Justin Guarini, Briga Heelan honor music of Britney Spears in ‘Once Upon a One More Time’

NEW YORK — Performing in a fairy tale musical with songs by the Princess of Pop can be both magical and daunting. That’s the way Justin Guarini and Briga Heelan, who star in “Once Upon a One More Time,” see their roles in the jukebox musical that features songs by Britney Spears. Guarini, the runner-up to Kelly Clarkson on the first season of “American Idol,” said Spears’ music reminds him of the “iconic moments of growing up.” So honoring the Princess of Pop was “a huge honor” for him, the chance to share “in the joy and so much of the fun that she has created for millions of people across the world.” As a veteran of the Broadway stage with seven shows under his belt, Guarini still finds the line between performer and fan a bit more challenging on this one. A self-proclaimed hard-core Britney fan, she says her mission for each performance is to “do justice to her spirit.” “You want to make sure that it infiltrates every nook and cranny of what you’re doing. He says he sees the audience “moving in their seats and grooving, having a good time” and hears “gasps of enjoyment and recognition when they hear a song that they love set in a way that they didn’t expect it to be set.” In a twist, “Once Upon a One More Time” isn’t the only Broadway show with Spears’ songs.