Gabrielle Brooks and Stephenson Ardern-Sodje Will Lead ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre has announced principal casting for their forthcoming production of the Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical Once On This Island (10 May-10 June, press night 17 May 2023), along with the creative team.

Gabrielle Brooks (Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Olivier Award Nomination) will play the central role of Ti Moune with Stephenson Ardern-Sodje (Hamilton) as Daniel.

Full casting will be announced in due course.

Directed by Ola Ince, Once On This Island has a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, and is based on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy. The original West End production won Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards when it premiered in 1995 and the most recent Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival in 2018.

The creative team also includes Phil Bateman (Musical Supervisor), Niamh Gaffney (Associate Sound Designer), Jessica Hung Han Yun (Lighting Designer), Niquelle LaTouche (Associate Choreographer), Nick Lidster (Sound Designer), Georgia Lowe (Designer), Lindsay McAllister (Associate Director), Philip d'Orléans (Fight Director), Chris Poon (Musical Director), Kenrick 'H2O' Sandy (Choreographer), Melissa Simon-Hartman (Costume Designer) and Jacob Sparrow (Casting Director).

A story of love, grief, faith and hope, Once On This Island tells of peasant girl Ti Moune, a boy called Daniel, and a union that prejudice forbids. Against the heat of the Caribbean sun and destruction of tropical storms, can Ti Moune settle the wager of the Gods, and prove that love is more powerful than death?

Director Ola Ince said, "Once on this island is a poignant, moving and politically charged story. I'm thrilled to be working with an extraordinary talented team at Regent Park's Open Air Theatre; a place where true magic happens. It's a dream come true!"

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's 2023 season also includes Ben Okri's Every Leaf A Hallelujah (22 May - 10 June), adapted by Chinonyerem Odimba for ages 4+ and their families, performed on the Theatre Lawn. Robin Hood: The Legend. Re-written (17 June - 22 July) written by Carl Grose and commissioned by Regent's Park Open Air Theatre with direction by Melly Still. The Tempest re-imagined for everyone aged six and over (30 June - 22 July), revised and directed by Jennifer Tang in a co-production with the Unicorn Theatre. Musical La Cage aux Folles (29 July - 16 September), directed by Artistic Director Timothy Sheader with a book by Harvey Fierstein, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, and based on the play by Jean Poiret. Finally, this summer, Nicoll Entertainment's Dinosaur World Live (11 August - 3 September) returns to the Open Air Theatre, written and directed by Derek Bond.

Tickets for Regent's Park Open Air Theatre 2023 are now on sale www.openairtheatre.com.

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