Once on This Island announces Broadway closing date

The Tony Award-winning "Best Revival of a Musical" will play its final performance at Broadway's Circle in the Square on January 6, 2019.

Producers of the Tony Award-winning "Best Revival of a Musical" Once on This Island have now announced that the production is set to play its final performance at the Circle in the Square Theatre on January 6, 2019. Director Michael Arden's stunning revival began previews on November 9, 2017, ahead of an official opening on December 3, and, upon closing, will have played a total of 29 previews and 458 regular performances.

The producers commented: "It has been a great privilege to bring Lynn Ahrens' and Stephen Flaherty's ground-breaking show back to Broadway under Michael Arden's incredible direction.  Michael's brilliant staging, along with the perfect cast and a revolutionary design, are the reasons that the show won the Tony Award and received critical acclaim, and ran as long as the first production in 1990, again delighting audiences for more than 450 performances. We are so excited that Once On This Island will travel across the country on a national tour starting in the Fall of 2019."

The musical features a book & lyrics by Tony Award winner Lynn Ahrens and music by Tony Award winner Stephen Flaherty, who are also currently represented on the Great White Way by the Broadway premiere of Anastasia.

Synopsis: "Once on This Island is the extraordinary story of a fearless young dreamer named Ti Moune. After a massive storm rages through her village, a ray of hope appears through a young man from the wealthy side of the island. An unexpected romance blossoms. But when their different cultures threaten to keep them apart, Ti Moune—guided by the island gods—sets out on a journey to stay beside the man who has captured her heart. The musical transforms the reality of post-storm Haiti into a fantastical world bursting with Caribbean rhythms and dance."

The principal cast of Once on This Island currently includes Tony Award nominee Hailey Kilgore (as Ti Moune), "Glee" star Alex Newell (as Asaka), Tamyra Gray (as Papa Ge), Quentin Earl Darrington (as Agwe), Darlesia Cearcy (as Erzulie), Tony Award nominee Phillip Boykin (as Tonton Julian), Kenita R. Miller (as Mama Euralie), Alysha Deslorieux (as Andrea), David Jennings (as Armand), and Isaac Powell (as Daniel).

As previously announced, Destiny's Child member and Grammy Award winner Michelle Williams is set to assume the role of Erzulie, Goddess of Love, from November 30.

Directed by Tony Award nominee Michael Arden, this new production features choreography by Camille A. Brown, music supervision by Chris Fenwick, music direction by Alvin Hough, Jr., new orchestrations by the musical's original orchestrator Michael Starobin, vocal designs by AnnMarie Milazzo, scenic design by Dane Laffrey, costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting design by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer and sound design by Peter Hylenski. Tony Award winner Nikki M. James also serves as Assistant Director.

Once on This Island premiered off-Broadway at Playwright's Horizons in 1990 and transferred to Broadway in October of the same year. The Broadway production ran for a total of 469 performances and received an impressive total of eight Tony Award nominations including "Best Musical". Its West End premiere was staged in 1994 and ultimately won the Olivier Award for "Best New Musical" at the 1995 ceremony.

Once on This Island is produced on Broadway by Ken Davenport and Hunter Arnold.

Once on This Island Tickets are available now for performances through to January 6, 2019.

^{(Photo by Joan Marcus)}