Love and death spar on ‘Once On This Island’
Slow Burn Theatre is bringing “Once On This Island” to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, now through Feb. 20.
Featuring music with a calypso flair, the eight-time Tony-nominated musical is a popular adaptation of “The Little Mermaid,” with a majority Black cast.
The score was written by the Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (“Ragtime,” “Seussical”). The immersive set was designed and created by Cliff Price using found objects and reclaimed material that add to the storytelling magic.
Set in the French Antilles, this coming-of-age story explores the concepts of life, pain, grief, faith, hope and the power of love to bring people of different social classes together.
Ti Moune rescues Daniel, a wealthy boy from the other side of the island, with whom she falls in love. Unbeknownst to her, the pompous gods who preside over the island make a bet with one another over which is stronger – love or death – with Ti Moune’s life at stake.
When she pursues Daniel, who has returned to his people, Ti Moune is shunned because of her lowly status. Her determination and capacity to love is not enough to win Daniel’s heart, though, and she pays the ultimate price. But the gods turn Ti Moune into a tree that grows so strong and so tall, it breaks the wall that separates the societies and ultimately unites them.
The musical also looks at how the practice of colorism – discrimination by which those with lighter skin are treated more favorably than those with darker skin within the same race – impacts the characters and the relationship between Ti Moune and Daniel.
“When Matthew and I founded Slow Burn, one of our primary goals was to select contemporary musicals that would encourage audiences to explore social issues, challenge belief systems and help audiences look at themselves and others in a new way,” said Patrick Fitzwater, artistic director and Slow Burn Theatre co-founder. “Our hope is that this story will spark conversation around complex issues like this.”
The cast includes Brinie Wallace as Ti Moune, Chloe Nicole as Little Ti Moune, Jade Jones as Mama Euralie, Geoffrey Short as Tonton Julian, Jemarcus Riggins as Daniel Beauxhomme, Elijah Word as Papa Ge, Kareema Khouri as Asaka, Nate Promkul as Agwe, Lillie Thomas as Erzulie, Reynel Reynaldo as Armand and Jasmine lacullo as Andrea.
The storytellers include Andre Russell, Daryl Patrice, Reynel Reynaldo, Jasmine lacullo, Jerel Brown, Nayomi Braaf and Nicole Dikun.
The regional Slow Burn Theatre Company was founded in 2009 to produce contemporary, challenging, modern musicals.
If you go
“Once On This Island”
Feb. 4-20
Tuesday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m.; Sunday 6:30 p.m.
$49-$65; $25 with valid student or teacher ID
Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts
201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Tickets available at BrowardCenter.org or Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 954.462.0222, or in person at the box office. Masks and proof of vaccine or recent negative COVID-19 test required for entry.