Once On This Island at Count Basie Center for the Arts

From the Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Seussical, Ragtime), comes the Olivier Award-winning Once on This Island. This highly original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, garnered eight Tony nominations for its Broadway run, including Best Musical, Book and Score.

Ti Moune, a peasant girl, rescues a wealthy boy from the other side of the island, Daniel, with whom she falls in love. Unbeknownst to Ti Moune, the pompous gods who preside over the island make a bet with one another over which is stronger, love or death, the stakes being Ti Moune’s life. 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, though, is not enough to win Daniel’s heart, and Ti Moune 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.

From the onset, Phoenix Productions has been clear in its intentions to accurately portray this production’s themes of colorism and racism. This commitment included outreach to communities and actors of color which the company and the Count Basie Center for the Arts recognizes may have not previously felt welcome into the world of community theatre. Once On This Island was selected for the opportunity it provided our organizations to strengthen our commitments to locate and encourage performers of all ages, ethnicities, cultural heritages / backgrounds, body types, and gender expressions.

Authors

• Lynn Ahrens
• Rosa Guy
• Stephen Flaherty

Tony Awards and Nominations for Once On This Island