Why Britney Spears Didn’t Want ‘Once Upon a One More Time’ to be a ‘Bio-Musical,’ According to Producer

usmagazine.com:

Britney Spears was thrilled to lend her discography to Broadway — with one specific caveat.“It was actually Britney who approached us and said, ‘We’d like to have a show based on my music, and specifically not a bio-musical,’” producer Hunter Arnold told Variety at Once Upon a One More Time’s opening night on Thursday, June 22, referring to the 41-year-old pop star. “The original idea came from ideas brought forth by her: She loves fairy tales, princesses [and] storybooks.

We took a couple of passes at it — we didn’t get it right instantly. Then we did a workshop after we got the current-ish version together and she came to see it and give thoughts on it.”Once Upon a One More Time, which began performances at New York City’s Marquis Theatre in May, brings together six iconic storybook princesses as they gather for book club.

During their meeting, a “rogue fairy godmother” hands them copies of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, which subsequently inspires them to embrace feminism.

The musical — which the official summary proclaims is “powered by the hits of Britney Spears” — stars Justin Guarini, Briga Heelan, Jennifer Simard, Adam Godley, Aisha Jackson, Liv Battista, Gabrielle Beckford, Ashley Chiu, Morgan Whitley and Lauren Zakrin.As the ladies learn to stand up for themselves, they (along with the whole cast) can’t help but bust out some of Spears’ most iconic songs along the way.“I just make sure I’m really warmed up and drink a lot of water because I sweat a lot,” Guarini, 44, told Variety earlier this month. “In ‘Circus’ right into ‘Sometimes’ right into ‘Oops,’ it just goes, goes, goes.