Once on This Island
Once on This Iceland ( Engl. Once on this Island ) is a musical in one act, which on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy is based.
The musical is written and text by Lynn Ahrens , with music by Stephen Flaherty . The musical tells the story of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid , who plays in the French Antilles on the Caribbean Sea. The show also includes elements from Romeo and Juliet .
Performances
The first performance of Once on This Island took place on the off-Broadway Playwrights Horizons . The Broadway production was directed by Graciela Daniele. It premiered on Broadway on October 18, 1990 at the Booth Theater . The piece was performed there a total of 469 times. In 2002, the original cast reunited with Lillias Whit to perform for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS and the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund .
The original cast consisted of Jerry Dixon as Daniel, Sheila Gibbs as Mama Euralie, LaChanze as Ti Moune, Kecia Lewis as Asaka, Gerry McIntyre as Armand, Milton Craig Nealy as Agwe, Eric Riley as Papa Ge, and Ellis E. Williams as Tonton Julian .
The first performance in German took place on January 27, 2006 at the Conservatory Vienna Private University . The author of the German lyrics and dialogues is Johannes Glück. This version is licensed by the publishers Musik und Bühne (Germany) and Josef Weinberger (Austria) on behalf of MTI (Music Theater International).
action
An island in the French West Indies in the Caribbean. Four gods, Asaka, mother of the earth, Agwe , god of water, Erzulie , goddess of love, and Papa Ge, demon of death, rule over the island, where they are worshiped by the poor farmers (prologue: We Dance). One day Agwe sends a storm over the island. Many houses are swept away by the flood. The orphan girl Ti Moune survives in the crown of a tree. Mother Euralie and Tonton Julian find and (a little girl) adopt her. They live on the left side of the island, on the right the Grandes Hommes, fair-skinned descendants of the French plantation owners and their slaves. A few years later, when Ti Moune grows up, she prays to God to meet her with a Grand Homme (Waiting for Life). When the gods hear this request, they are laughed at. Erzulie objects, however, that one should comply with the request, since love is stronger than all other elements. Papa Ge is offended and suggests checking whether love or death is stronger. Agwe is preparing to have Daniel Beauxhomme, a young Grande Homme, crash his car during a storm. This should give Ti Moune the opportunity to meet him in order to nurse him back to health (And the Gods Heard Her Prayer; Rain). Despite all the objections of her parents and the other farmers, Ti Moune helps the stranger (Pray). The two fall in love. When Papa Ge wants to take Daniel's life, Ti Moune asks him to take her life in exchange for Daniels (Forever Yours). Papa is angry and announces that he will come back because her life is now his.
Tonton travels to the other side of the island to look for Daniel's family at the Hotel Beauxhomme. He returns with the sad story of Daniel's acquaintance (The Sad Tale of the Beauxhommes) and with some people who are supposed to bring the young gentleman back. Ti Moune is separated from Daniel in tears, but she announces to her parents that she will follow him to marry him. On her journey she meets the goddess Asaka, who encourages her not to be afraid (Mama Will Provide). When Ti Moune reaches the other side of the island, the rumors (Some Say) begin. Ti Moune finds Daniel sick in bed. He can't remember her until she reminds him of the scar on his chest. He ignores the talk of the townspeople (reprise: Pray), he knows that Ti Moune is different from the other girls (Some Girls). At a ball, Ti Moune meets Daniel in the company of Andrea Deveraux, the daughter of family friends. She hears that Daniel is engaged to Andrea and should be married to her (When We Are Wed). Reminded of his duties and under pressure from society, Daniel must bow to the arranged marriage. Ti Moune is deeply hurt. Papa Ge appears and reminds Ti Moune of her promise that she will give her life for his - but at the same time mentions that she can withdraw her offer and encourages Ti Moune to kill Daniel (Promises / Reprise: Forever Yours), he did destroys their love. Ti Moune sneaks into Daniel's room with a knife, but cannot kill the sleeping man. Nevertheless, Ti Moune is expelled from the hotel for attempted murder and is hoping for the day when she can meet Daniel at the gate. In fact, Daniel comes and gives her a silver coin as alms. Ti Moune dies and the gods mourn (A Part of Us).
Papa Ge allows Ti Moune to be reborn as a tree that opens the gates of the hotel. Her legacy survives, bringing a peasant girl and a young Grande Homme, Daniel's son, together as they play in their branches. They thank the sun, moon and stars, which both the Grand Hommes and the farmers put under their protection (Why We Tell the Story).
characters
- Ti Moune, a peasant girl who tries to break through the social barrier
- Daniel Beauxhomme, a Grand Homme; Ti Moune's love
- Papa Ge, sly demon of death; the main antagonist of the show
- Erzulie, beautiful goddess of love
- Agwe, god of water
- Asaka, mother of the earth
- Mama Euralie, Ti Moune's adoptive mother
- Tonton Julian, Ti Moune's adoptive father
- Little Ti Moune, Ti Moune as a child; also "The Little Girl"
- Andrea Deveraux, Daniel's promised wife; also "Madame Armand"
- Armand, Daniel's father; also "Armand", the ancestor
- Gatekeeper, a guard
- Daniel's son
- Storytellers, various grand hommes and small farmers. They tell the story
Awards and nominations
- Tony Award for Best Musical (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Costume Design (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Lighting Design (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Choreography (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (nominated)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (nominated)
- Theater World Award (LaChanze, won)
- Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical (won)
- Gene Kelly Award for Best Musical 1990 (won)
swell
Web links
- Ahrens and Flaherty official website
- Description of source novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy
- Once on This Island at Music Theater International
- Johannes Glück, author of the German version
- Information on the website of the music and stage publisher