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Once on This Island The Musical
Once on This Island The Musical

Broadway Audiences to Get a Revival of Once on This Island

Once on This Island, the Caribbean-flavored musical that enchanted Broadway audiences in 1990, will receive its first Broadway revival this fall.

Producers Ken Davenport and Hunter Arnold announced today that the Olivier Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated Best Musical, will play the Circle in the Square Theatre. Michael Arden (Spring Awakening) is set to direct, and choreography will be provided by the critically-acclaimed Camille A. Brown. Once on This Island will begin preview performances on Thursday, November 9, 2017 and officially open on Sunday, December 3.
This production will feature new orchestrations by original orchestrator Michael Starobin (Instrumental Orchestrations) and AnnMarie Milazzo (Vocal Orchestrations). The creative team also includes Dane Laffrey (Scenic Design), Tony Award winner Clint Ramos (Costume Design), Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (Lighting Designers), and Tony Award winner Nikki M. James (Assistant Director). Additional members of the creative team will be announced soon.

Based on the Rosa Guy novel My Love, My Love, Once on This Island features a score by Lynn Ahrens (book and lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music). Songs include “Waiting for Life”, “Mama Will Provide”, “The Human Heart”, and “Why We Tell the Story.” Ahrens and Flaherty composed several scores for Broadway musicals including Ragtime, My Favorite Year, Seussical, Rocky, and the current family-favorite Anastasia.

Once on This Island follows a young girl name Ti Moune as she goes on a magical journey across a tropical island to find her beloved Daniel. Aided and thwarted along her way by the Gods of the island, Ti Moune proves that the human heart can overcome any obstacle in her way. Elements of the story have been likened to Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid.

Once on This Island premiered at Playwrights Horizons in May of 1990. The production moved to Broadway that year, opening at the Booth Theatre on October 18. It ran for 469 performances and was nominated for eight Tony Awards including Best Featured Actress (LaChanze), Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical and Best Musical.

Tickets for Once on This Island are on sale starting today, Thursday, May 11.

Mark Robinson is the author of the two-volume encyclopedia The World of Musicals and maintains a theater and entertainment blog at markrobinsonwrites.com.

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