Once on This Island
at Potomac Senior High School

Reviewed on April 5, 2019

Kristen Waagner
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Lightning streaks across an amethyst sky. A persistent drumbeat echoes the beating of an impassioned heart. Gods, both spiteful and benevolent, rule the lives of mere mortals. And at the center of it all stands one small girl, cursed by death, yet empowered by love. Potomac Senior High School's "Once on this Island" explores the limits of love on an island torn by tradition through the beautiful tragedy of two star-crossed lovers.

With a Tony-winning Broadway revival in 2017, "Once on the Island" is a Haitian-inspired reimagining of the Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid tale. After a devastating storm ravages their home, a group of islanders gather to tell the story of Ti Moune, a young girl who is chosen by the gods to go on a journey that pits love against death. As she tragically falls for a boy from the other end of the island, her spirit and strength inspire those around her, winning even the gods to her side. Memorable music by acclaimed duo Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty captures the vibrant flair of the French Antilles while social castes clash in a critique of classism and a tribute to the power of love.

As brightly optimistic heroine Ti Moune, Sally Deen captured the spirit of the island through her dynamic movements and adventurous nature. With a flourish of her flowing yellow dress and a purple flower in her hair, she embarked on a voyage of self-discovery that transformed her from a naïve and hopeful child into a fiercely protective young woman. Echoes of Ti Moune's spunk were seen in Madelyn Aragon as the Little Girl, who listened attentively to the epic story being told on the stage, eventually taking her rightful place as the storyteller herself.

As wind and water swirled around the theater, the gods manipulated the very souls of the islanders on the ground. From a vicious storm created by Agwe (Annika Deomano) to a lush landscape brought into bloom by Asaka (Ednali Figueroa) in the highly entertaining "Mama Will Provide," each god personified their area of control. The sinister Papa Ge, played by Kevin Patterson, slinked about the stage, a whirling black cape in tow, frightening the audience with crazed laughs and a darkly intimidating glare. But the most powerful was the goddess of love, Erzulie (Mia Aragon). Her benevolent manner, paired with clear, expressive vocals were perfectly suited to "The Human Heart," a touching number that featured the entire cast.

A strong ensemble of Storytellers performed Caribbean-influenced choreography and formed the background to Ti Moune's story. The dancing prowess and commitment of Sydney Pope stood out, especially in her romantic dance duet with Cristian Lugo. As the immersive set became a silhouette against the cyclorama's sunset lighting and the motif of flowers surrounded the actors, the colorful spirit of the island seemed to live on through the spirit of Ti Moune.

Potomac Senior High School's production of "Once on this Island" was a testament to the power of loving in the face of heartbreak and of living despite the threat of impending death. We live to sing, to dance, and to tell our stories for the generations to come.

Ben Donovan
Freedom High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Powerful winds soar through the night-sky and lightning comes crashing down from the heavens onto a small, remote island in the Antilles archipelago; where a young girl finds herself overwhelmed with fear. To comfort the girl, the villagers of the island gather around to tell the girl the story of Ti Moune, and thus begins Potomac Senior High School's rendition of "Once on This Island".

Based on Rosa Guy's "My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl", in addition to taking elements from both Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" and William Shakespeare's tragedy "Romeo and Juliet", "Once On This Island" tells the story of Ti Moune, a young peasant who rescues a wealthy boy from the other side of the island, and falls in love with him. Unbeknownst to Ti Moune, the Gods who watch over the island are using her as a mere pawn in a game testing the power of love….and death.

"Once on This Island" first premiered Off-Broadway and eventually made its way to Broadway; where it ran at the Booth Theatre for 469 performances in the early ‘90s. In 2017, "Once on This Island" made a revival at The Circle in the Square Theatre, where it obtained the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival.

"Once on This Island" is not simple feat. With Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' impassioned score; the musical demands vocal powerhouses, emotional depth, and most of all, compassion. Fortunately, Potomac Senior High School's cast and crew were able to accomplish this challenge with ease and ingenuity.

Sally Deen's portrayal of Ti Moune was something to admire. Deen carried a strong sense of innocence to the character that left the story heartwarming and ultimately, sentimental in the end. Deen's love for Daniel, and her overall eagerness for her life to begin, brought various levels of emotion to the tale. Even more impressive were Deen's exhilarating dance moves in "The Ball".

The Gods were a major highlight of the night. As Asaka, the God of Earth, Ednali Figueroa provided a strong maternal sense to the story, in addition to having excellent comedic timing and expressive mannerisms. Kevin Patterson's interpretation of the morose Papa Ge, God of Death, sent chills shivering down the spine. Despite being the central antagonist, Patterson's faultless energy and physicality produced tons of laughs throughout the night, and displayed humanity in various moments throughout the show. Not without mention, Mia Aragon's Erzulie, God of Love, was beautiful in every way. Aragon's strong vocals added dimension to the Gods and her number "The Human Heart" left the audience inspired.

The technical elements of the show were absolutely gorgeous. The sunset colors reflected off the cyclorama and the scenic cutouts transported the auditorium to a faraway island in the Caribbean. The lighting by Zainab Ali and Carlos Salinas was also very effective in using gel colors to reflect the mood of the scene; for example, shades of red were presented in the more intense moments.

"Once on This Island" is, in the most pure sense, a story about trust, love, and hope. A story about finding oneself in the darkest of times and gaining the courage to fight against society's expectations. Potomac Senior was able to effectively spread the message about why we tell the story, in their most pristine fashion.

Everly Soyka
Woodgrove High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

Once on This Island, originally based on the book My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy and adapted for the stage by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, is an Haitian-culture-inspired take on the classic tale of The Little Mermaid. Potomac Senior High School's production of Once on This Island opens with a little girl, played by the lovely Madelyn Aragon, frightened by an ongoing storm. To comfort her, the islanders tell her the story of Ti Moune and her journey finding the power of love and her own identity.

As the story begins, attention is immediately drawn to the gods. Each god/goddess stands on a platform with beautifully decorated flags behind them depicting their symbols. To continue identifying themselves, the gods' costumes were very well done; they were both visibly pleasing and able to easily show who the gods were. They were able to easily gel with one another as an ensemble while still maintaining clear individuality. This was especially the case with Papa Ge, played by Kevin Patterson. Patterson brought a tangible energy to the story, impressing the audience with the spring in his step and his big movements, and always sticking out as being in character, even among the larger ensemble. While Papa Ge certainly stood out, every god brought dynamic energy to the show as a whole as well as their own individual characters, especially in their personal songs, the loveliest being Erzulie's song "The Human Heart" sung by Mia Aragon, who had a fantastic voice.

A pleasing aesthetic brought to this production was the background lit as if to show a sunset, set behind a huge and beautiful tree that Ti Moune would later turn into. The lighting also would turn red when the scenes turned dark, nicely executing a change in mood. An added element that certainly elevated this production was the pit orchestra, who did a great job following the actors and supporting the story. The actions of the ensemble, such as becoming the gate that locked Ti Moune from her self-decided future, helped to tell the story of a lower class girl, turned away from her love due to a divided society, still fighting for the right of love to exist in the world by bearing her story forever in the form of nature.

Oscar Lazo
Westfield High School
Submitted for publication to Lorton Valley Star

A frightening storm conquers the lands of a faraway island which belongs to the Antilles Archipelago. A young girl is instilled with fear as the thunder roars with immense power through the night to which she responds with uncontrollable screams, calling for help. Villagers restore her optimism by sharing the story of Ti Moune, one of love and hope. Potomac Senior High School celebrates compassion, intimacy, and diversity in their heartfelt production of Once on This Island.

Once on This Island, composed by Stephen Flaherty and written by Lynn Ahrens, tells the story of Ti Moune, a young girl who saves the life of Daniel following a life-threatening automobile incident, allowing Ti Moune to choose whether to stress the importance of either love or death. Opening on Broadway in 1990 and with a revival in 2017, it garnered the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and received 10 other nominations as well.

Ensemble members portrayed storytellers which assisted in evolving Ti Moune's story precisely and explained the development through exquisite vocals and enjoyable stage presence. Coloring the full stage with appealing movements, the actors used brilliant enunciation to further the engaging tale.

Sally Deen's rendition of Ti Moune presented the struggle between following Erzulie, the Goddess of Love, or Papa Ge, the God of Death. Deen's vocals in "Waiting for Life" opened Ti Moune's story line with enchanting emotion and stellar vocal ability. Deen's strong acting abilities were clear and absolutely commendable in her portrayal of the distressed character.

Kevin Patterson as the spine-tingling Papa Ge provided excellent characterization through the use of a sinister voice and hair-raising physicality as he portrayed the God of Death. Patterson's articulation was strong even with a compelling character voice being present. Mia Aragon's depiction of the Goddess of Love, Erzulie, portrayed Aragon's hauntingly graceful vocal range as she sang through "The Human Heart," leaving audiences in complete awe. Aragon's sophisticated and enlightened movements personified the theme of love as she portrayed Erzulie.

Lighting by Carlos Salinas and Zainab Ali allowed for a visual of the thunderstorms which swept through the village, showcasing a blend of blue and orange hues to represent the pounding storm upon the islanders. Scenes representing the themes of death were infused with vibrant red lighting which did not distract from Ti Moune's tale. Sound, also by Salinas and Ali, perfectly balanced the cast's mics and each actor was heard clearly through their singing and acting without an error.

As the rains cease to drizzle through the villages and the clouds clear, sunlight shines on Ti Moune's tree as benevolence and generosity glow from the roots to the sprouting leaves of the sapling. Potomac Senior High School's reminded its audiences that love dismantles death in its graceful delivery of Once on This Island.

Andrew Otchere
Rock Ridge High School
Submitted for publication to InsideNoVa-Sun Gazette

"With power and love," and most importantly a passion for entertaining audiences, Potomac Senior High School told the beautiful story of Once on This Island. This Caribbean-based tale tells the story of a young orphan girl named Ti Moune who is adopted by an impoverished couple. With the help of the Gods of Nature, Water, Love, and Death, Once on This Island follows Ti Moune's journey to win the heart of a man she is forbidden from being with.

Since its debut in the 1990's to the recent Broadway revival, this beautiful story has pleased audiences for decades! With music and lyrics by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, this musical has won numerous awards including a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical in 2018.

At the center of this beautiful story was Ti Moune played by Sally Deen. Deen brought an exquisite level of emotional range and tenderness to the lovable character. With the use of her beautiful falsetto, she captivated the audience in her first solo number, "Waiting for Life." Supporting Ti Moune in her journey were the Gods of Earth, Water, Love, and Death played respectively by Ednali Figueroa, Annika Deomano, Mia Aragon, and Kevin Patterson. Each God had a stark contrast in characterization that captivated the audience in so many ways. Mama Euralie (M'Balu Kourouma) and Tonton Julian (Cristian Lugo) were two consistently strong performers from the moment the curtain opened to their final bows.

This beautiful tale would be incomplete without the support of the storyteller ensemble. Through their movement, vocals, and accents, each storyteller helped to support the story and create an astonishing stage picture. Sydney Pope (Storyteller #1) was an immaculate stand-out in every dance number. With her confident execution and expressive characterization, Pope was constantly contributing to telling this amazing story.

Various technical aspects of the show helped to transport the audience from an auditorium to the Caribbean islands. A beautifully designed set and the use of fabrics to replicate the illusion of water were some technical aspects that elevated the caliber of the show. Lighting was intricately incorporated to create thunderstorm sequences. The clear and impeccable sound quality helped the audience to understand each actor and never be removed from the story. However, the most impressive technical aspect was the culturally-inclusive and colorful costume pieces fitted to each performer. The variety in design paired with the consistency in style helped to create a strong ensemble of individual characters and personalities.

All in all, Potomac Senior High School executed the story of Once on this Island in a expressive and comprehensively beautiful manner. This production and the hard work of each individual member was a testament to, "Why We Tell The Story."