"What a delight it is to enter the world of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND!" raves The New York Times. Time Out New York cheers, "After seeing this imaginative and dynamic musical, you may feel once is not enough!"
This is the sweeping theatrical power of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND - the universal tale of Ti Moune (2018 Tony Award nominee Hailey Kilgore), a fearless peasant girl in search of her place in the world, and ready to risk it all for love. Guided by the mighty island gods (played by Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, Glee's Alex Newell, American Idol's Tamyra Gray, and Cats' Quentin Early Darrington), Ti Moune sets out on a remarkable journey to reunite with the man who has captured her heart.
The groundbreaking vision of two-time Tony Award nominated director Michael Arden (Spring Awakening revival) and acclaimed choreographer Camille A. Brown (NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Live) conjures up "a place where magic is possible and beauty is apparent for all to see!" (The Huffington Post).
Gather around for ONCE ON THIS ISLAND - the musical NY1 hails as "exhilarating theater! It's impossible to resist!" And where the timeless power of theatre brings us together, moves our hearts and helps us weather the storm.
This is an ensemble piece, and the superb cast is fun to watch cavorting across the sand-covered stage, occasionally playing instruments made of found objects. Choreographer Camille A. Brown lets them cut lose with energetic, ethnic-influenced dances, and as he leads the folk tale to its tearjerker of an ending, director Michael Arden beautifully embraces the message of 'Why We Tell the Story,' the show's emotional closing number.
Just as the colorful Caribbean musical (from Ragtime and Anastasia duo Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty) straddles two time periods and 'two different worlds never meant to meet,' the show itself does too - feeling fresh, but also a little bit retro. Once on This Island's original Broadway run lasted from 1990 to 1994 and the West End production earned an Olivier for best new musical in 1995. The new production marks its first Broadway revival, and while the music isn't dated, the new orchestrations by original orchestrator Michael Starobin and AnnMarie Milazzo certainly follow some of the trends set 25 years ago.
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