From the flashing lights of the tropical storm that begins the show through the next 90 minutes, “Once On This Island” at Blackfriars Theatre is a whirlwind of movement, colorful lighting and costumes, and gorgeous singing. This musical, directed by Brynn Tyszka and choreographed by Jayme Bermudez, runs through April 8.

The show is set in a mythical version of the French Antilles, home to mortals and the four gods of love, death, water, and earth. It’s the coming of age story of Ti Moune, who in typical young-feisty-heroine fashion, begs the gods for adventure. They decide to use her to settle an argument: Which is stronger, love or death?

The set suggests an island with a lovely blue backdrop and a tree, but most of the world is conveyed through movement. Four people holding two flashlights become a car driving in the night, and a row of people become a gate. A collaboration with Borinquen Dance Theatre brings in Afro-Caribbean choreography, brightening the show with sharp, expressive dance.

With its big cast and catchy score by the iconic musical theater writing team of composer Stephen Flaherty and wordsmith Lynn Ahrens, this musical is popular with schools and community theaters. This critic has seen a few too many white-washed productions, so it was refreshing to see a cast entirely consisting of people of color, as the play intends.
The star of the show is triple-threat Daniyah Jezel, who is believable and endearing as the determined Ti Moune from the moment she runs onstage. Her singing is raw and gorgeous throughout, and her dance solo at the grand ball is electrifying. Although her performance is an obvious standout, the rest of the ensemble is exceptional in their own right. Each role is perfectly cast, and each performer contributes lively dancing and dynamic acting. As a group, they nail the beautiful harmonies.

The “girl meets boy” love story may drive much of the plot, but Jonathan Ntheketha and Jennel “Nelly” Bryce put the spotlight on an even more compelling love – that of Ti Moune’s adopted parents. Their Tonton Julian and Mama Euralie are a charismatic power couple, making it clear where Ti Moune gets her fierce loyalty and learns unconditional love. Both actors have powerful voices and capture the range of emotions in the tender “Ti Moune.”
The actors playing the four gods are versatile, sometimes taking off their flowered and feathered headpieces to blend in with the ensemble. Cameron Tyson is the rich-voiced, solemnly powerful Agwe, god of water, and Ariana Kizu Rivera is lovely as the gentle Erzulie, goddess of love. Catherine Gregory softens the edges of Papa Ge, making this demon of death an invitingly sly trickster. Following the lead of the 2017 Broadway revival, this production uses some nontraditional gender casting. What a blessing, as nobody is better suited to play Asaka, Mother of the Earth, than Alvis Green, Jr., who brings down the house with their jubilant rendition of “Mama Will Provide.”
Ti Moune’s love interest Daniel, played by Ian Cannioto, is from the wealthier part of the island. Daniel is a mixed race descendent of the French, part of a wealthy family that is disdainful of their darker-skinned neighbors living in poverty.

The colorism and class divide is not the only thing keeping apart these star-crossed lovers. Daniel is also, well, terrible. When Ti Moune journeys across the island to be with him, he barely recognizes her as the girl who saved his life, but hits on her anyway. The second half of the musical is an engaging, slow-motion romantic train wreck, as Ti Moune pins all her dreams on a conflicted guy who woos her by singing, “Some girls you marry, some you love.”



A fundamental flaw of this musical, which cannot be redeemed by even the most impressive of productions, is the ending. Ultimately, a marginalized woman sacrifices everything for a wealthy man who would do nothing for her, and the audience is supposed to feel inspired.

This ending is especially infuriating because this is a musical that knows, and celebrates, the power of stories. In the final song “Why We Tell the Story,” the cast sings, “Our lives become the stories that we weave.” But why weave this story, where a smart, fearless Black woman has nothing better to want than to be the paramour of a spineless boy from a condescending, racist family? The cast delivers an exuberant final number, but the characters deserve a better conclusion than the show gives them.
Questionable messaging aside, there’s much to enjoy with this production. There were a few technical difficulties with the microphones, and some of the lyrics were hard to make out, partly due to an occasionally overpowering band. These are small quibbles though. In total, Blackfriars’ take on “Once on This Island” is an exhilarating showcase of local theatrical talent.

Katherine Varga is a freelance writer for CITY. Feedback on this article can be directed to Daniel J. Kushner, CITY's arts editor, at [email protected].