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Keone and Mari Madrid make their Broadway debuts as the director-choreographers of the new musical Once Upon a One More Time.
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They’ve worked with famous superstars like Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran, the K-Pop band BTS, and Justin Bieber.
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They combine the magic of fairy tales and the contemporary energy of pop to create something fresh and new.
In the international dance community, Keone and Mari Madrid are superstars. As performers, they made the finals of TV’s World of Dance. As choreographers, they’ve worked with Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran, the K-Pop band BTS, and Justin Bieber — for whom they choreographed and headlined his “Love Yourself” music video, which has been viewed 1.6 billion times. They also created dances for the Disney animated short Us Again. They directed, choreographed, and starred in the 2020 Off-Broadway dance piece Beyond Babel, earning two Drama Desk nominations. Just about the only genre the Madrids had never turned their talents toward was musical theater — until now. In one of the most exciting Broadway debuts in years, Keone and Mari are the director-choreographers of the new musical Once Upon a One More Time, featuring the hits of Britney Spears. The show is set to begin performances May 13 at the Marquis Theatre, with opening night June 22.
So, what’s it like to tackle a musical featuring “Oops! … I Did It Again,” “Circus,” “Toxic,” and more than a dozen other songs made famous by the Grammy-winning icon? “We love pop and grew up in that industry, but we also love storytelling,” says Keone, who chatted with Broadway Direct in a joint interview with Mari, his wife of 11 years. To accompany the show’s cheeky story line about the awakening of fairy tale characters such as Cinderella, Snow White, and Prince Charming, the couple dreamed up an ambitious, dance-heavy production that wowed audiences during a sold-out Washington, D.C., tryout run. “We felt an immediate connection to the material,” says Mari, “and we were surprised at how the script used Britney’s music in such a smart, self-aware, and beautiful way that really honors her spirit.”
Keone and Mari are the first to admit that their super-precise, acrobatic choreography is unusual for Broadway, and they’re excited to expose theatergoers to a new style of dance. “It’s based in hip-hop,” explains Mari, “but influenced by contemporary and classical styles. We infuse it with jazz and all types of partnering.” Adds Keone, “We’re grounded in hip-hop, but we’ve strayed into other styles because we’re interested in all forms of movement.”
As with the most successful creative partnerships, Keone and Mari say they do their best work together. “We waited a year [after beginning to date] before we tried choreographing because we were afraid of arguing,” Keone says with a laugh. “But we discovered that although the two of us have our own individual styles, when we come together, a third style comes out.”
Growing up in Southern California, the Madrids developed a love of dance through teen team competitions, with no exposure to musical theater. “Our relationship with musicals came through classic Hollywood films,” says Mari, “which influenced us a lot.” Agrees Keone, “Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire — those were our influences. I knew that Michael Jackson was inspired by Gene and Fred and Bob Fosse, and that he brought that energy to his videos.” Keone’s first Broadway show, a high school graduation gift from his grandparents, was The Phantom of the Opera. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh yes — I completely relate to this.’ It was new, but also familiar. Even though we didn’t grow up watching musicals, it felt very much like part of our DNA.”
Although they had never choreographed for Britney Spears herself, the couple studied her evolution in the star’s concert videos and came away deeply impressed by her dance prowess. “Britney is a phenomenal dancer,” says Keone, “and we wanted to honor that.” Weaving the Spears song catalog into a fairy-tale story line made perfect sense to the couple. “The show is centered on enchantment and fairy tales and the magic of it all,” says Keone, “and Britney’s music sits right in the middle of those things. She loves fairy tales; she has a song called ‘Cinderella.’ We said to ourselves, ‘How can we combine the magic of fairy tales and the contemporary energy of pop and create something fresh and new?’”
As parents of a 3-year-old daughter, the Madrids identify with the show’s messages of empowerment, “the idea of how important it is to take agency of your life so you can be an example to the next generation,” says Mari. “For us, it’s about making a world that is better for her.” Laughing, Keone adds, “The crazy thing is that Mari was seven months pregnant during one of our workshops, and the week before our daughter was born, we got a call [from the producers] about not only choreographing the show, but also directing it.” Recalls Mari, “I’m surprised I didn’t go into labor at that moment!” More seriously, Keone reflects, “The fact that we were going through the transition to becoming parents very much translated into the themes of the show. This is like a love letter to our daughter.”
Approaching their Broadway debut, Keone and Mari express equal parts surprise and gratitude. “We never really imagined that we could be here, given our style of dance,” he says, “and we’re ecstatic that Broadway is welcoming us. We’re excited to provide opportunities for dancers who move in our style and might not have thought [Broadway] was possible.”
Summing up their hopes for Once Upon a One More Time, Mari uses a simple word: fun. “People should expect to be entertained and have a lot of fun, but also to be surprised. Whatever anyone might assume about a Britney Spears jukebox musical, our show will be a delightful surprise.” It’s a musical designed to appeal equally to longtime Spears fans and those less familiar with her music. Says Keone, “If we can capture three things — the magic of fairy tales, the spirit of Britney Spears, and the heart of a child — we will have done our job.”
