The production is set to open the theatre’s 2023 Summer season, with performances beginning on the 10th May.
Principal casting and creative team has been confirmed for the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s upcoming revival of Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical Once On This Island, playing at the theatre from the 10th May until the 10th June.
Gabrielle Brooks (Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Olivier Award Nomination) will play the central role of Ti Moune with Stephenson Ardern-Sodje (Hamilton) as Daniel in the production which will be directed by Ola Ince. Full casting will be announced soon.
A musical story of love, grief, faith and hope, Once On This Island tells of peasant girl Ti Moune, a boy called Daniel, and a union that prejudice forbids. Against the heat of the Caribbean sun and destruction of tropical storms, can Ti Moune settle the wager of the Gods, and prove that love is more powerful than death?
Based on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy, the musical features a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. The original West End production won Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards when it premiered in 1995 and the most recent Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival in 2018.
Talking about directing this production, Ola Ince said: “Once on this island is a poignant, moving and politically charged story. I’m thrilled to be working with an extraordinary talented team at Regent Park’s Open Air Theatre; a place where true magic happens. It’s a dream come true!”
The creative team behind this production is also set to include: Phil Bateman (Musical Supervisor), Niamh Gaffney (Associate Sound Designer), Jessica Hung Han Yun (Lighting Designer), Niquelle LaTouche (Associate Choreographer), Nick Lidster (Sound Designer), Georgia Lowe (Designer), Lindsay McAllister (Associate Director), Philip d’Orléans (Fight Director), Chris Poon (Musical Director), Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy (Choreographer), Melissa Simon-Hartman (Costume Designer) and Jacob Sparrow (Casting Director).
The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 2023 season is also set to include Ben Okri’s Every Leaf A Hallelujah (22 May – 10 June), adapted by Chinonyerem Odimba for ages 4+ and their families, performed on the Theatre Lawn. Robin Hood: The Legend. Re-written (17 June – 22 July) written by Carl Grose andcommissioned by Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre with direction by Melly Still. The Tempest re-imagined for everyone aged six and over (30 June – 22 July), revised and directed by Jennifer Tang in a co-production with the Unicorn Theatre. Musical La Cage aux Folles (29 July – 16 September),directed by Artistic Director Timothy Sheader with a book by Harvey Fierstein, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, and based on the play by Jean Poiret.
For more information and to book tickets visit: https://openairtheatre.com/whats-on