Caribbean Spice Flavors Civic’s Latest Musical ‘Once On This Island’ Has The Feel Of ‘Little Mermaid’

Imagine “The Little Mermaid” with Haitian rhythms, tropical colors and non-stop dancing.

That might give you some idea of what to expect when the Spokane Civic Theatre opens “Once On This Island” Friday night. This tropical punch of a musical was a surprise hit on Broadway in 1990, running 14 straight months.

No mermaids will be in sight, but “The Little Mermaid” comparison is apt. Novelist Rosa Guy based her story (originally titled “My Love, My Love”) on the Hans Christian Andersen classic, yet with a Caribbean twist: The heroine is a young Caribbean peasant girl who falls in love with an island aristocrat. Like the mermaid with her human sweetheart, this romance faces some formidable obstacles.

Lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty read the book and immediately recognized its potential for a lively, colorful straightforward musical for all ages.

Newsday quoted Ahrens as saying, “I read it and immediately called Stephen up and said, ‘I’ve got it! I’ve got it! It’s emotional, it’s lyrical, it’s tropical, it’s exotic.’ “

Their only worry: Would the critics find it too simple? Too un-Sondheim-like?

Ahrens and Flaherty wrote it, opened it, and the critics loved it, at least the most influential ones.

Frank Rich of the New York Times had this to say: “A 90-minute Caribbean fairy tale told in rousing song and dance, this show is a joyous marriage of the slick and the folkloric, of the hard-nosed sophistication of Broadway musical theater and the indigenous culture of a tropical isle.”

Some of the critics, predictably, did in fact find it too simple. John Simon of New York magazine called it “a free-for-all for the naive, the faux-naif, and the smart-ass, with everyone the loser.”

But the general consensus was that, even if it wasn’t the deepest show ever to hit Broadway, it certainly was a rousing good time. Rich called it “wall-to-wall dancing, movement and mime.”

The audiences flocked to it, and it became a big family-audience hit.

With its warm-hearted tropical flavors, it promises to be a good Christmastime choice for the Spokane Civic Theatre’s main stage. Jean Hardie, best known as Mother Superior of “Nunsense,” is the director. Gary Laing is the musical director.

The cast includes Lisa Foiles, Melody Moore, Brian R. Jackson, Yolanda Everette, Michael Maixner, Chris Hansen, Janean Jay Jorgenson, Christine Cresswell, Molly Goff, Peter Liptak and Greg Pschirrer.

‘Pinocchio’

The Performing Arts and Humanities of Sandpoint presents a musical version of “Pinocchio” this weekend and next weekend in Sandpoint.

This is a stage adaptation of the familiar tale of the puppet who wanted to be a real boy. Pinocchio is played by Zibby Keaton, 12. Jiminy Cricket is played by Clinton Attaway, 8. More than 50 children, ages 5-18, fill out the cast.

The show runs Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and 2 p.m. on Sunday in the Performing Arts Theatre, 506 Oak in Sandpoint. The show moves to the Panida Theatre in Sandpoint for the next weekend, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m., Nov. 29 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Nov. 30 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and free for children 12 and under, available at the door or by calling (208) 265-5316.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ON STAGE “Once On This Island” runs Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and continues Nov. 28-30, Dec. 4-7, 11-14, 18-20. All shows are at 8 except the Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets: $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $9 for students, available by calling 325-2507 or (800) 446-9576.

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