Manoa Valley Theatre has announced the cast for its second production of the 2024-25 season, “Once On This Island,” opening Nov. 14.
Single ticket sales have begun, and those holding season seats may want to check where their seats are located, since the production will be staged in-the-round, so the usual arrangement of seats have been reimagined.
Rehearsals also are under way.
The show features a book by Lynn Ahrens, who also is the lyricist, and Stephen Flaherty is the composer.
The story, magical and mystical, is set on a Caribbean island, where a little girl is rescued from a disastrous storm by four gods, Asaka, Mother of the Earth; Agwé, the god of water; Erzulie, the goddess of Love, and Papa Ge, the Demon of Death.
The tone is mythical, the execution bountiful with breathtaking themes of opposites, like joy and sorrow and pain and hope, amid exotic and exciting tempos fueling infectious dancing.
The cast features Lelea‘e “Buffy” Kahalepuna-Wong as Asaka, Jarren Amian as Agwé, Jorin Young as Erzulie, Kimo Kaona as Papa Ge, La Masae Faamausili-Siliato as Mama Euralie, Keanu Roe as Tonton Julian, Alexis Bugarin as Ti Moune, Darian Aquino as Daniel Beauxhomme, Nicole Villejo as Andria Deveraux, and Jared Duldulao as Armand Beauxhomme.
Ensemble members are Pono Cummings, Landon Ballesteros, Marnita Nychelle Billups, Caitlin Bright, Drew Bright, Journey Glasgow, Alexandria Holloway and Presley A. Wheeler.
Ahnya Chang is director and choreographer and Jenny Shiroma is musical director.
The production will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays (plus a 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday Nov. 23), through Dec. 8. Tickets are $25 through $48, available at the box office at (808) 988-6131, at www.manoavalleytheatre.com and at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35307/production/1195089 …
Broadway grosses, for week ending Oct. 13
Only two shows, “Wicked” and “The Lion King,” are in the lofty $2 million club, meaning their box office grosses top $2 million,
The Top 10:
1—”Wicked,“ $2.486 million
2—”The Lion King,” $2.198 milllion
3—” Hamilton,” $1.965 million
4—” Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” $1.642 million
5—” The Outsiders,” $1.502 million
6—” MJ The Musical,” $1.472 million
7—” Hell’s Kitchen,” $1.427 million
8—” Aladdin, “ $1.353 million
9—”Sunset Boulevard,” $1.291 million
10– “The Great Gatsby,” $1.271 million
The complete list, courtesy the Broadway League:
And that’s Show Biz…