It’s a cause for celebration every time Sutton Foster decides to return to the Broadway boards. Luckily, since the end of the pandemic, audiences have had multiple opportunities to experience her—as Marian the Librarian opposite Hugh Jackman in a 2022 revival of The Music Man and as Mrs. Lovett opposite Aaron Tveit in Sweeney Todd earlier this year. She returned again this summer at the Hudson Theatre as Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, a transfer of the New York City Center Encores! production that brought her rave reviews in January.
The role of the tough-as-nails Winnifred the Woebegone, who is unafraid to climb castle walls or swim a moat, was famously created by Carol Burnett. She made her Broadway debut in the musical, a comic retelling of “The Princess and the Pea,” back in 1959. (Sarah Jessica Parker played the role in 1996.) Here, Foster talks about her decision to return to the role and how much she misses her stint as the lead of Younger, Darren Star’s genius half-hour comedy that ended in 2021.
What made you want to bring Once Upon a Mattress to Broadway?
I had an absolute blast doing the show when we did it at New York City Center earlier this year, so bringing it to Broadway felt like a no-brainer for me. It’s such a joyful show, and there’s something in it for everyone—no matter what age. It’s nice to exist in that joyful world and provide that escapism to audiences right now.
What do you enjoy most about playing Winnifred?
She’s the zaniest character I have ever played. She’s so self-assured in who she is, even though she is unusual! I love playing characters who own their uniqueness, and it gives me so much freedom as an actress to really go there and do the craziest things. She is basically an unleashed version of myself.
How do you feel about the idea of “happily ever after” and fairy tales?
I have a 7-year-old daughter, and sometimes, when we read the more classic fairy tales, I’m like, huh! Evil queens, princesses and finding your prince…the messaging that you must behave or you’ll be thrown in an oven and eaten was what I had when I was growing up. I’m excited that my daughter now experiences much broader and more complex messaging with heroines who aren’t looking for love, but for friendship and community; heroines who are strong, independent and unique. I think in many ways, Princess Fred was way ahead of her time. Even though she is looking for love, she is doing it completely in her own way, one that is truly authentic to her. One of my favorite lines from the show is “Princess Winnifred is unusual and Prince Dauntless is unusual—maybe they can be unusual together.”
What are the challenges of Once Upon a Mattress in comparison to, say, Sweeney Todd or Anything Goes or The Music Man?
Winnifred is an incredibly physical character, and there is a lot of physical comedy, so really maintaining my body is the thing I’m most concerned about.
We all have our “Princess and the Pea” things we’re precious about. I, for one, have a hard time sleeping without a really good pillow and a water bottle next to my bed, even if I don’t drink from it. Do you have any eccentric sleeping habits?
I sleep with earplugs and two white noise machines. I always have a glass of water by my bed but never drink from it. I remember an old wives’ tale that if you leave a glass of water by your bed it will catch the bad dreams, so you never want to drink from it.
I, for one, really miss Younger. Do you? What do you imagine Liza is up to these days?
I miss the cast so much. Working on that series was seven years of our lives! I’d be curious what Liza is up to. She’s almost 50! Maybe it’s time for a reboot?
Liza worked in publishing. Any books you’ve read you’re telling friends to read?
I recently read Kelly Bishop’s memoir, The Third Gilmore Girl, and I loved it. Her story is so inspiring. I’m a huge Gilmore Girls fan and I worked with Kelly on Bunheads, so it was amazing to learn more about her and hear her tell her story.
How do you unwind from a performance?
I love watching a little television. I’m a big fan of all reality TV. I just did a serious binge of The Traitors. And every single night I light candles and take a bath. That’s my ultimate come-down ritual.
