VALDOSTA — More than once, watching Peach State Summer Theatre’s “Once On This Island,” I wondered if children could follow this musical.
“Once On This Island” is this season’s show aimed more toward family audiences. Unlike some past PSST! shows, it is not obviously aimed at kids. This is not the familiar territory of past Peach State children’s shows, such as “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” or “Disney’s Aladdin.”
“Once On This Island” is a bit more complex storyline. The plot involves class distinctions: a peasant girl falls in love with a rich boy. They are originally brought together by a car wreck. They face societal scorn when the peasant and the aristocrat become lovers. The show’s major theme: Which is stronger love or death?
Unlike many musicals, which combine spoken dialogue with song, “Once On This Island” is told entirely in song and dance. It is similar to opera, but an English-speaking one.
So, I had to wonder, seated with my two youngest sons, ages 8 and 5, in an audience with dozens of children, are they following the story? Sure, the songs are great, the costumes, staging and lighting dynamic, but can they keep up with the plot? And if not, are all those flashy set pieces keeping their attention?
After the show, I asked my sons what they thought. They enjoyed the show. I asked them what the show was about? And my 8-year-old with help from the 5-year-old told the story back to me.
They got “Once On This Island” and they liked it.
“Once On This Island” may not be every child’s, or adult’s cup of tea, but what show is?
“Once On This Island” is a very well done show, which audiences have come to expect from Peach State Summer Theatre. It is a somewhat surreal story of a group of peasants telling a fairytale to a young girl, and they place the little girl, a grown version of the girl, into their tale.
Director/choreographer Damron Russel Armstrong infuses a dream quality to “Once On This Island.” Like the farmhands becoming the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion, Armstrong infuses a spark of “The Wizard of Oz” as the little girl’s fellow peasants become the extraordinary characters encountered in the fairy tale.
Fine performances bring these characters to life: Johnny Machesko, Annie Freres, Jonathan Awori, and Julia VanderVeen play the gods who take an interest in the young peasant girl’s life. Each has a spotlight song bringing their magical characters to life as well as set pieces that give this show its oomph.
Yet, the soul of this show belongs to Adrienne Brown and Brittanye S. Blake who play Ti Moune, the peasant girl as girl near adulthood and as a child respectively. Brown delivers a beautiful voice and soulful expression of a young woman who falls for a high-born young man, as a young woman who must decide whether love or death is strongest within her.
“Once On This Island” is not a place everyone would want to become a castaway, but it should prove a short Caribbean vacation for some audiences. This review is based on the June 20 performance.
Peach State Summer Theatre’s “Once On This Island” continues 2 p.m., June 27; 7:30 p.m., July 1, 3; 2 p.m., July 8, 11; 7:30 p.m., July 15; 2 p.m., July 18, Sawyer Theatre, Valdosta State University Fine Arts Building, corner of Oak and Brookwood. Tickets: $25, adult; $20, seniors, students; $18, groups of 10 or more. Reservations, more information: Tickets are now available online; visit the Web site www.valdosta.edu/psstor call 259-7770. The Valdosta Daily Times is proud corporate sponsor of Peach State Summer Theatre!
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Adrienne Brown, Joshua Walker and Adriana Gissendanner as Ti Moune, Daniel and Andrea in Peach State Summer Theatre’s ‘Once On This Island.’ unknown
Discussion
Play Review: This ‘Island’ is hopping
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