It’s Betany, B*tch!

A Once Upon a One More Time Review

Betany, one of Cinderella’s “evil” stepsisters, delivers this almost - iconic line with panache in Once Upon a One More Time, a Britney Spears inspired musical fairy tale with a feminist twist.

Betany and Belinda, along with their mother, are just playing their role like everyone else in storybook land, which is led by the tyrannically “Toxic” narrator. The prince is a “Womanizer," with a back-up royal boy band and Cinderella dreams of more than “happily ever after.” After meeting the banished OFG - Original Fairy Godmother, who gives her a copy of “The Feminist Mystique,” Cin rallies the rest of the fairy tale princesses (Pun, Little, Pea, Snow, Sleeping and more) into striking as they begin their quest to write their own narrative.

Their journey is punctuated by a catalogue of Britney classics, slightly reworked for the narrative and sung beautifully by a cast that includes Brooke Dillman (OFG), Justic Guarini (Prince Charming), Briga Heelan (Cinderella), Aisha Jackson (Snow White), Emily Skinner (Stepmother) and Michael McGrath (Narrator).

In true Britney fashion, the costumes were a delight and the choreography made the 12 year old inside me giddy as it paid an excellent homage to the choreo we practiced endlessly after ever new Britney, NSYNC or Backstreet Boys song was released.

Honestly, when I got the ticket, I didn’t know what to expect.

I love Britney. I’m a millennial and she was THE icon of my youth. But knowing her journey and everything she has endured put an even greater sense of urgency into this narrative, and reminds girls and women everywhere that we have agency and are capable of writing our own story.

That was a pretty unexpectedly powerful and empowering message.

I knew I’d enjoy Once Upon a One More Time, but I didn’t know I would love it.

So Broadway, if you’re listening, this is the show for you. It’s smart, funny, fun, feminist, catchy and inspiring. I can’t bloody wait!