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Productions The original production opened in May 1959 at the off-Broadway Phoenix Theatre (now closed, located on the lower East Side), transferred later in the year to Broadway at the Alvin Theatre (now named the Neil Simon Theatre) and then to several other Broadway theaters, finally playing at the St. James Theatre, for a total run of 460 performances. The musical was directed by George Abbott and choreographed by Joe Layton. Once Upon A Mattress marked the Broadway debut of later stage and TV legend Carol Burnett, who originated the role of Princess Winnifred. Also featured were Joseph Bova, Allen Case, Jack Gilford and Matt Mattox. Jane White played the role of Queen Aggravain, becoming the first African-American actress to portray a white character on the Broadway stage. Jack Gilford played King Sextimus The Silent and was later replaced by Will Lee, Gilford's standby, prior to its move to Broadway. The play was nominated for the Tony Awards for Best Musical, and Best Leading Actress (Carol Burnett). In August 1960, soon after the closing of the Broadway run, rehearsals were called for a seven-month US tour which would move from city to city by train, truck and bus. Jack Sydow stepped from his role as King into the position of Director. Dody Goodman played Winnifred at first, then Imogene Coca picked up the role. Carol Arthur understudied them both, and played the Nightingale of Samarkand.[2] Fritzi Burr played the Queen and Buster Keaton played the King. Keaton's wife Eleanor was placed in the chorus. Keaton warmed up to the cast of younger actors, dispensing grandfatherly advice and chocolates freely.[3] A London production of Once Upon a Mattress opened in September 1960 at the Adelphi Theatre and ran for one month.[4] A Broadway revival starred Sarah Jessica Parker, Lewis Cleale, and Jane Krakowski. It opened on December 19, 1996 at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 188 performances. The production was nominated for the 1997 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Television adaptations The first television adaptation was aired on June 3, 1964 on CBS. The film was shot in black and white and featured most of the original Broadway cast. The second television adaptation was broadcast on December 12, 1972 on CBS. The television movie, filmed in color, included many members of the original cast (including Burnett and White) and also featured Bernadette Peters as Lady Larken, Jack Gilford as King Sextimus, and Ken Berry as Prince Dauntless. In the movie, several songs were eliminated and characters were cut or altered (including a prologue sequence with Burnett playing a storyteller). The third television version, which aired on December 18, 2005 on ABC in the US and was released on DVD two days later, starred Carol Burnett as Queen Aggravain, Denis O'Hare as Prince Dauntless, Tom Smothers as King Sextimus, Tracey Ullman as Princess Winnifred, Zooey Deschanel as Lady Larken, and Matthew Morrison as Sir Harry. The Minstrel was cut from this version, negating and also cutting most of the songs featuring the Minstrel except Normandy, which was changed to describe Larken's and Sir Harry's honeymoon. There were also additional plot changes.