“Once on This Island” Returns to Broadway in Stunning Revival

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s “Once on This Island” originally premiered on Broadway in 1990. The one-act musical has now been revived at the Circle in the Square Theatre for a limited run.  The play tells the story of Ti Muone, a peasant girl in the French Antilles who falls for a rich boy from the other side of the island. In her quest to find love, she is guided by four island gods. Based on the novel My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl, the play contains elements of both Romeo and Juliet and “The Little Mermaid.”  

The 4 gods of Once On This Island in a 2007 production. Image Credit: Benjamin D. Esham (CC by SA-3.0).

The revival features Hailey Kilgore in the lead role as well as Tony award-winner Lea Solonga as the love godess Erzulie.  Michael Arden, who was nominated for a Tony for directing the revival of “Spring Awakening,“ helms the production with choreography by Camille A. Brown. The play is currently set to perform through February 25, and runs 90 minutes with no intermission.