ONCE ON THIS ISLAND

6th - 8th February 2024

UWCSEA East Auditorium

7PM

Embark on a mesmerising journey to the shores of Haiti where love, resilience, and the power of storytelling converge in 'Once On This Island.'  Against the backdrop of class inequality and race, this enchanting musical follows the story of Ti Moune, a fearless young woman who defies the will of the Spirits to pursue love. 

With a vibrant cast of characters and infectious music, 'Once On This Island' weaves a spellbinding narrative that celebrates the magic inherent in the human spirit. 

Filled with heart and soul, this musical will transport you to a world where the forces of love and destiny collide in an unforgettable celebration of what it means to be alive.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Welcome to UWCSEA’s High School Production of ‘Once On This Island.’ 

Staging any musical or play that deals with complex historical underpinnings is challenging. During the process of choosing the Musical, we were adamant about selecting something that reflected our values as UWCSEA, and we felt that ‘Once On This Island’ was a wonderful vehicle in order to achieve this. The resonant themes of community, race and colonialism, as well as the power of storytelling are at the centre of this story, and ones that we talk about and explore frequently. Through this production, we’ve connected to the setting of Haiti, but within the context of a people and place affected by natural disasters such as the 2010 earthquakes. We also wanted to communicate the impact of discarded waste affects people globally and connect the world of the play to the sea and rubbish through the repurposing and recycling of materials that are often found washed up on a beach while bringing the vibrant spirit of Haiti to life. At first glance, you may think that ‘Once On This Island’ is simply a love story between Ti Moune and Daniel, but really, it’s a story about human connection and how together, we are stronger. 

Students from Grade 9 to Grade 12 have been working on this production for the last 6 months. Given the context of the musical, we spent the first few weeks of rehearsals working with UWC students from the Caribbean, to help our actors understand how life in the Caribbean differs from life in Singapore, and we also focused on exploring spirituality and the historical context of Haiti. We were supported in this by our DEIJ team, helping us ensure our choices through the production were cultural appreciation, not appropriation. For this, I’d like to thank Kim Cheah, Vikki Bell and in particular, Grade 12 student Caden, who has been our Cultural Consultant on this production, giving advice and guidance throughout the process. 

From there, the cast, band and crew have worked tirelessly to bring this production to life. Everyone involved in the process, whether on stage or off stage, have been open to experimenting with new ideas as we’ve worked to bring these key ideas to you in this performance. What has brought me the most joy as a director, has been witnessing the journey of discovery our cast and crew have undertaken and watching the developing connections between our students and staff, fostering a sense of belonging within our community. I am hugely grateful to the cast of this show, for their effort and energy through all our rehearsals, and for helping to bring this production to life. 

A huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in making this production happen, whether it has been designing the set, costumes, props, sound, lighting and projection. As always, my immense gratitude to Anna, Manuel, Nadiah, Shi Han, Jo and the Wardrobe & Makeup Team, Lewin and the Props Team, Marc and Natalie for the stunning Set Design and Scenic Artistry, and Nurul and Ziyad for their construction work, the AV Team including Rudy, Mia, Ash for working the sound of the cast and band, Jose for his projection design, our Communications team, Aida for her work on ticketing, and Kim for her work as vocal coach. I’d also like to say a massive thank you to our student team: Helena, our incredible Assistant Stage Manager, Yena and Yuzu who were instrumental in the costume design and fabrication process, as well as the rest of the students helping offstage in various roles. 

I’d like to sincerely thank our Musical Director, Eivind Lodemel and Lauren Hickson, our Choreographer for their unwavering commitment and dedication to this process. They have been absolutely instrumental (no pun intended) in making this show happen. My prodigious thanks go to Alex Feinson, our Stage Manager who has actively lived and breathed this show for the last 6 months; she has been the backbone of this production and her energy, organisation, and support in our creative choices, has helped make the show what it is today. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported this show and to you, our audience, for being here this evening. 

Anthony Kelly

MUSICAL DIRECTOR'S NOTE

"It has been a while since our last High School Musical and this project has been about rebuilding this essential part of our programme after a challenging few years for the performing arts. The High School Musical has always been one of the most important parts of the Arts calendar and we hope to see this production reigniting our community in the passion for Musical Theatre.

Musical Theatre is about many things but for us, the most important part is how it builds community and belonging. I really can't think of an experience that does more to connect students and create a space where everyone feels welcome and loved.

The actors have done an incredible job and have grown as singers throughout the process. I would also like to draw special attention to the band. Many schools have to hire professional musicians to put on a show like this, while our band is entirely made up of students. Learning to play an hour and a half of really challenging music that adapts to things as they happen on stage is challenging and these students have gone above and beyond.

I would like to give special thanks to our vocal coach Kimberly Sim for all her hard work on this show. Her expertise has provided a significant learning opportunity for our students and her love for all things musical theatre has been inspiring for everyone involved. I would also like to thank Ash, Rudy and Lee for their support with sound. With 20 microphones and 9 musicians moving through 18 songs, this is a massive job!

Please enjoy the show and thank you for supporting Musical Theatre at UWCSEA!"

Eivind Lodemel

MUSICAL NUMBERS

DIRECTORS

Director: Anthony Kelly

Musical Director: Eivind Lodemel 

Dance Director: Lauren Hickson

CAST LIST

THE BAND

PRODUCTION CREW

SPECIAL THANKS TO...

REHEARSAL DETAILS

Rehearsal Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3.15PM-5.30PM

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN

Little Ti Moune

Mama Euralie

Ti Moune's adoptive mother. She is fearful of social status and greatly protective of her family.

Gender: Female

Vocal range top: B4

Vocal range bottom: Gb3

Tonton Julian

Ti Moune's adoptive father. Filled with courage that is fueled by the love for his wife and daughter.

Gender: Male

Vocal range top: E4

Vocal range bottom: A2

Ti Moune

Our story's protagonist. A peasant girl who has been adopted, she is an island girl with much curiosity and energy. Earnest and romantic about all creatures. Falls tragically in love with Daniel.

Gender: Female

Vocal range top: E5

Vocal range bottom: G3

Daniel

A youthful man from the wealthy part of the island. He is inherently bound to fulfill the expectations of his higher social class. Struggles with his feelings for Ti Moune.

Gender: Male

Vocal range top: F#4

Vocal range bottom: C#3

Armand

Andrea

Papa Ge

The Demon of Death. He is proud and sly. His menacing ways are often a cause of distress, as he is in control of life and death.

Gender: Male

Vocal range top: G4

Vocal range bottom: C3

Asaka

The Mother of Earth. She is very caring and nurturing. Her motherly disposition make her well-suited to provide inhabitants with anything they need.

Gender: Female

Vocal range top: E5

Vocal range bottom: A3

Agwe

The God of Water. He is strong, clever, and compassionate. Enjoys playing with the rain and ocean.

Gender: Male

Vocal range top: E4

Vocal range bottom: B2

Erzulie

The Goddess of Love, beautiful and elegant with a strong belief in the power of love. She has a sympathetic heart.

Gender: Female

Vocal range top: C#5

Vocal range bottom: A3

Ensemble

Gossipers 

Peasants  

Storytellers

Full Dress Photos by Kazry Kazan of LenScript Photography

Behind-The-Scenes Photos by Kazry Kazan of LenScript Photography