Hey, everyone Steph here and today I am going to continue with Musical Mondays. Today’s show is currently on Broadway, and the cast recording came out on Friday. I am speaking of Once On This Island. Information comes from Wikipedia.
This is a one-act musical, and it has a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and music by Stephen Flaherty. This show is based on the book My Love, My Love, or, The Peasant Girl by Rosa Guy. The show is set in the French Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The has elements of Romeo and Juliet and elements of The Little Mermaid. The original production ran from 1990=1991, with a West End production opening in 1994, and the revival opened on November, 9th, 2017, and is still currently running.
Productions
The original production opened on October,18th, 1990 at the Booth Theatre in New York City. It closed in December, 1,1991, after 469 performances, and 19 previews. The European premiere took place in 1994 and was hosted by Birmington Rep, and then it transferred to the Royalty Theatre, and this is now called the Peacock Theatre. In 2009 it was revived in the UK. The first Broadway revival began previews in November and opened on December, 3rd, 2017.
“ There is an Island where the river runs deep.”
The show opens on a stormy night in the Antilles archipelago, a small girl is crying in fear. In order to confront the girl storytellers tell her the story of Ti Moune and Daniel. Next, they sing a song about the gods: Asaka mother of the earth, Agwe god of water, Erzulie goodness of love, and Papa Ge demon of Death. The poor peasants are the ones who sing the song, and they are the ones who worship the gods. The grands hommes, lighter skinned than the peasants, and the upper class lives on the other side of the island. One day, Agwe unleashes a terrible storm, and it causes a lot of damage to the Island. The gods save the life of an orphan named Ti Moune, and she is found by Mama Euralie and Tonton Julian.
“Oh gods oh gods you saved my life for a reason, and now I think I know why.”
Years later a grown up Ti Moune prays to the gods, but she just wants to know her purpose and to let her be like the grande hommes. Agwe arranges a car crash, and the driver is Daniel Beauxhomme and he and Ti Moune meet. Ti Moune takes care of Daniel, unconscious from the car crash. When Papa Ge comes to take him, she offers her life so that he won’t die. However, Papa Ge will return to take Ti Moune.
Tonton Julian travels to the other side of the island, and we he comes back he brings with the story of Daniel’s family. Ti Moune is separated from Daniel and tells her parents that she will go after Daniel and that she will marry him.
“The sad sad tale of the Beauxhomme”.
On her way, she meets Asaka who tells her that the earth will give her anything she needs, and it is a long a difficult journey to the city. As she is traveling the storytellers tell of her journey, and when she gets there Daniel is still able to walk. As Ti Moune and Daniel stay together, Erzulie gives them the gift of love. He is rich, and Ti Moune is poor so they can’t fall in love.
“Many thanks for all you’ve given Daniel.”
At a ball held at the hotel, Andrea Deveraux a daughter of Daniel’s family friends, asks Ti Moune to dance for them. After she dances, she is told that Daniel is engaged to Andrea. Ti Moune is crushed because Daniel insisted they could be together forever. Papa Ge returns, and reminds Ti Moune of her promise, she can revoke the bargain if she kills Daniel. She loves him too much, proving that love is stronger than death. She is thrown out of the hotel, due to her attempting to murder him.
“ Erzulie took her by the hand, and led her to the sea.” “Where Awge wrapped her in a wave, and laid her to her rest.”
She waits for days to meet Daniel at the gate. He and Andrea are married. Daniel places a silver coin in Ti Moune ’s hands and leaves. The storytellers tell of how Ti Moune died and then was transformed into a tree. The tree becomes a celebration of life and cracks the gates of the Hotel. Daniel’s son, and a peasant girl play in the branches. It was Ti Moune ’s power of love, that brought the island together, and it broke the barrier.
Music
The original Broadway Cast Recording is streaming on Spotify, on YouTube, and you can buy it. I believe the London recording is out as well. The thing about the current revival recording is that you can only buy it on iTunes or CD it’s not streaming yet.
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