AUDIENCE CONTEXT GUIDE
“Why We Tell The Story”
O
nce On This Island is a story within many stories: a group of peasants gather together to calm a child; from their narrative comes the tale of Ti Moune, whose love for Daniel challenges their world’s social and political structure; Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the musical’s creators, were inspired by My Love, My Love, or The Peasant Girl, by Rosa Guy: Her novel, in turn, was influenced by the complex historical, cultural, and political atmosphere of Haiti: In Olney Theatre Center’s 2014 production, director Alan Muraoka chose to frame the musical within a Red Cross shelter, creating yet another layer to explore.
This Context Guide weaves together the many stories from which Once On This Island derives. Read the following three pages to learn about Haiti, the country that inspired the original source material; to explore the production history of the musical itself, turn to page 8; to get to know the gods that inhabit the world of this story, read the center spread; and to learn about how the OTC artistic team crafted this story into a mainstage production, read the interviews with the director and costume designer on pages 14 and 16. This is an enchanting musical, with or without the extensive history from which it derives. We at the Olney Theatre Center hope, however, that developing a deeper sense of where this story originated and how it evolved into the musical it is today will enhance this already-exciting artistic experience. For even more insight into the world of the play, including pictures, videos, and articles, visit our blog at olneyonceonthisisland.wordpress.com. If you have any questions or comments about this Context Guide, the blog, lobby display, or production itself, please send us a message at education@olneytheatre.org.
Table of Contents
2. Introduction
3. “Jewel of the Antilles” A History of Haiti 5. “Where rivers run deep” Culture and Religion 6. The Little Mermaid Source Material 7. My Love, My Love Source Material
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8. Ahrens and Flaherty Production History
10. “And the gods heard her prayer” Meet the gods 12. “At last the storm subsided” Hurricane Sandy 14. Director Alan Muroaka Artist Spotlight 16. Costume Designer Helen Huang Artist Spotlight 18. Production Photos
or A Hist y of Hai
“Jewel of the Antilles” T
ti
he country of Haiti is never directly mentioned in Once On This Island; Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty crafted a world of their own for their story, a fantastical island that is inhabited by both men and gods. Director Alan Muraoka did not want to ignore the country that inspired the musical, however; while Once On This Island is by no means a historical or political play, it is infused with Haitian influences, from the deeply rooted class divisions to the peasants’ vibrant, musical culture. Understanding the roots of the story helped the artistic team understand the play on a deeper level, providing more insight into the origins of the complex society that these characters inhabit.
1492
Christopher Columbus lands and names the island Hispaniola, or Little Spain.
1697
1791
A group of former slaves, led by Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and Henri Christophe, organize an uprising that topples the colony—the first successful slave revolt in history.
The island loses its place as the preeminent Spanish colony, and Spain cedes western part of Hispaniola to France. Called On January 1, after driv“Jewel of the Antilles,” Haiti becomes the ing Napoleon’s troops most lucrative colony in the world under away for good, Haiti (the name given French rule, producing nearly one-third to the land by its indigenous peoples, of the world’s sugar and more than half meaning “mountainous country”) beits coffee—all, of course, with the labor comes the first free black republic in the of slaves. Slavery in the Caribbean is world, the first independent state in the particularly harsh: tropical diseases are Caribbean, and the second indepenrife, there is no winter respite from 12- dent state in the Western Hemisphere hour workdays under the broiling sun, after the United States. The rebels creand the planters prefer to replenish ate their iconic flag by taking the French their labor force by working their slaves tricolor, turning it on its side, and removto death over a decade or two and then ing the white band. buying new ones. At the peak of the Dessalines is assassiisland’s prosperity, the slave population nated, leading to a civil totals at least 500,000; by comparison, war between a black-controlled north only 32,000 whites and 28,000 free blacks live on the island.
1804
1806
Continued on Page 4
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“A Haitian could be accurately described as one who sings and suffers, who toils and laughs, who dances and resigns himself to his fate. With joy in his heart or tears in his eyes he sings.” —Politician Jean Price-Mars Continued from Page 3 and a mulatto-ruled south. Over the next century, 17 of the country’s 24 presidents are overthrown.
1915
The U.S. invades Haiti, thinking that the black-mulatto friction will endanger American property and investments in the country. The U.S. withdraws troops in 1934, but maintains fiscal control until 1947.
1956
Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier seizes power in a military coup. He declares himself president-for-life and establishes a dictatorship with the help of the Tontons Macoutes militia.
ed Haitian leader. Only one year later, he is overthrown in a military coup and forced into exile.
1994
The U.S. government leads a multinational force to restore the island’s constitutionally elected government to power. By October, Aristide and other elected officials return. In 1996, Aristide voluntarily steps down and his top aide and former prime minister Rene Preval is elected President, leading to six years of economic growth.
1998
Hurricane Georges destroys 80 percent of Haiti’s crops, killing more than 400 people.
2000 recession.
Arstide is reelected, followed by an economic
2003
Voudoo is recognized as an official religion, on par with Christianity.
2004
President Arstide is exiled and Preval is soon reelected president. Severe floods hit southern Haiti, leaving more than 2,000 dead or missing.
2008
Food prices in Haiti soar, leading to protests among lower class citizens—many of whom survive on less than $2 a day. In August, nearly 800 people are killed Papa Doc dies. His son, and hundreds left injured as Haiti is hit Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” by a series of devastating storms and Duvalier, takes over and continues his hurricanes. father’s brutal reign. Up to 300,000 people are
1971
1968
2010
killed when a magnitude Baby Doc’s widespread 7.0 earthquake hits the capital Port-aucorruption has extremely Prince—the worst in 200 years. detrimental effects on the Haitian economy, and he is forced out of power. Today, one percent of the population owns 60 Former Roman Catholic percent of the fertile land and earns 44 preist Jean-Bertand Arspercent of the national income. tide becomes the first freely elect-
1990 4
2014
Cultu
re and Re ligi
“Where Rivers Run Deep”
on
espite its tumultuous history and recent turmoil, Haitian culD ture is remarkably resiliant. From
Vodou is also emblematic of Haiti’s vibrant culture. It is a creolized religion forged by descendants African ethnic groups who were enslaved, brought to colonial Saint-Domingue, and Christianized by missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. Vodou is a more than a religion, however; it is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion.
Storytelling is an integral part of this culture. Haitians use folklore for two main purposes: to entertain one another, and to instill values in children. The storyteller, or met kont, must fulfill both of these roles in his craft: he works to hold the interest of the audience, but he also provides his listeners with information about ancient times, customs, beliefs, history, and heroic deeds of the Haitian people. At its core, storytelling is a theatrical event; singing, dancing, and narrative are all intertwined to create an immersive communal experience.
Practicing Vodou involves various devotional rites in return for health, protection, and favors. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit: Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world, and the unseen world is populated by Lwa; these Lwa, in turn, serve one all-powerful God. Because the religion is an infusion of African traditionalism and Christianity, each Lwa has a corresponding Catholic saint, as well as its own distinct personality and appearance; in fact, the gods from Once On This Island are based on these spirits.
crowded displacement camps, which are decorated with colorful murals and artwork, to Haiti’s primary religion, Vodou, which is grounded in music and dance, the people of Haiti have retained a deep connection to their cultural roots.
Fast Facts Name: The Republic of Haiti Population: 10.1 million Capital: Port-au-Prince Area: 10,714 sq miles (slightly smaller than the state of Maryland)
Population below poverty line: 80 percent
Major languages: Creole, French
Average per capita income: $480 a year 5
Source Material
The Little Mermaid
“Far out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower, and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed, that no cable could fathom it: many church steeples, piled one upon another, would not reach from the ground beneath to the surface of the water above.”
H
ans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) wrote more than 150 children’s fairy tales, all of which were autobiographical in one way or another; more than any other story, however, The Little Mermaid reflects Andersen’s personal philosophy and biography. The now-famous tale that has inspired dozens of adaptations—from ballets and operas to poems and animated films— was originally inspired by an unrequited love: Andersen’s obsession with Louise Collin and her brother Edvard, the children of Andersen’s most influential patron. His devotion to Louise and Edvard went unfullfilled. Emotionally shattered after both rejections, he wrote The Little Mermaid as a reimagining of la Motte Fouqué’s fairy tale Undine, in which Andersen inserted himself as the main character. In de la Motte Fouqué’s version, the water sprite Undine marries a human knight in order to gain a soul, and she earns her immortality through love and procreation; in Andersen’s retelling, he transforms himself into the mermaid. The heroine’s chance at immortality hinges on her actions
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and decisions, a narrative choice that many critics interperet to be an allegory for Andersen’s literary work. In a letter to a friend, Andersen once described The Little Mermaid as: “The only one of my works that has affected me while I was writing it...I don’t know how other writers feel! I suffer with my characters, I share their moods, whether good or bad, and I can be nice or nasty according to the scene on which I happen to be working.”
An illustration by Vilhelm Pedersen for one of the original prints of The Little Mermaid.
Source Material
My Love, My Love
“On that island where rivers run deep, where the sea sparkling in the sun earns it the name Jewel of the Antilles, the tops of the mountains are bare. Ugly scrub brush clings to the sides of their gray stones, giving the peaks a grim aspect that angers the gods and keeps them forever fighting.”
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orn in Trinidad, Rosa Guy (19252012) used her array of cultural experiences to infuse the politically-charged writing that later became her trademark. At seven years old, she moved to Harlem, where she spent a childhood careening between two vastly different worlds: at nine years old, her mother died, leaving her with “a tyrant of a father”; he quickly remarried into money, and Guy and her sister were swept from abject poverty to a world of picnics and limousines. Guy discovered her passion for storytelling after father died. She and her sister were shuffled between orphanages and foster homes, inspiring Guy to someday voice the narratives of the children she met there. As a writer, she quickly found a place for herself in the political world. She was a founding member of the Harlem Writers Guilde, studied acting at the American Negro Theatre, and was an active participant in black nationalist organizations. Guy’s work reflected her unique background. Her first novel, Bird at My Window (1966), tells the story of a black
man whose talents were crushed by systemic poverty and violence. Other works include: Children of Longing (1971), a volume of interviews with African American youth following the assassination of Malcolm X and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; a trilogy of young adult novels featuring an inquisitive adolescent boy; and A Measure of Time (1983), about a woman’s rise amid the Harlem Renaissance. Although many of her stories end in tragedy, they often feature characters who transcend societal restrictions by forming connections with others. After Guy’s death, Maya Angelou described her as a writer who “loved to write about love. If you thought a situation called for a kind of mournfulness, she was the one to laugh and turn music on and dance.” My Love, My Love, the novella from which Once On This Island is based, was Guy’s retelling of Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. Guy’s heroine, however, is not a princess but a mud-cloaked Creole peasant, and her prince the son of a rich landowning family. Her book is markedly bleaker than Ahrens’ and Flaherty’s musical adaptation, with very distinct political and historical allusions, but the notion of love overcoming societal boundaries reverberates throughout Guy’s original story.
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Production Histor
Ahrens and Flaherty
y
“Once On This Island has the integrity of genuine fairy tales, in that it doesn’t lead to a saccharine ending but to a catharsis, a transcendent acceptance of the dust-todust continuity of life and death...The audience feels the otherworldly thrill of discovering the fabric of its own lives in an enchanted tapestry from a distant shore.” —New York Times review, 1990
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orn in New York in 1948, lyricist Lynn Ahrens did not initially pursue a career in musical theater. After she received a degree in journalism from Syracuse University, she spent several years in the advertising industry, working as a contributing songwriter for the animated children’s series Schoolhouse Rock! Ahrens formed her own production company in 1978 and created a series of educational programs for children, which garnered both recognition and awards. Four years later, she auditioned for a BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, which brought her together with her future writing partner, Stephen Flaherty. Unlike Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty grew up pursuing music. Born in 1960 in Pittsburgh, he developed an ardent interest in musical theatre from a young age and began composing as a teenager. Following his graduation from Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in 1982, he moved to New York City. Ahrens and Flaherty have been working together since their 1983 collaboration on Lucky Stiff, which was produced at Playwrights Horizons in New York City and went on to win the 1988 Richard Rodgers Production Award. Known for their adapability and wide range of musical styles, their
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musicals cover an enormous range of themes, and settings, from New York City at the turn-of-the-century to the fantastical world of Dr. Seuss. Once On This Island was first developed in a workshop at Playwrights Horizons. It opened at the Booth Theatre on Broadway in October of 1990, where it ran for 469 performances. The original cast, which included LaChanze in her Broadway debut as Ti Moune, revived their roles, and the production proved succesfull with critics and audiences. Once On This Island was nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Book, Music, and Lyrics, and was nominated for Best Musical by the New York Drama Critics Circle. It went on to win the Olivier Award for Best Musical after making its European premiere in 1994.
Ti Moune (played by LaChanze) and ensemble in the original production of Once On This Island at Playwrights Horizons in 1990.
Lynn Ahrens: I found a little book at a used bookstore. I opened it...and I went, “It’s a musical!” because the language was so beautiful. And I bought it, read it in an hour, rushed it over to [Stephen Flaherty’s] apartment, and that became Once On This Island. Stephen Flaherty: I was really excited about the notion of creating this fictitious island that was neither Haiti nor Jamaica. It was really a place of its own. So I used a lot of Afro-Caribbean music in that, but I also used a lot of African beats, beats of the samba, they find their way into the score. Creating a world that didn’t exist before, using all of these elements, it just became this amazing gumbo of a score, and I loved every minute of it. Actually, of all the shows we’ve written that was the fastest we’ve ever done: we wrote the entire show in six months. So even though it was a very experimental piece for us, I think we were really connected in a deep way with that particular story. LA: There’s something about Once On This Island that’s almost indefinable, that affects everyone who performs or sees it. I don’t take credit for it, I don’t think it’s something that we wrote exactly. There’s something in the idea of a
young girl who is ready to leave her parents and go off into the world and find her love, for better or for worse, and her parents must relinquish her to the world, to make her own mistakes–and there’s something so profound in that. And although the ending isn’t happy, nevertheless she changes the world by what happens to her. The world is changed, and people of different persuasions and different skin colors are brought together. It is a fairy tale for our times. It has a healing property that is like a little bag of herbs that you hand over. A school performs it and they come out changed. It’s uncanny. Don’t ask me; it’s part of the story. SF: There’s something about this story that is infused with love. That’s all I can say. It was the first time I was able to put my emotional life into music, and music was a receptacle and not only made the show what it is, but I personally was healed by writing that show. I think the residue of that experience is right in those notes, and I think everybody that comes into contact with it feels that, and I think it’s because it’s real.
—Excerpted from a 2012 video interview 9
A
“And the gods hea
lthough the gods in this musical are different from the original Vodou Lwa, learning about these Haitian spirits provides insight into the characters and culture of the musical’s world. Name: Often referred to as Admiral Agwe; sometimes called “Shell of the Sea” or “Tadpole of the Pond.”
AGWE
Appearance: Tall and very handsome, he skinned and has green eyes.
is
light-
Personality: Understanding, patient, and kind, he can also be cruel to those he does not like. He can bestow all the riches that have been lost at the bottom of the ocean. Patronage: Protector of seafaring men. Colors: White and blue. Offerings: Champagne, cakes, white sheep, and hens. Patron Saint: St. Ulrich, usually holding a fish. Song: Alert the angels in the water/ Beneath the mirror/ Oh, he will see, he will see.
ERZULIE
Name: Also called Ezil Freda or Ezili.
Appearance: Envisioned as feminine and light-skinned mullattress wearing a crown and surrounded by jewels and finery. Personality: Considered the epitome of charm, she is lazy (she spends her whole days painting her nails instead of working) and temperamental. She can be jealous and vain, hopelessly demanding and never satisfied. Patronage: Patron of love, concerned with all aspects of beauty. Colors: Pink and pale blue. Offerings: Sweet cakes, pink champagne, perfume, makeup, cigarettes, and white doves. Patron Saint: Mater Dolerosa de Monte Cavrio. Song: Haughty Ezili, proud Ezili/ Preening Ezili thinks she’s something/ Ezili is married, she’s unlucky.
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ard her prayer...� ASAKA
Name: Also referred to as Papa Zaka, Mazaka, or Kouzen.
Appearance: He wears the traditional dress of a peasant: straw hat, denim suit, and red neckerchief. Personality: He is a hard worker and has a large appetite, preferring the simple foods of the Haitian peasant. Patronage: The patron of agriculture, Azaka is responsible for ensuring successful crops and harvests. Colors: Blue and red. Offerings: Sugar canes, rice and beans, and tobacco. Patron Saint: St. Isidore, a devout farmer. Song: He who is guardian of the farm, and the one who tills the land/ Peasant spirit, who speaks the true language of the mountain/ He who has the secret of the alliance between Arawak and the Africans./ You are the true master,/ you show us how to work,/ how to reach the powers. Name: The name Gede actually encompasses an entire family of spirits, presided over by Bawon Samedi, the lord of all Gede.
PAPA GE
Appearance: He delights in an old coat and pants and a torn hat, which is depicted as either a fedora or a top hat with a skull. Vile to behold, he is often depicted with a cigar between his teeth, carrying a staff or a cane. Personality: A powerful Lwa, Gede bites with sarcasm and mocks the upper classes. Patronage: Patron of the dead, he is also the protector of children and patron of ancestors. Colors: Purple, black, and white. Symbols: Skulls, shovels, and hot peppers. Offerings: Black rooster and a black goat. Patron Saint: St. Gerard. Song: Papa Gede is a handsome man/Papa Gede is a handsome man/ He is dressed all in black/ For he is going to the palace.
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a Hurric ine Sand y
“At Last the Storm Subsided”
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ecause Once On This Island is framed by a storm, director Alan Muroaka and the artistic team used real-life natural disasters to contextualize their production. The social, political, and environmental effects of Hurricane Sandy, the “superstorm” that collided with the East Coast in 2012, were of particular interest; it was a storm that directly impacted many members of the artistic team, and the recovery process serves as an inspiring example of how adversity can foster community.
“It was a year ago that Sandy made her presence known. However, I still feel her presence... I believe Hurricane Sandy will be etched in our minds for years to come. It has taught us the importance of neighbor helping neighbor, volunteerism, and resiliency.” —Dara Fulton, a Sandy victim
DISASTER Cost: Sandy caused $65 billion in damage in the U.S., making it the second-costliest weather disaster in American history behind only Hurricane Katrina. Deaths: Sandy, the largest Atlantic system on record, killed 159 people. Causes of death: Drowning was the most common cause of death associated with the storm. Destruction: Sandy damaged or destroyed at least 650,000 homes and 250,500 insured vehicles, and affected more than 300,000 business properties.
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Power: During Sandy’s immediate aftermath, more than 8.5 million customers lost power. Surge: Sandy set historical maximum recorded water levels at the Battery in New York, Kings Point, NY; Bergen Point, NJ, Sandy Hook, NJ, Bridgeport, CT., and New Haven CT. Flood maps: After the storm, flood maps were updated for the first time in nearly 20 years. In 1983, 218,000 residents in New York City were living in flood prone areas. In 2012, that estimate went up to 398,000.
Pictured is Sarah Ortega with her five-month-old son, Ivan, at the Red Cross Shelter in her hometown of Toms River, NJ, where she, her six children, and 400 other residents rode out Hurricane Sandy.
RECOVERY
In spite of the immense devastation, Hurricane Sandy inspired thousands of Americans to dedicate time and resources to the recovery process. The outpouring of support following the storm was one of the most significant in recent history. According to the American Red Cross, the relief effort was powered by more than 17,000 trained workers from all over the country—90 percent of them volunteers. The Red Cross alone responded with the following:
300+ response vehicles
7M+ relief items
17M+ meals and snacks
74K+ overnight stays in shelters
113K emotional support contacts
17K trained disaster workers deployed
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Artist
Alan Muroaka, Director
Spotlight
Maegan Clearwood, Dramaturg: What initially drew you to Once On This Island? Alan Muraoka, Director: Once On This Island remains one of my favorite shows of all time. I saw the original Broadway cast while I was performing in another Broadway production, and during that period in the late 1980s it was the onslaught of the “spectacle musical,” with turntables and falling chandeliers and helicopters. And Once On This Island was the exact opposite of that. It was a simple set, an ensemble of actors creating with minimal props, and a flawless score and book which vibrates with heart and humor. So when Jason [Loewith] contacted me about possibly directing it, I fought for the job with a fervor. MC: You look at Lynn Ahrens’ and Stephen Flaherty’s story through a very unique lens; where did the idea for connecting the musical to natural disaster recovery come from? AM: I loved the show so much, but I wanted to see if there was a reason to tell the story in 2014. In the original version, there is a hurricane that is ravaging a Haitian village, and the story begins around a campfire telling a crying child the story to calm her fears. This village is a unified community sharing this story in the oral storytelling tradition. And the idea of a hurricane beginning the show got me thinking about the weather events that have ravaged the South and the Northeast in the last few years: Katrina, Sandy, Irene. We as Americans are now just as vulnerable 14 to these disasters, which led me to
the “what if” moment: What if, instead of a village in Haiti, we set the opening of this show in a modern U.S. city which is awaiting a hurricane event, and groups of different classes are forced to find shelter in a Red Cross Evacuation Center? The story of Once On This Island is a story from everyone’s childhood, like an Aesop’s fable or Dr. Seuss tale; these strangers from different classes become a community by telling this tale to quell the tears of the scared child. It’s a new way to enter the show, and my hope is that it adds emotional tension and texture. MC: How would you describe your directing style? AM: Collaborative definitely. Since I was trained as an actor, I feel like I know what other actors need in terms of communication, and when to let them discover for themselves and when to guide with ideas. I always come in with an idea of how I think a scene should
be played, but inevitably it changes and morphs into a mixture of their ideas and my ideas. The actors must feel ownership of the material. If I’m only trying to force my ideas on them, the ending result would seem stiff and unnatural. MC: How has directing Once On This Island challenged you as an artist? AM: In trying a new concept with an established show, there is always a risk of damaging the core of what makes the show work in the first place. I am trying to be cognizant of not invading or marring the heart of this show, because the heart of this show is huge. MC: How would you describe this ensemble of performers? What do they bring to the storytelling process that surprised you? AM: Honestly I cannot imagine doing this show without one of these folks. They all bring life and augment the storytelling and character so much, and I am in their debt. They say that casting is 90 percent of the success of a show, and I could not agree more. I am so lucky. And the spirit in the rehearsal room has been nothing but joyous. We laugh, we cry, we dance. Early on the cast was aware of the respect I have for this piece, and they each have the same reverence for the material, so we became a unified ensemble very quickly. I am grateful. MC: Once On This Island tells an enchanting story, but it touches on some very dark themes as well. How did you strike this balance, and what can families gain from this story? AM: This question reminds me very much of one of the most powerful episodes of Sesame Street, where I still work as an actor. Back in the early ’80s, Will Lee, the actor who played
“The story of Once On This Island is a story from everyone’s childhood, like an Aesop’s fable or Dr. Seuss tale; these strangers from different classes become a community by telling this tale to quell the tears of the scared child. It’s a new way to enter the show, and my hope is that it adds emotional tension and texture.” Mr. Hooper on the series, died. Instead of recasting the role, or explaining Mr. Hooper’s absence by saying that he had moved away, the producers of Sesame Street decided to create an episode that taught their young audience about the difficult topic of death. The straightforward honesty created an episode which TV Guide calls “One of the 10 greatest moments in television.” I think that children are smarter and more savvy than we as adults give them credit for, and they are aware when adults try to sugarcoat reality. It is my hope that any child who comes to the show feels the same emotions as the Little Child in our show feels: fear, joy, humor, sadness, anger, and most importantly, love. That is why it is an important part of the Family Series. MC: The musical ends with the storytellers answering “Why we tell the story.” Why should America be telling this story right now? AM: This is a universal tale about devotion, courage, love and acceptance. These are themes that are always important and relevant.
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Artist
Spotlight
Helen Huang, Costume Designer MC: What about designing the costumes for Once On This Island were you most excited by? Helen Huang, Costume Designer: I was thrilled to work with director Alan Muraoka. His desire to bring this beautiful fable into a contemporary context provided a rich playground of ideas. My collaboration lead to a hybrid of everyday clothing, Caribbean folk art, the imaginative use of non-traditional materials. This was a new challenge for me and I always love working through unique artistic concepts. MC: What it was like collaborating with this particular artistic team? HH: I always enjoy working with new collaborative partners. Alan has provided me with a great deal of both
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artistic freedom and support during this process which is vital when working through the combination of several complex visual ideas. Additionally, the set designer for this piece is Milagos Ponce de Leon, a former student of the University of Maryland now teaching at Penn State. It beings me great satisfaction to see our alumni having such a strong impact on professional theatre. The costumes in Once On This Island are crafted from unconventional materials—plastic, soda can tabs, cardboard —items that might be left behind after a storm. Each character’s storyteller costume serves as the base for the rest of his costumes. Pictured are renderings of three costumes for one performer; the storyteller (middle) becomes a Red Cross evacuee (right) and then Andrea (left).
MC: There are many layers to this production, including a group of Americans in a storm shelter as well as a Caribbean folktale. How did you tie these threads together? HH: A lot of the credit for unifying these ideas really goes to Alan who used casting to create interesting connections between what these performers are in the real world and what they are in the world of the fable. I created base looks which allow the performers to transition between worlds by adding individual elements. This adds a level of fluidity needed for this production.
HH: To be successful with this design I needed to think about the whole picture over and over again. Creating such a complex visual world requires time and the willingness to revisit your ideas to find ever deeper levels of nuance and distinction. Additionally, it was a challenge discovering how to employ the non-traditional materials of this design. Certain plastics and other industrial materials looked so right, but the noise they made during movement was problematic. A fair amount of experimentation was necessary to really understand our materials for this show.
MC: What was it like working with unconventional materials? HH: This was a very exciting part of this design. I’ve worked with fabric for 20 years and had to adjust my way of thinking about clothing and construction. Exploring this idea really stretched my imagination. Both my students and I have experienced this shift in our perception of available materials: everything is a possibility. Nothing goes into the trash until its merits as a costume material have been thoroughly explored. I also must mention the lovely shop at Olney Theatre. Their staff has been so eager and supportive through out this process. They were always ready to contribute clever solutions to make an idea really work.
MC: How do your designs for this musical compare to some of your other work? Did this story challenge you in any unique way? One of the commonalities I find in my work is a desire to blend elements together. This show is very much an extension of that desire in that I am working through a wide variety of disparate influences to create a new and cohesive world.
MC: What costume did you most enjoy designing? HH: I loved designing Papa Ge. The inspiration was the Haitian god of death. In our world, the traditional top hat became a variation on a metal drum. MC: What was the biggest challenge you faced?
Huang’s rendering for Papa Ge, god of death; his costume was inspired by the original Haitian god.
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PRODUCTION PHOTOS Clockwise from left: Daniel (Eymard Cabling) and Ti Moune (Aisha Jackson) begin their love story; Erzulie (Fahnlohnee Harris-Tate) convinces the other gods to grant Ti Moune’s wish; Papa Ge (James T Lane) bargains with Ti Moune; Tonton Julian (Wendell Jordan) makes his journey to the Hotel Beauxhomme
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From top: The ensemble of storytellers dance and sing the tale of Ti Moune to comfort a frightened child; Daniel (Eymard Cabling) greets Andrea (Kellee Knighten Hough); Ti Moune (Aisha Jackson) dances for Daniel’s guests.
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Still curious? Read, watch, and listen more at www.olneyonceonthisisland.wordpress.com This context guide was created by Maegan Clearwood, Dramaturgy Apprentice, and edited by Jason King Jones, Olney Theatre Center Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education, 2014.