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PHOTOS from "Once On This Island" at CDC Theatre

By John Posada

originally published: 10/03/2022

(CRANFORD, NJ) -- Cranford’s CDC Theatre is presenting the Tony Award winning musical Once On This Island on Friday and Saturday nights from October 7-22. The play comes from the award winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Seussical, Anastasia, Ragtime). This highly original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of the popular fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, earned eight Tony nominations for its Broadway run, including Best Musical, Book and Score.  Photographer John Posada was at a rehearsal to take photos.

The musical is the story of the fearless young girl, Ti Moune, in search of her place in the world. As an orphan, chosen by the Gods, she is taken into a simple and loving family. Though content, she feels she was destined for something more. After an accident caused by a terrible storm, Ti Moune falls for a handsome stranger whom she tries desperately to nurse back to health, and she is ready to risk it all for love. This sets her on the ultimate quest to answer the age-old question, can love conquer death?    

The show will run from Friday and Saturday nights from October 7-22 with a matinee on Sunday October 16. To find the best ticket selections and prices visit cdctheatre.org. Group ticket rates are also available.

The cast includes Roxie Billups as TiMoune; Gerson Checo as Daniel Beauxhomme; Karen Carratura as Asaka; Jordan Owens as Agwe; Tiffany Johnson as Erzulie; David Rivera, Jr. as Papa Ge; Tawn Walker-Cohen as Mama Euralie; Gene Juanich as TonTon Julian; Jesse Simpson as Armand Beauxhomme u/s Agwe; Miriam Navarrete as Andrea Devereaux; Anna Athungal as Little TiMoune/Little Girl; Abigail Armstead as Storyteller u/s TiMoune; Alex Alvarez as Storyteller u/s Erzulie and Asaka; Cenera Moore as Storyteller u/s Mama Euralie; Gianna Holmes as Storyteller; Jimena Torres as Storyteller; Keturah Ford-Walker as Storyteller; Kori Caicedo as Storyteller u/s Daniel & PG; Telina Cuppari as Storyteller; Sam Estrella as Storyteller u/s Andrea.

The production team includes Howard Whitmore (director), Phil Solomon (choreographer), Kyle Blackburn (music director), Bobby Devarona (stage manager), Nike Marmo (lighting design), Dan Burg (sound design), and Sean Lough (producer).

 

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Director Howard Whitmore said, “I am excited to return to the Island once again! In 2002, this was the first community theatre show I ever directed, and the CDC production marks the 8th time I have worked on OOTI. Every single time, I find something new and deeper about the characters and their dreams. Once On This Island is built around storytelling, so we wanted to explore how hearing bedtime stories might translate to the mind of a child. Everything is staged from the perspective of how a 9-year-old might imagine the story and we do deal with some heavy topics from first love and family duty to betrayal and sacrifice. Our remarkable cast embodies the sense of community that is so integral to ancient storytelling traditions and is at the heart of Once On This Island.”

Here are more photos from the production.

Once on This Island Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).  All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 

CDC Theatre is located at 78 Winans Avenue in Cranford, New Jersey.

John Posada is a New Jersey based photographer specializing in live theatre and music performances. For more than 10 years, John has photographed live music events where he mastered the techniques of timing and capturing fast moving action under challenging lighting conditions to capture that perfect moment that tells a story in a single image. Currently, John has photographed over 70 productions for over 40 different theatres. Click here for John's website.