Tony Award-Winning Once on This Island to be Staged in September
9 Works Theatrical is set to stage the beloved musical Once on This Island in September 2024. This was announced on the closing night of Rent, which ran from April 20 to June 2 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza.
Once on This Island is a one-act musical based on the 1985 novella My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl by Rosa Guy. The novel happens to be a Caribbean-set retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid.
ALSO READ: Theater Etiquette 101: Dos and Dont's When Watching a Live Show
The story follows a peasant girl named Ti Moune who falls in love with a wealthy boy from the other side of the island. The narrative explores themes of racial and social differences, the power of love, and the guiding hand of fate, and all delivered through a rich tapestry of song and dance.
The musical, originally written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, was originally staged at Off-Broadway's Playwrights Horizon on May 6, 1990. Then, it officially opened on Broadway on October 18, 1990, and held 469 performances and 19 previews. The show went on a national tour in 1992, premiered in the UK in 1994, and opened at the West End in 1994. It was revived in 2017 on Broadway, where it won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
The show's return to Broadway in December 2017 starred Filipino artist Lea Salonga. She created the role of Erzulie, the goddess of love, in the revival. Her performance has been lauded for its emotional depth and vocal prowess.
Other awards of Once on This Island are the Theatre World Award in 1991, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 1995, and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical in 2018. Its infectious score, memorable characters, and poignant story promise to captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression.
Robbie Guevera will direct 9 Works Theatrical's production of Once on This Island.
