Laughs.] She's just as wonderful off stage as she is on stage.
How are you least like your character?
Prince Dauntless is afraid of steps, or at least that's what we're doing right now. And I'm not afraid of steps.
What is your favorite moment in the show to perform?
“Song of Love,” which is when I express that I'm in love with Fred. It’s such a hilarious number, and it’s so much fun to sing. Sutton is singing and wrestling and drinking and running all over the stage, and the whole ensemble is just at a 10 the whole time.
What is your favorite moment that you aren’t in?
There are two, actually. One is “Quiet,” which is the top of the second act, when the ensemble is trying to be quiet because the queen wants that. And the other is when Winnifred is trying to fall asleep. Sutton is so good in that moment; it's so funny, and it's when you really get to hear the kids in the audience laugh.
Where would be your character’s favorite spot in New York City?
He would just love the frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity. He’s an avid cocoa drinker—it's what his mother uses to keep him in arrested development—so he would definitely like to try a new kind of cocoa. A frozen kind.
ANA GASTEYER as QUEEN AGGRAVAIN
You may know her from: Broadway’s Wicked and The Threepenny Opera; TV’s Saturday Night Live and Lady Dynamite
What is your character’s role in the court?
Queen, bish.
How are you personally most like your character?
I spend an unseemly amount of time screaming the word “Quiet!” at my terrier mix, Gloria, who is adorable, but loud.
How are you least like your character?
By comparison, I’m very happily married and an easy-going mother. Except to Gloria, at whom I holler a lot.
What is your favorite moment in the show to perform?
Too many to name one. I love “Quiet” and I love doing the Mamalogue. Brooks is also hilarious in “Sensitivity”—all silly, ridiculous, and fun!
What is your favorite moment that you aren’t in?
I love both act finales. They are Broadway, Joy and Beauty encapsulated.
Where would be your character’s favorite spot in New York City?
High Tea at the Carlyle.
DAVID PATRICK KELLY as KING SEXTIMUS THE SILENT
You may know him from: Broadway’s Once, Into the Woods and An Enemy of the People; TV’s Twin Peaks
What is your character’s role in the court?
I am the King. The One and Only. It’s especially hard to be the king when you have no voice, so I’m trying to recover that.
How are you personally most like your character?
I feel that I have a royal bearing, which I’ve often been accused of, and often proven wrong. But I still carry on.
How are you least like your character?
I’m very loquacious. I talk a lot.
What is your favorite moment in the show to perform?
The man-to-man talk with Dauntless, where I explain to my son how life works.
What is your favorite moment that you aren’t in?
Sutton’s song “Shy”!
Where would be your character’s favorite spot in New York City?
The most royal spot in Brooklyn, Gage & Tollner. Don’t sleep on that Baked Alaska!
DANIEL BREAKER as THE JESTER
You may know him from: Broadway’s Shrek, Hamilton and The Book of Mormon; TV's Girls5eva
What is your character’s role in the court?
In the court, I am a general jokester and an all-around "good time guy." For the audience, I am the narrator, who guides you through the story.
How are you personally most like your character?
I always like to try to find the fun in any moment. Always, at any cost.
How are you least like your character?
I don't dance! They're forcing me to dance in this one!
What is your favorite moment in the show to perform?
I love singing "Normandy" with Nikki Renee Daniels. It's a lot of fun. This is our second show together, so it's a joy to sing with her. I love her voice.
What is your favorite moment that you aren’t in?
"Opening for a Princess." I love how everyone acts it, I love how it's sung, I love the orchestrations—so I'm always backstage dancing along to that number.
Where would be your character’s favorite spot in New York City?
The Jester would probably find himself at Balthazar!
WILL CHASE as SIR HARRY
You may know him from: Broadway’s Rent, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Kiss Me, Kate; TV’s Nashville, Smash and Sharp Objects
What is your character’s role in the court?
His title is Chivalric Knight of the Herald. Perry fancies himself the most chivalric person in the land and is all about duty and honor, God love him. He's so dumb and lovable.
How are you personally most like your character?
Dumb and lovable! [Laughs.] No, I'm kidding. I think Harry believes in love at all costs. And I'm the same way. If you find the right person and you fit, then there you go.
How are you least like your character?
I would hope I'm a little bit more common-sense than Harry. A little bit smarter. Just a little bit.
What is your favorite moment in the show to perform?
Laughter is a drug, so my opening scene where I get some laughs is always nice. But I love singing the second-act song with Nikki, “Yesterday I Loved You.” We get to have fun as well as sing one of the most beautiful songs in the show.
What is your favorite moment that you aren’t in?
Probably “Very Soft Shoes.” Watching Daniel Breaker do that is pretty amazing. He's such a song-and-dance guy, who happens to be a world-class actor as well. What the ensemble and he do in that song is just amazing. I watch moments like that going, Man, I wish I'd taken dance.
Where would be your character’s favorite spot in New York City?
I honestly think he would like Don't Tell Mama. [Laughs.] I think he fancies himself a singer and a performer. He probably secretly sings in his castle room with Larken. He maybe puts on a little show.
NIKKI RENÉE DANIELS as LADY LARKEN
You may know her from: Broadway’s Company, The Book of Mormon and Porgy and Bess
What is your character’s role in the court?
In my mind, Larken is a lower level lady-in-waiting and companion to the Queen at court. She aspires to a greater position, and being the primary lady-in-waiting to the new princess is her ultimate goal.
How are you personally most like your character?
I can relate to the deep amount of love and affection Larken has for Harry. I've been married for 15 years, and my husband still makes me light up when he enters the room.
How are you least like your character?
Larken is a lot freer with her emotions than I am. I tend to hold my cards close to the vest, and I rarely fly off the handle.
What is your favorite moment in the show to perform?
The second act duet, "Yesterday I Loved You." It's just a fun song to sing, and it's the moment that we know that Harry and Larken are going to live happily ever after, no matter what.
What is your favorite moment that you aren’t in?
There are so many! This cast is an embarrassment of comedic riches. If I had to pick one, it would be watching Sutton in the "grapes moment." She is a master, and watching her ride the wave of the audience reaction is priceless, and different every night!
Where would be your character’s favorite spot in New York City?
Larken loves the finer things in life, so she would love to have a nice afternoon tea at the Plaza.
BROOKS ASHMANSKAS as THE WIZARD
You may know him from: Broadway’s The Prom, Something Rotten! and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me; TV’s Uncoupled
What is your character’s role in the court?
Basically doing the Queen’s bidding, and sweating.
How are you personally most like your character?
Same gorgeous physique.
How are you least like your character?
I don’t share his love of conical hats.
What is your favorite moment in the show to perform?
I have a couple scenes with the great Daniel Breaker; a total thrill, honor and joy!
What is your favorite moment that you aren’t in?
I’m a big fan of what Sutton is doing with “Happily Ever After.”
Where would be your character’s favorite spot in New York City?
Tower Records!
Once Upon a Mattress is playing at the Hudson Theatre through November 30, 2024. You can buy tickets here.