Once on This Island

Original Broadway Version (1990)

Celebrate storytelling with this rousing Calypso-flavored tale of one small girl who finds love in a world of prejudice.

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From the Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Seussical, Ragtime), comes the Olivier Award-winning Once on This Island. This highly original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, garnered eight Tony nominations for its Broadway run, including Best Musical, Book and Score.

Ti Moune, a peasant girl, rescues a wealthy boy from the other side of the island, Daniel, with whom she falls in love. Unbeknownst to Ti Moune, the pompous gods who preside over the island make a bet with one another over which is stronger, love or death, the stakes being Ti Moune's life. When she pursues Daniel, who has returned to his people, Ti Moune is shunned because of her lowly status. Her determination and capacity to love, though, is not enough to win Daniel's heart, and Ti Moune pays the ultimate price; but the gods turn Ti Moune into a tree that grows so strong and so tall, it breaks the wall that separates the societies and ultimately unites them.

Once on This Island's small band, minimal set requirements and flexibly sized cast make it a producer and director's dream. It possesses such a strong, emotional backbone that it can stand tall, from the grandest to most modest of scales.

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Book by

Lynn Ahrens

Music by

Stephen Flaherty

Lyrics by

Lynn Ahrens

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Songs

We Dance

One Small Girl

Waiting For Life

And The Gods Heard Her Prayer

Pray

Forever Yours

The Sad Tale Of The Beauxhommes

Ti Moune

Mama Will Provide

Some Say

The Human Heart

Some Girls

The Ball

A Part Of Us

Why We Tell The Story

Full Song List

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Similar Shows

Disney's The Little Mermaid

Media

A glimpse of the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Once On This Island

Co-authors Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty discuss Once On This Island

A preview of the 2012 Paper Mill Playhouse production of Once On This Island

Music video of "Waiting for Life" from the Tony-winning Broadway revival of Once on This Island

Co-authors Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty discuss the score of Once on This Island

Music video of "The Human Heart" from the Tony-winning Broadway revival of Once on This Island

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By CD2013

January 27, 2021

Echoing Revival Casting

I know this verion of materials echos the Original Broadway Cast more, but when we license the show are we allowed to echo the casting choices of the revival as long as we don't alter the music and dialogue given to us (outside of the approved dialogue considerations based on casting.)

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By hetherbear

October 22, 2018

Can original material be presented before and after the script without additional permissions?

Once On This Island is very much about storytelling. If a group were to devise original material telling their own story in their own words (not utilizing sections of the script) and present the original material before and after the show, without altering the script and leaving the script interact, would additional permissions need to be sought?

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By sarrigoitia

May 06, 2018

Will this show be available for licensing in my area 2019?

Will "Once" be available for licensing in 2019 for my area ?

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By ccanderson

March 11, 2016

Once On This Island Colorblind Script

How do we got about requesting the colorblind casting script for our production of Once On This Island? Or is it already included in the script? Thanks

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By seanbaldwin18

March 07, 2016

Do you have Program template for Once on This Island

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By jkl2134

December 18, 2015

Is this a published play?

Does this play have an ISBN number? The policy at our playhouse require them and I do not want to order if there is not an ISBN.

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Title	Address	Organization	Website	Date	Venue
Once On This Island	95 High St Portland, CT 6455 United States	Middletown Stage Company		07/18/2025 - 04:00 to 07/19/2025 - 04:00	Middletown Stage Company
Once On This Island	3100 Cleburne St Houston, TX 77004 United States	Texas Southern University-dept Of Fine Arts	http://www.tsu.edu	04/09/2026 - 04:00 to 04/12/2026 - 04:00	Dept Of Fine Arts-theatre
Once On This Island	11 Old Mission Ave Saint Augustine, FL 32084-3279 United States	Limelight Theatre Inc.		05/08/2026 - 04:00 to 05/24/2026 - 04:00	Limelight Theatre
Once On This Island	225 West 400 North Orem, UT 84057 United States	Hale Centre Theatre Orem	http://www.halethea…	05/03/2026 - 04:00 to 07/18/2026 - 04:00	Hale Center Theater Orem
Once On This Island	155 Third Avenue Bay Shore, NY 11706 United States	Bay Shore High School	http://www.bayshore…	07/25/2025 - 04:00 to 07/26/2025 - 04:00	Bay Shore High School
Once On This Island	1800 W Old Shakopee Rd Bloomington, MN 55431 United States	Artistry At Bloomington Center For The Arts	http://www.artistry…	10/02/2025 - 04:00 to 11/02/2025 - 04:00	Schneider Theater
Once On This Island	6500 Quander Road Alexandria, VA 22307 United States	West Potomac High School	http://www.fcps.edu…	05/01/2025 - 04:00 to 05/10/2025 - 04:00	West Potomac High School
Once On This Island	33 Footlight Circle Meredith, NH 3253 United States	Winnipesaukee Playhouse	http://www.winnipes…	08/08/2025 - 04:00 to 08/16/2025 - 04:00	Winnipesaukee Playhouse
Once On This Island	6500 Quander Road Alexandria, VA 22307 United States	West Potomac High School	http://www.fcps.edu…	05/01/2025 - 04:00 to 05/10/2025 - 04:00	West Potomac High School
Once On This Island	33 Footlight Circle Meredith, NH 3253 United States	Winnipesaukee Playhouse	http://www.winnipes…	08/08/2025 - 04:00 to 08/16/2025 - 04:00	Winnipesaukee Playhouse
Once On This Island	551 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, Ca Stanford, CA 94305 United States	Stanford University Student Activities		05/15/2025 - 04:00 to 05/17/2025 - 04:00	Pigott Theater
Once On This Island	600 South Arthur Ashe Richmond, VA 23220 United States	City Of Richmond		08/08/2025 - 04:00 to 08/17/2025 - 04:00	Dogwood Dell
Once On This Island	551 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, Ca Stanford, CA 94305 United States	Stanford University Student Activities		05/15/2025 - 04:00 to 05/17/2025 - 04:00	Pigott Theater
Once On This Island	600 South Arthur Ashe Richmond, VA 23220 United States	City Of Richmond		08/08/2025 - 04:00 to 08/17/2025 - 04:00	Dogwood Dell
Once On This Island	142 Stuart Nelson Park Road 142 Stuart Nelson Park Road Paducah, KY 42001 United States	Mainstage School Of Performing Arts		04/29/2025 - 04:00 to 05/05/2025 - 04:00	Mpact
Once On This Island	1846 Haslett Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 United States	Ruhala Performing Arts Center	http://ruhalacenter…	05/17/2025 - 04:00 to 05/18/2025 - 04:00	Ruhala Holistic Arts
Once On This Island	142 Stuart Nelson Park Road 142 Stuart Nelson Park Road Paducah, KY 42001 United States	Mainstage School Of Performing Arts		04/29/2025 - 04:00 to 05/05/2025 - 04:00	Mpact
Once On This Island	1846 Haslett Rd. East Lansing, MI 48823 United States	Ruhala Performing Arts Center	http://ruhalacenter…	05/17/2025 - 04:00 to 05/18/2025 - 04:00	Ruhala Holistic Arts
Once On This Island	235 E 8th St 235 E 8th St Long Beach, CA 90813 United States	Renaissance High School For The Arts	http://renaissance…	05/09/2025 - 04:00 to 05/10/2025 - 04:00	Renaissance Theater
Once On This Island	700 Hempstead Tpke Elmont, NY 11518 United States	Plaza Theatrical Productions		07/17/2025 - 04:00 to 07/18/2025 - 04:00	Plaza Theatrical Productions, Inc
Once On This Island	235 E 8th St 235 E 8th St Long Beach, CA 90813 United States	Renaissance High School For The Arts	http://renaissance…	05/09/2025 - 04:00 to 05/10/2025 - 04:00	Renaissance Theater
Once On This Island	700 Hempstead Tpke Elmont, NY 11518 United States	Plaza Theatrical Productions		07/17/2025 - 04:00 to 07/18/2025 - 04:00	Plaza Theatrical Productions, Inc
Once On This Island	50 Hope Hollow Road Loganville, GA 30052 United States	Grayson High School		01/31/2025 - 05:00 to 02/01/2025 - 05:00	Grayson High School
Once On This Island	300 Longfellow Avenue Wyncote, PA 19095 United States	Cedarbrook Middle School	http://www.cheltenh…	04/10/2025 - 04:00 to 04/12/2025 - 04:00	Cedarbrook Middle School
Once On This Island	425 West Western Ave Muskegon, MI 49440 United States	Muskegon Civic Theatre	http://www.frauenth…	02/13/2026 - 05:00 to 02/28/2026 - 05:00	Beardsley Theatre
Once On This Island	50 Hope Hollow Road Loganville, GA 30052 United States	Grayson High School		01/24/2025 - 05:00 to 01/25/2025 - 05:00	Grayson High School
Once On This Island	3251 Austin's Colony Parkway Bryan, TX 77808 United States	James Earl Rudder High School	http://fc.bryanisd…	01/23/2025 - 05:00 to 01/25/2025 - 05:00	Margaret Rudder Perf Arts Center
Once On This Island	167 Forest Street Marshfield, MA 2050 United States	Marshfield High School		05/09/2025 - 04:00 to 05/10/2025 - 04:00	Marshfield High School
Once On This Island	3131 19th Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55407 United States	South High School		03/13/2025 - 04:00 to 03/22/2025 - 04:00	Minneapolis South High School
Once On This Island	1840 Roosevelt Springfield, MA 1109 United States	Springfield Central High School	https://spschs.ss18…	03/27/2025 - 04:00 to 03/29/2025 - 04:00	Springfield Central High School
Once On This Island	2750 Forest Parkway Ellenwood, GA 30294 United States	Utopian Academy For The Arts		02/20/2025 - 05:00 to 02/22/2025 - 05:00	Linda Faye Stevenson Blackbox The
Once On This Island	5151 State University Drive Los Angeles, CA 90032 United States	Los Angeles County Office Of Education		05/23/2025 - 04:00 to 05/24/2025 - 04:00	Caroline's Loft Theatre
Once On This Island	221 Whitfield Rd Hogansville, GA 30230-3209 United States	Callaway High School		04/17/2025 - 04:00 to 04/19/2025 - 04:00	Callaway High School
Once On This Island	3100 Cleburne St Houston, TX 77004 United States	Texas Southern University-dept Of Fine Arts	http://www.tsu.edu	04/10/2025 - 04:00 to 04/13/2025 - 04:00	Dept Of Fine Arts-theatre
Once On This Island	100 Carlisle Ave York, PA 17401 United States	Dreamwrights	http://www.dreamwri…	06/06/2025 - 04:00 to 06/15/2025 - 04:00	Dreamwrights
Once On This Island	24 Chestnut Street Norwich, CT 6360 United States	Chestnut Street Playhouse	http://www.chestnut…	03/06/2025 - 05:00 to 03/23/2025 - 04:00	Chestnut Street Playhouse
Once On This Island	120 Sparkleberry Lane Columbia, SC 29223 United States	Spring Valley High School-spring Valley Players	http://richland2.org	04/10/2025 - 04:00 to 04/12/2025 - 04:00	Hs School Theatre
Once On This Island	50 Hope Hollow Road Loganville, GA 30052 United States	Grayson High School		01/24/2025 - 05:00 to 01/25/2025 - 05:00	Grayson High School
Once On This Island	19428 I 45 North Spring, TX 77373 United States	Spring High School		01/23/2025 - 05:00 to 01/27/2025 - 05:00	Spring High School
Once On This Island	361 Route 59 Spring Valley, NY 10977 United States	Spring Valley High School Thespian Troupe 721		03/27/2025 - 04:00 to 03/29/2025 - 04:00	Spring Valley High School
Once On This Island	2600 Rock Quarry Road Raleigh, NC 27610 United States	Southeast Raleigh Magnet H S	http://www.srmhsthe…	04/11/2025 - 04:00 to 04/12/2025 - 04:00	Southeast Raleigh Magnet H S
Once On This Island	14201 Roscoe Blvd. Panorama City, CA 91402 4299 United States	St Genevieve High School	http://sgps.org	04/02/2025 - 04:00 to 04/12/2025 - 04:00	Mcdill Hall
Once On This Island	320 Cocalico Street Tom Grater Park Ephrata, PA 17522 United States	Ephrata Performing Arts Center	http://epactheatre…	10/10/2024 - 04:00 to 10/26/2024 - 04:00	Sharadin Bigler Theater
Once On This Island	157 Park Central Square Springfield, MO 65806 United States	Springfield Contemporary Theatre, Inc.	http://springfieldc…	12/06/2024 - 05:00 to 12/15/2024 - 05:00	Historic Fox Theatre
Once On This Island	217 N. Coast Hwy Oceanside, CA 92054 United States	Oceanside Theatre Company	http://www.oceansid…	05/30/2025 - 04:00 to 06/15/2025 - 04:00	Otc / The Brooks Theater
Once On This Island	Av. Pres. Juscelino Kubitschek,2041 Vila Olimbia Aao Paulo 04543-011 Brazil	Eureka Entretenimento E Producao Cultural Ltda		04/30/2025 - 04:00 to 10/30/2025 - 04:00	033 Rooftop
Once On This Island	700 22nd Avenue Ne Minneapolis, MN 55418 United States	Edison High School	http://edison.mpls…	12/12/2024 - 05:00 to 12/15/2024 - 05:00	Thomas Edison High School
Once On This Island	619 Page Ave Lyndhurst, NJ 7071 United States	Lyndhurst Middle School Musical	http://www.lyndhurs…	04/18/2025 - 04:00 to 04/20/2025 - 04:00	Lyndhurst Middle School Auditorium
Once On This Island	251 N Pearl Street Albany, NY 12207 United States	Black Theatre Troupe Of Upstate Ny		02/06/2025 - 05:00 to 02/16/2025 - 05:00	Capital Repertory Theatre
Once On This Island	403 N. Main Street South Bend, IN 46601 United States	South Bend Civic Theatre	http://sbct.org	02/28/2025 - 05:00 to 03/09/2025 - 05:00	South Bend Civic Theatre
Once On This Island	Eje 4 Sur Xola #809 Col. Del Valle C.p. 08400 6700 Mexico D.f. Mexico	Artestudio Centro De Artes Escenicas		09/13/2024 - 04:00 to 10/31/2024 - 04:00	Teatro Prieto
Once On This Island	1209 Hay Street Fayetteville, NC 28305 United States	Cape Fear Regional Theatre	http://www.cfrt.org	05/01/2025 - 04:00 to 05/25/2025 - 04:00	Cape Fear Regional Theatre
Once On This Island	26255 Schoolcraft Redford, MI 48239 United States	Lee M Thurston High School	http://southredford…	05/01/2025 - 04:00 to 05/03/2025 - 04:00	Lee M Thurston High School
Once On This Island	3251 Austin's Colony Parkway Bryan, TX 77808 United States	James Earl Rudder High School	http://fc.bryanisd…	01/23/2025 - 05:00 to 01/25/2025 - 05:00	Margaret Rudder Perf Arts Center
Once On This Island	991 Sand Lake Road Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 United States	Lake Brantley High School		04/17/2025 - 04:00 to 04/20/2025 - 04:00	Lake Brantley High School
Once On This Island	9890 Ashton Old Road Douglasville, Pebblebrook High School Mabelton, GA 30126 United States	Pebblebrook High School		11/14/2024 - 05:00 to 11/17/2024 - 05:00	Earl Reece Theater
Once On This Island	1231 W Kemper Road Cincinnati, OH 45240 1699 United States	Winton Woods High School		04/11/2025 - 04:00 to 04/13/2025 - 04:00	Winton Woods High School
Once On This Island	Conaincus Ave Jamestown, RI 2835 United States	Jamestown Community Theatre	http://www.jamestow…	03/20/2025 - 04:00 to 03/23/2025 - 04:00	Community Center
Once On This Island	2200 Eureka Way Redding, CA 96001 United States	University Preparatory School	http://www.uprep.net	11/15/2024 - 05:00 to 11/23/2024 - 05:00	David Marr Auditorium
Once On This Island	50 Foggintown Road Brewster, NY 10509 United States	Brewster High School	http://www.brewster…	03/20/2025 - 04:00 to 03/22/2025 - 04:00	Brewster High School
Once On This Island	1901 Delvale Ave Baltimore, MD 21222 United States	Dundalk High School		03/28/2025 - 04:00 to 03/30/2025 - 04:00	Dundalk Sr High School
Once On This Island	1714 21st St Santa Monica, CA 90404 United States	Crossroads School	http://www.xrds.org	11/14/2024 - 05:00 to 11/16/2024 - 05:00	Crossroads Theatre
Once On This Island	Po Box 333 Delaware Water Gap, PA 18327-0333 United States	School Of Visual And Performing Arts		05/02/2025 - 04:00 to 05/11/2025 - 04:00	School Of Visual And Performing Art
Once On This Island	444 Orange St New Haven, CT 06511-6201 United States	New Haven Academy		04/03/2025 - 04:00 to 04/05/2025 - 04:00	New Haven Academy
Once On This Island	125 Milton Ave Alpharetta, GA 30009-1555 United States	Innovation Academy		12/06/2024 - 05:00 to 12/08/2024 - 05:00	Innovation Academy
Once On This Island	22 Academy Street Arlington, MA 2476 United States	Arlington Friends Of The Drama	http://www.afdtheat…	03/06/2026 - 05:00 to 03/22/2026 - 04:00	Arlington Friends Of The Drama

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