Once Upon A Mattress (1959 Original Broadway Cast)
Based on Hans Christian Andersen's taleThe Princess and the Pea,Once Upon a Mattressopened in May 1959 and was a solid success, if not a huge blockbuster. It did well enough, in any case, to warrant a1997 revivalstarring Sarah Jessica Parker. The show was far from revolutionary, but it provided a really fun vehicle for a cast of top stage personalities, including black actress Jane White, who played Queen Aggravain (a part originally written for comedienne Nancy Walker) in whiteface. But of course,Once Upon a Mattress's heart and soul was Carol Burnett, who, in her Broadway debut created the part of Princess Winnifred and delivered two of Mary Rodgers's best songs, the hilarious "Shy" and the spunky "Happily Ever After," which sounds a bit like Jule Styne at his most rhythmic. Burnett's timing and performance remain as sharp as they were 40 years ago.--Elisabeth Vincentelli