Monday, March 31, 2014

THEATRE REVIEW BLOG - PREVIEW OF ONCE ON THIS ISLAND AT NEAR WEST THEATRE



Near West Theatre empowers young people to believe in themselves through the process of theatre.
No greater an example will be the upcoming production of Once On This Island.
This is the second to the last show at the St. Pats location, before Near West Theatre moves into it's brand new theatre in the Gordon Square Arts District.
Come see what transformational theatre is all about.

Diverse kids from city, suburbs offer Once On This Island Jr. April 10-13
Musical about class, culture and love features cast of 31, ages 9 to 15

Boys and girls in Near West Theatre’s “Kids Loud and Musical Organic Revue” program are preparing a lively, mystical musical about two young people who cross lines of class, culture and race and how the communities around them react.

Caribbean-themed song and dance are featured in Once On This Island Jr., on stage Thursday, April 10, Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 13, at 3 p.m. Performances will be at the theater’s longtime home in the St. Patrick’s Club Building, 3606 Bridge Ave., Cleveland. It will be the next-to-last production in that location before Near West makes a transition to its new home, now under construction in the Gordon Square Arts District.

Like the original Once On This Island, which received nine 1991 Tony nominations on Broadway, this “junior” version – shortened and modified for young actors – follows the orphan girl Ti Moune and the wealthy boy Daniel through journeys of beauty and struggle as they challenge boundaries that separate two cultures on a Caribbean island. The cast includes 17 girls and 14 boys, ages 9 to 15. They are African American, Euro-American, Hispanic American, and of multiracial heritage. Seventeen are from Cleveland; the rest are from Avon, Avon Lake, Berea, Euclid, Lakewood, Mayfield Heights, Olmsted Township, Sheffield and Westlake.

Tickets can be purchased at www.nearwesttheatre.org, or by calling the box office at 216-961-6391 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays. Reserved Star Seats with special benefits are $20; general admission is $10 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under.

Near West Theatre is grateful for ongoing programmatic support from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, Greater Cleveland Community Shares and the Ohio Arts Council.



Cast of Once On This Island Jr.
Near West Theatre, Cleveland, April 10-13, 2014
Felix Albino (Papa Ge)
Tatiana Ally
Kylie Colvin
Cole Emerine
Abby Golden
Lindsay Hajostek
Mary Halm
Corinne Howery (Asaka)
Rakim Huff
Rachel Johanek
Louis Johnson II (Tonton Julian)
Bryen Kilbane
Sabrina Kim
Jonas Kukelhan
Christine Larson
Elliot Lockshine
Madelyn Lockshine
Finn O’Malia
Phil Pantalone
Joceyln Perkins (Ti Moune)
Diana Popa
Stellina Scacco (Mama Euralie)
Grace Schumann
Cole Tarantowski (Daniel)
Christian Toth
Nora Van Lier
Rafael Velez III
Colin Wheeler (Agwe)
Elijah Whitt
Morgan Williams (Erzulie)
Allison Yellets (Andrea)

Production Staff
Director: Kelcie Nicole Dugger. Musical Director: Evie Morris. Assistant Director: Anthony Williams. Choreographer: Andrea Belser. Technical Director and Production Manager: Josh Padgett. Assistant Technical Director: Perren Hedderson. Scenic, Properties and Costume Designer: Laura Carlson Tarantowski. Stage Manager and Assistant Production Manager: Ryan Wolf. Assistant Stage Manager: Anthony Williams. Lighting Designer: Tobias Peltier. Sound Designer: Joshua Caraballo. Properties Master: Jessica Rosenlieb. Artistic Director, NWT: Bob Navis Jr. Executive Director, NWT: Stephanie Morrison-Hrbek.

Suggested performance listing:
Near West Theatre. St. Pat’s Club Building, 3606 Bridge Ave., Cleveland. 216-961-6391 or nearwesttheatre.org. Once On This Island Jr. April 10, 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m.; April 13 at 3 p.m. Star Seat, $20; general admission, $10 adults, $8 children (12 and under).

NOTE: Near West Theatre’s 3rd-floor performance space is accessible only by stairs. It is not accessible to persons with certain disabilities. We look forward to welcoming everyone to our future home in the Gordon Square Arts District, which will be fully accessible.


Once On This Island Jr.
Book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Based upon the novel “My Love, My Love” by Rosa Guy
Originally directed and choreographed on Broadway by Graciela Daniele
Playwrights Horizons, Inc. produced “Once On This Island” Off-Broadway in 1990

Originally produced on Broadway by The Schubert Organization, Capital Cities/ABC, Inc.
Suntory International Corporation and James Walsh, in association with Playwrights Horizons

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