‘Once On This Island’ Musical to Return to Broadway in December

“Once On This Island,” the 1990 musical by the songwriting duo also behind Broadway’s “Anastasia,” will return to Broadway later this year in a new production that will open in December.

Michael Arden, the actor-director who scored a Tony nomination last year for “Spring Awakening,” will stage “Once On This Island” with choreographer Camille Brown. The show was the first Broadway credit for composer Stephen Flaherty and lyricist Lynn Ahrens (pictured above), who went on to pen musicals including “Ragtime,” “Seussical,” “Rocky” and “Anastasia,” which began Broadway previews last week.

The musical fable follows the romance that grows between a young woman and a man from the wealthy side of the island on which she lives, guided by the island’s gods. The creative team will launch a casting search for the musical’s lead role of Ti Moune, starting in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, next week, with stops around the U.S. in the weeks to come.

Ken Davenport (“Spring Awakening”) and Hunter Arnold will produce “Once On This Island,” set to begin previews Nov. 9 ahead of a Dec. 3 opening. No theater has yet been set, although Circle in the Square, where “In Transit” is currently playing to slow sales, is said to be a potential home for the title.

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