A folktale told to TiMoune, a little Caribbean girl, Once on This Island becomes her story as a young girl who saves the life of a mixed-race nobleman hurt in a storm. Having fallen in love with him, she leaves the parents who adopted her and seeks him in his palace. Goddesses of the elements will go to watch over her in her quest of marriage, but there’ll be conflict not only with social and racial mores but also with opposing devilish-God. Besides, the prince’s choice may already been determined.
Lynn Ahrens’s plotting is second to her book and Stephen Flaherty’s Afro-Caribbean music. There’s almost as much repetition of TiMoune’s seeking as actual confrontation with obstacles. All becomes like an operetta with the gods being as important—to the singing—as the central characters. Terra Conner Jones, for instance, as Asaka the Earth Goddess seems like co-star of the play and has been publicized accordingly. Not that she lacks star power. Her solos bring down the house. Still, due to Jim Weaver’s excellent directorial insights re the contemporary significance of the story’s class, racial, and gender problems, the audience gets as much to think about as to listen to. Luckily, all of his Goddesses and even the wicked Lee Hollis Bussi help him immensely.
Of course, the star is Ilexis Holmes as central figure TiMoune reflecting Weaver’s good casting and choreographic talents perfectly.
There isn’t a misfit in the entire cast. Musicians are also excellent, so it’s a bit disappointing not to see them in action (they’re backstage).
WBTT has a reputation for glorious costume designs, upheld here by Suwatana Rockland. Scenery is mainly given over to projected backgrounds, and, except for some props, is basically absent from center stage.
Because of the repetition of activities (i.e., the nobleman seems to constantly drop off and need re-curing) and interruption of the main action by an intermission, the production may seem slower and longer than it actually is. I heard people mention such a reaction, not favorably, which I regretted.
