Once On This Island

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

One of my favorites is getting a revival at Circle in the Square next season. If you haven't listened through it, it's really a beautifully written musical. Ahrens & Flaherty (Ragtime, My Favorite Year, Suessical) are incredibly talented.

 

And while I'm not insane about stunt-casting, after hearing Alex Newell (GLEE) sing this, I think I'd be okay with a gender-neutral Asaka ('Mother of the Earth').

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK4BhbHjRhN/?hl=en

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Full cast announced and it's impressive as hell:

 

http://www.onceonthisisland.com/

[bostonman]

I saw this on Saturday night, 4th preview.

 

This is a must-see. Period.

 

The material itself has not changed (though the orchestrations and vocal arrangements have gotten a tasteful and artful facelift), but the setting is now much more "literal" and inventive. Get to your seats early and enjoy the improvised pre-show, complete with goings-on like Alex Newell cooking a jambalaya-ish dish right onstage (I was sitting in that section and the aroma was quite inviting lol). I don't want to give away too much about the look/concept of the show, but I will say it works wonderfully well. This is about as far away as one can get from the more idealized, picturesque 1990 Broadway version, but IMO it's much more effective.

 

Though many will come for the "names" - certainly Lea Salonga, and the aforementioned Newell, and a few others, this is already a very strong, very tight ensemble cast - yes, Salonga and Newell are terrific, but so is every person on that stage. (And even the goat. Yes, that's what I said.) The two roles cast against their original gender (Newell as Asaka, the embodiment of "Mother Earth" and Merle Dandridge as Papa Ge, the spirit of death) are a revelation - played very honestly, not for camp's sake - I should also mention that Newell sings "Mama Will Provide" in the original key, and nails it.

 

The two young leads (Hailey Kilgore, after a nationwide search, as Ti Moune, and Isaac Powell as Daniel) do beautiful work. Philip Boykin and Kenita Miller are perfectly cast as Ti Moune's parents. I did see one understudy on - T. Oliver Reid filling in for Quentin Earl Darrington as Agwe - but I can't imagine anyone better. Emerson Davis as the little girl was adorable - sometimes it was a bit hard to understand her lyrics, but so be it. I also want to mention Alysha Deslorieux, who, as Andrea, has one of the most challenging characters to play - but she played the character with a dignity and grace that made it very hard to hate Andrea for her somewhat villainous role in the story.

 

I am one of those people that has become very cynical about the proliferation of the "automatic standing ovation" - but I have to confess I was one of the first people (of those that I could see, at least) who jumped to their feet at the curtain call. I was that excited and moved. And the show really is that good.

 

Go see this!

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I saw this on Saturday night, 4th preview.

 

This is a must-see. Period.

 

The material itself has not changed (though the orchestrations and vocal arrangements have gotten a tasteful and artful facelift), but the setting is now much more "literal" and inventive. Get to your seats early and enjoy the improvised pre-show, complete with goings-on like Alex Newell cooking a jambalaya-ish dish right onstage (I was sitting in that section and the aroma was quite inviting lol). I don't want to give away too much about the look/concept of the show, but I will say it works wonderfully well. This is about as far away as one can get from the more idealized, picturesque 1990 Broadway version, but IMO it's much more effective.

 

Though many will come for the "names" - certainly Lea Salonga, and the aforementioned Newell, and a few others, this is already a very strong, very tight ensemble cast - yes, Salonga and Newell are terrific, but so is every person on that stage. (And even the goat. Yes, that's what I said.) The two roles cast against their original gender (Newell as Asaka, the embodiment of "Mother Earth" and Merle Dandridge as Papa Ge, the spirit of death) are a revelation - played very honestly, not for camp's sake - I should also mention that Newell sings "Mama Will Provide" in the original key, and nails it.

 

The two young leads (Hailey Kilgore, after a nationwide search, as Ti Moune, and Isaac Powell as Daniel) do beautiful work. Philip Boykin and Kenita Miller are perfectly cast as Ti Moune's parents. I did see one understudy on - T. Oliver Reid filling in for Quentin Earl Darrington as Agwe - but I can't imagine anyone better. Emerson Davis as the little girl was adorable - sometimes it was a bit hard to understand her lyrics, but so be it. I also want to mention Alysha Deslorieux, who, as Andrea, has one of the most challenging characters to play - but she played the character with a dignity and grace that made it very hard to hate Andrea for her somewhat villainous role in the story.

 

I am one of those people that has become very cynical about the proliferation of the "automatic standing ovation" - but I have to confess I was one of the first people (of those that I could see, at least) who jumped to their feet at the curtain call. I was that excited and moved. And the show really is that good.

 

Go see this!

 

 

Thanks for the review! I see this in the next couple weeks. Very much looking forward to it

[RyanDean]

Yes! Thanks for this, @bostonman.

I'd not yet made the show a priority but will now.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Saw this over the holiday weekend and it was everything I had hoped it would be: A true ensemble musical, well-sung, emotional, creatively staged and in the perfect space for the size of the production.

 

I hope it finds an audience. It's not glitz and glamour. It's heart and genuine storytelling.

[RyanDean]

I saw it this weekend, too. (Good thing I didn't know you were going, @Benjamin_Nicholas, else I might have sprained a neck muscle trying to spy you.)

 

I knew the score, and the story, but this was my first opportunity to see it in production. The intelligent use of creative staging was quite captivating, and the ensemble work thrilling. I happened to be sitting near the pond, so often could hear the incredible Quentin Earl Darrington as Agwe even when he wasn't fully amplified. The proximity made for a powerfully intimate experience. It was also fun to hear the audience gasp and giggle with wonderment throughout.

 

The show-score response from audiences is forceful. If the critics concur, it could be a major hit. (The industry-types I could hear gossipping were speculating that it would be a tough ticket to get once the reviews came out.) May it be so...

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I saw it this weekend, too. (Good thing I didn't know you were going, @Benjamin_Nicholas, else I might have sprained a neck muscle trying to spy you.)

 

I knew the score, and the story, but this was my first opportunity to see it in production. The intelligent use of creative staging was quite captivating, and the ensemble work thrilling. I happened to be sitting near the pond, so often could hear the incredible Quentin Earl Darrington as Agwe even when he wasn't fully amplified. The proximity made for a powerfully intimate experience. It was also fun to hear the audience gasp and giggle with wonderment throughout.

 

The show-score response from audiences is forceful. If the critics concur, it could be a major hit. (The industry-types I could hear gossipping were speculating that it would be a tough ticket to get once the reviews came out.) May it be so...

 

Funny, I was also near the water. Row AA. And I agree about QED... He hardly needed a mic. Amazing vocals on 'Rain'

 

I also got asked by Phillip Boykin (Tonton) if I'd hit the lobby bar and get him a whiskey and coke. LOL. He turned down a swig from the rather strong G&T I was drinking.

 

In all the times I've seen this show done, this was the first time that Papa Ge was actually frightening. Big thumbs up on that.

[bostonman]

As I had mentioned, I was in the 200's even section, right near where Asaka was cooking during the pre-show. Very fun!! And this was right by where the band was, above us. I stopped on my way out to give my congrats to the musical director for a truly wonderful-sounding show. I too had no trouble hearing anyone - I thought the sound design was very well done. Unfortunately Mr. Darrington was out the night I saw the show, but his understudy was great.

 

No one's mentioned the occasional shirtless male eye candy in the show as well, lol. That was enjoyable too.

 

Boykin is wonderful as Tonton. I remember him annoying me slightly when he was in On The Town, adding some gratuitous low notes and the like (Bernstein's score needs zero "improvements" IMO), but here I thought he was perfection.

 

And yes, Merle Dandridge made for a very exciting and dangerous Papa Ge.

 

I've already decided that this needs to win the Tony for best revival, lol - though I will be conflicted if Carousel is also a big success, as I have a colleague in the ensemble (her Broadway debut - so excited for her), and would of course want to root for her show to win too. We'll see...

Edited November 28, 2017 by bostonman

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I've already decided that this needs to win the Tony for best revival, lol - though I will be conflicted if Carousel is also a big success, as I have a colleague in the ensemble (her Broadway debut - so excited for her), and would of course want to root for her show to win too. We'll see...

 

And let's not forget this is the year we'll see LCT's revival of My Fair Lady and (perhaps) the speedy LA transfer of Crazy For You.

 

Gonna be a competitive season for revivals

[RyanDean]

I didn't know the show well enough to track that Merle Dandridge was playing Papa Ge during the pre-show. ("Of course!" I thought later, "THAT's why she had the goat!")

 

And, yes, to the pleasures of shirtless eye-candy. (The swooniest for me was QED -- so I guess you just have to go back and sit in the 110s, rows AA-B, @bostonman!)