Once On This Island show dates are Feb 19 at 7pm
Feb 20 at 1pm and at 7pm

SHOW SYNOPSIS:

"Once On This Island," written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty and based on the book My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy, is a musical set on a Caribbean island in the Antilles, which is the home to two entirely different societies: the poor peasants and the aristocratic Grand Hommes ("We Dance.") A group of storytellers tell the tale of the young girl Ti Moune, who was saved from a flood by the gods as a child and raised by a pair of kindly old peasants ("One Small Girl"). As she grows up, however, Ti Moune longs for a grander life than the one she faces and, inspired by the sight of a young and handsome grand homme driving past in a white car, prays to the gods to grant her wish ("Waiting For Life").

The gods hear her prayer, and decide to humor her in order to settle a bet between Erzulie, goddess of love, and Papa Ge, god of death, about which force is stronger (And The Gods Heard Her Prayer). Agwe, the god of water, assists by creating a rainstorm that causes the young grand homme's car to crash ("Rain"). Ti Moune finds the boy Daniel and is determined to nurse him back to health, despite the objections of her village. Her father Tonton Julian finally acquiesces, and goes off in search for the boy's family while the village fears that the girl does not incur the wrath of the gods ("Pray"). As Ti Moune nurses Daniel back to health and falls in love with him, and when Papa Ge appears to demand the boy's life, she pledges her soul in exchange for Daniel's ("Forever Yours").

At this point, the villagers recount history of the island and the boy's family in particular in pantomime ("The Sad Tale of the Beauxhommes"). They tell the story of a French aristocrat who arrived on the island and fathered a son by a peasant girl, who would become Beaxhomme. The peasants re-enact the revolution against the French lead by Beauxhomme, but sadly remember that they are now a cursed people--longing for France but rooted forever on the island.

Meanwhile, Julian has found the boy's family who returns to reclaim their son, and Ti Moune, despite her parents' pleas, insists upon following him ("Ti Moune"). Her journey begins, and she is aided by Asaka, goddess of the earth ("Mama Will Provide"). She finally reaches the city, and makes her way into the palace where Daniel lives (Some Say). There she finds him still ill from his injuries, and convinces him to allow her to stay. Erzulie presides ("The Human Heart"). Despite the dubious and scathing gossip of the other grand hommes ("Pray Reprise"), Daniel falls in love with Ti Moune ("Some Girls"). He brings her to a ball at the Hotel Beauxhomme, where she earns the admiration of the grand hommes with her dancing ("Ti Moune's Dance"). However, there she is introduced to Daniel's betrothed, Andrea Deveraux, and is informed that Ti Moune would never be his wife.

Desolate and in shock, Ti Moune collapses, and Papa Ge returns to remind her of her promise ("Forever Yours Reprise"). However, he offers her one last chance at life: if she can kill Daniel, she can return to her old life and happiness. Ti Moune, however, is unable to do this and hurls down the knife, surrendering her life. She is thrown out of the Hotel Beauxhomme and waits and watches as Daniel and Andrea are married.

Mama Euralie laments for her daughter's life and the gods sorrow, gently putting her to sleep ("A Part of Us"). At last, Asaka takes Ti Moune to her breast and resurrects her as a tree that cracks the walls of the Hotel Beauxhomme and frees Daniel's son and another familiar young peasant girl to fall in love openly ("Why We Tell The Story").