Review: ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at Beck Center For The Arts

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, a musical based on the award-winning novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy.  

Set on an island in the Caribbean Sea, the musical explores theme the power of community in the face of adversity. With echoes of THE LITTLE MERMAID and the struggle of young love in WEST SIDE STORY, this production blends elements of folk and fairy tales with modern storytelling techniques.

The music by composer Stephen Flaherty with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, which has no well-known pop tunes, contains many authentic sounding calypso tunes, intermixed with contemporary sounds, creates a combination of body moving moments, as well as emotional involvement. 

The original Broadway production which ran from 1990 to 1991, gained little strong reviews.  The London production, on-the-other hand, won the prestigious Olivier Award for Best Musical, which encouraged a “redo” on Broadway in 2017.

That staging was showered with critical acclaim.  Comments included "ravishing" and "an aesthetic experience unlike anything seen on Broadway." It won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

When I saw the revival production at the Circle in the Square in New York, I was impressed by the music and the production qualities.  The set for the stage-in-the round staging area consisted of tons of beach sand, trucked into the theatre, creating a real Caribbean island.  

The authenticity was further enhanced by live animals wandering the stage and aisles before and during the show. Yes, a live goat and other livestock helped set the visual tone.  

I had some difficulty with the NY production’s sound system, which couldn’t overcome the theatre-in-the-round difficulty of having occasional actors’ backs-to-the audience, which made difficulty hearing all the words.  Since the lines create the meaning, I lost some of the story.

The Beck production, under the brilliant staging and equally impressive choreography of Christopher Chase Carter, had none of the “lack of clarity” problems.  The theater’s once finicky audio system worked to perfection and musical director Larry Goodpaster’s orchestra not only had the right island attitude, but underscored, rather than drowning out the performer’s speaking and singing.

Carter, the Artistic Director of Mercury Theater Chicago, has been recognized for his outstanding work as a director and choreographer in the Windy City.  His reputation, if this production is typical of his work, is well deserved.  It can only be hoped that we will see more of Carter’s magic in 216/440.  

The tale takes place on a fictional island in which the peasants, "black as night," live on one side of the island, and the grand hommes, the lighter-skinned descendants of the original French planters, live on the other.  

One night, a storm hits the island, wiping out many villages. The gods save the life of a little orphan, Ti Moune, by placing her in a tree above the flood's waves. She is found and subsequently adopted by several of the peasants. 

Years later, a grown-up Ti Moune prays to the gods to let her know her purpose.  Hearing her plea, the gods decide to give her her wish.  

A car crash during the storm, Ti Moune’s finding the broken body of Daniel, a young grand homme, and her restoring him to health, allows Ti Moune to fall in love with him and imagine he loves her too. Thus, we find ourselves involved in a tale of pain, grief, faith, and, maybe, hope.

Edith Foley, a fourth grader, shows stage presence well beyond her years as Little Ti Moune.  She is totally involved in her character, displays a fine singing voice and physical presence.  She is heading for stardom!

Israeljah Reign, a recent Kent State grad, is on-point as Ti Moune.  She shows that right levels of compassion, passion and emotional energy in creating a real peasant girl.  Her emotions connection with JT Snow is strong. 

Baldwin Wallace rising Junior, JT Snow, has an aristocratic air that makes him actor-right for playing the grand hommes, Daniel.  He has a pleasant singing voice and develops a meaningful character.

Tina Stump, one of the reigning queens of Cleveland theatre, does what Tina Stump does…sing and act the hell of her role as Ti Moune’s adoptive mother.  

The rest of the cast is exceptional.  They act, sing and dance at the most professional of levels and form a company that has no weak links.

Cheri Prough-Devol’s realistic island set is award worthy, as are Inda Blatch-Geib’s costume designs.  Carlton Guc’s sound design, complete with water, wind, bird and animal sounds, helps create a real feel of the Caribbean.  Emma Hansen’s lighting develops all the right moods.

Capsule judgment:  The stage was constantly displaying well-conceived stage pictures, the choreography was not only creative, but visually encapsulating, and the entire production was a master class in how to create an audience pleasing show that developed the intent and purpose of the author. In fact, it actually made more of the storyline than Lynn Ahrens created.  This is musical theatre at its finest!  Bravo!

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND runs July 7 to August 6, 2023 in the Senney Theater of Beck Center.  For tickets call 216-521-2540 or go to beckcenter.org

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