Marisha Wallace, © Roy J Baron
Further casting has been revealed for the concert production of Once on This Island.
The musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty follows Ti Moune, who rescues and falls in love with Daniel, leading her into a pact with the island gods.
As already revealed, Alex Newell will reprise the role of Asaka, following their performance in the 2018 Broadway revival. They will appear alongside Dujonna Gift as Ti Moune, WhatsOnStage Award winner Melanie La Barrie as Papa Ge and WhatsOnStage Award nominee Cedric Neal as Agwe.
Marisha Wallace will play the role of Erzulie. She commented today that it has been a dream of hers for many years, saying, “I used to listen to the original cast recording in the car on my way home from drama school. It is a beautiful story, and the music will blow you away.”
She added: “I saw Alex Newell in the Broadway revival and thought I must do that show one day, and here we are. So excited to be joining the incredible London cast!”
The cast also features WhatsOnStage Award winner Jamael Westman as Daniel Beauxhomme, Casey Al-Shaqsy as Andrea Deveraux, Waylon Jacobs as Armand Beauxhomme, Ako Mitchell as Tonton Julian and Wendy Mae Brown as Mama Euralie. Ensemble members include Elliot Broadfoot, Jerome Lincoln, Lindo Shinda and Tamara Tare.
The show is based on the 1985 novel My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl by Rosa Guy, in turn inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. It first ran on Broadway in 1990 and in the West End in 1994, picking up the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Last seen in the capital at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, numbers in the show include “Waiting for Life”, “Mama Will Provide” and “The Human Heart.”
Annabel Mutale-Reed directs the concert with Jordan Li-Smith as musical director and conductor. The London Musical Theatre Orchestra will accompany the performance. Additional creative roles include Sarah Golding as choreographer, Harry Greatorex as sound designer and Ben Armstrong as casting director.
The new staging will take place on 8 February at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with tickets on sale below.
