Spring Musical Spreads Island Magic
By Jenn Wallin
IV Leader Staff
Coming to the IVCC stage Thursday, Feb. 24 through Sunday,
Feb. 27 is this year’s spring musical “Once On This Island.”
The book and lyrics were created by Lynn Ahrens and music was
written by Stephen Flaherty. Based in the French Antilles, the music is
Caribbean like.
The includes 17 characters. Also working on the play are two
assistant directors (Tabitha Hamann and Heather von Neumann), one stage director
(David Kuester) and one musical director and choreographer (Norm Engstrom).
This musical tells the story of a little girl TiMoune (Tara Kunkel) who is
stormed tossed onto a tree and found by two elders Mama Euralie (Rachel Gorenz)
and Tonton Julian (Anson Murray). Mama and Tonton raise the child until she
grows up and finds her love, Daniel. Older TiMoune is played by Kelly Shields
and Daniel is played by Ryan Brouwer.
Daniel crashes his car in TiMoune’s village and that is how
they discover each other. TiMoune tries to take care of him, but Mama and Tonton
insist on finding his father Armand (Chris Nesbitt) and bringing him back home.
Throughout the play the Gods play important roles in deciding the characters’
fate. There are four Gods, Erzulie, Goddess of Love (Christi Thompson), Agwe,
God of Water, (Phillip Claudnic), Goddess of Earth, Asaka, (Rebecca Gatlin) and
the God of Death, Papa Ge (Robert Gibson).
To help tell the story more there are storytellers and
dancers. Storytellers include Alejandro Botero, Sarah Murphy, Amanda Posey, and
Jennifer Wallin. Dancers include Heather Hybki, Cheriz Kunkel and Wallin.
Tonton does find Daniel’s father and returns Daniel to Armand. TiMoune finds
that she needs him and goes in search of her Daniel. When she gets there, she
discovers that Daniel has already been spoken to Andrea (Ashley Larabee). Will
Daniel love TiMoune back or will he marry Andrea? The musical settles the
question.
Admission is $5. Students with an IVCC ID get in free. On
Thursday night if students bring their photo ID with them, they will receive not
only one free ticket, but two. Also on Thursday night they can receive free
pizza. Performances on Thursday-Saturday are at 8:00 P.M. and the Sunday
performance is at 2:00 P.M.