In early March, Spring-Ford held the spring musical, “Once on this Island.” Many students participated in the musical this year, seeing as the stage would be almost filled with ensemble actors during some of the songs.

Their sound created a perfect experience for the audience while developing a lovely story of love and loss. The set this year had been opened to the audience as well. When walking into the auditorium, the audience feels as though they are transported onto the island itself with varying props surrounding seats in the auditorium.

The narrative takes place on an island divided by wealth, where Ti Moune (Lauren Dougherty) is found in a tree after a devastating flood.

Through songs and dances, her story is told and how Ti Moune, the peasant, falls in love with the wealthy Daniel Beauxhomme (Dylan Quinn).

While their love may seem forbidden, Ti Moune’s desire for Daniel is fulfilled by the gods, with the ultimate competition between death and love, demon Papa Ge (Erica Love) and goddess Erzulie (Sabrina Neff).

Daniel is put into a car crash by the god of water, Agwe (Peter Boretskii), as the other gods set the perfect conditions for them to meet.

Ti Moune is put through rigorous experiences in order to be with the one she loves: she waits by his unconscious body for two weeks without food or sleep, ultimately trading her life for his.

Once Daniel is returned to his home, Ti Moune travels to find him, and when they do, they fall in love.
In the end, Ti Moune is left disappointed, though hopeful, waiting for Daniel to come back to her despite his recent arranged marriage with Andrea Devereaux (Emmerson Mueller).

Ti Moune is given the option to take back her life, by killing Daniel, yet when she refuses, choosing her love for him over her own desire to live, it is seen that love has won over death.

Left at the gate of the wealthy part of the island, she waits for Daniel to come to her until she eventually dies there. Asaka (Lydia Orme), goddess of Earth, resurrects Ti Moune into a tree that breaks the gates that separate the wealthy and poor of the island, opening the island to mingle, these gates never closing again.

Though seemingly tragic, this story is told over the island for centuries and is passed down from generation to generation. This story and its lessons may be seen in various lights, one most prominent is the division and mistreatment of those different from oneself and how they can be put down because of their subjective flaws.
The spring musical was definitely worth seeing and as the story was well told and produced, we are on the edge of our seats waiting to see what next year’s musical will be.