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| Alex Newell, Lea Salonga and Merle Dandridge. Photo: Joan Marcus |
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Book and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, based on the novel “My Love, My Love” by Rosa Guy
Directed by Michael Arden
Choreographed by Camille A. Brown
Circle in the Square Theatre
By Lauren Yarger
Following the success of Anastasia, creators Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are enjoying the first Broadway revival of their previous collaboration, Once On This Island.
This show, which had a short Broadway run beginning in 1990, has been a mainstay ever since as the season production for high schools and colleges, but I had never seen a profesional staging before this revival featuring stars Norm Lewis and Lea Solonga. The story, with a book by lyrics writer Ahrens, based on the novel “My Love, My Love” by Rosa Guy, is kind of a bummer and doesn't have the fairytale feel we think it will. (Don't worry, I won't give spoilers).
Circle in the Square Theatre is the perfect setting for this show, intimately directed by Michael Arden. Designer Dane Laffrey creates an island setting, complete with sand, water to splash through and a quick-change to an indoor setting. Costumes designed by Clint Ramos complete the picture of Ti Moune (Hailey Kilgore), a young peasant girl who falls in love with Daniel (Isaac Powell), a wealthy man from the other side of the island.
TiMoune leaves her loving, adoptive parents (Kenita R. Miller and Phillip Boykin) to find her love, Daniel, and nurse him back to health after he is injured in an accident. The two are happy together for a while, until Daniel reveals that he is promised to Andrea (Loren Lott).
Island gods figure in the storytelling and help or hinder the characters as they progress through life. The gods are:
Once on This Island gathers for storytelling at Circle in the Square THeatre, 235 West 50th St., NYC. Performance times vary. Tickets are $89.50-$189.50: onceonthisisland.com.
Additional cast:
Darlesia Cearcy, Rodrick Covington, Emerson Davis, Alysha Deslorieux, Tyler Hardwick, Cassondra James, David Jennings, Grasan Kingsberry, Loren Lott, Isaac Powell, T. Oliver Reid, Aurelia Williams and Mia Mei Williamson.
Additional credits:
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (Lighting Designers), Peter Hylenski (Sound Designer), John Bertles/Bash The Trash (Unusual Instruments), Cookie Jordan (Hair/Wig and Makeup Designer), Chris Fenwick (Music Supervisor), Alvin Hough, Jr. is the music director.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY FACTORS:
-- Theater warms might not be suitable for children under 10 years of age.
-- Gods
This show, which had a short Broadway run beginning in 1990, has been a mainstay ever since as the season production for high schools and colleges, but I had never seen a profesional staging before this revival featuring stars Norm Lewis and Lea Solonga. The story, with a book by lyrics writer Ahrens, based on the novel “My Love, My Love” by Rosa Guy, is kind of a bummer and doesn't have the fairytale feel we think it will. (Don't worry, I won't give spoilers).
Circle in the Square Theatre is the perfect setting for this show, intimately directed by Michael Arden. Designer Dane Laffrey creates an island setting, complete with sand, water to splash through and a quick-change to an indoor setting. Costumes designed by Clint Ramos complete the picture of Ti Moune (Hailey Kilgore), a young peasant girl who falls in love with Daniel (Isaac Powell), a wealthy man from the other side of the island.
TiMoune leaves her loving, adoptive parents (Kenita R. Miller and Phillip Boykin) to find her love, Daniel, and nurse him back to health after he is injured in an accident. The two are happy together for a while, until Daniel reveals that he is promised to Andrea (Loren Lott).
Island gods figure in the storytelling and help or hinder the characters as they progress through life. The gods are:
- Papa Ge - Papa Ge (Merle Dandridge -- I saw Tamra Gray), a demon of death
- Erzulie (Salonga), a goddess of love
- Agwe (Lewis), a god of water
- Asaka (Alex Newell), mother of the earth
Once on This Island gathers for storytelling at Circle in the Square THeatre, 235 West 50th St., NYC. Performance times vary. Tickets are $89.50-$189.50: onceonthisisland.com.
Additional cast:
Darlesia Cearcy, Rodrick Covington, Emerson Davis, Alysha Deslorieux, Tyler Hardwick, Cassondra James, David Jennings, Grasan Kingsberry, Loren Lott, Isaac Powell, T. Oliver Reid, Aurelia Williams and Mia Mei Williamson.
Additional credits:
Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (Lighting Designers), Peter Hylenski (Sound Designer), John Bertles/Bash The Trash (Unusual Instruments), Cookie Jordan (Hair/Wig and Makeup Designer), Chris Fenwick (Music Supervisor), Alvin Hough, Jr. is the music director.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY FACTORS:
-- Theater warms might not be suitable for children under 10 years of age.
-- Gods
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