Rosary, Marmion present island escape ‘Once On This Island’

Two schools will come together to create one enchanting musical this weekend at Rosary High School in Aurora.

Students from Marmion Academy in Aurora join Rosary students to put on “Once On This Island,” which opens Friday, Nov. 4, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 6. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets are $8-$10.

“I picked this musical because the story is very touching, moving and energetic,” said Tom Jesse, fine arts chairman at Rosary High School.

“Once On This Island” is a Calypso-flavored story of a poor island girl, Ti Moune, who falls in love with Daniel, an upper-class boy. Central to the story are four gods the peasants believe rule their lives.

The story is told by a troupe of peasant storytellers who are acting out the story of Ti Moune and Daniel to young girl on the island who is frightened by a storm.

The four gods are inspired by real-life deities from Afro-Caribbean religious traditions.

A catchy pop and Caribbean-inspired score adds to the multicultural feeling of this tale.

Jordan Hankes of Batavia plays the lead as Ti Moune, and Eddie Catich of Aurora plays Daniel.

Jesse said singing, dancing and acting at the same time poses a challenge this cast has risen to meet.

“The cast is always involved, and singing through the whole production is quite difficult,” said Jesse.

The cast comprises students from Rosary High School and Marmion Academy in Aurora. Combining cast members is what both schools have done for many years, and they plan to hold more productions together.

“With a cast of 32, this musical gives everyone a chance to shine,” Jesse said.

For details, visit rosaryhs.com or call (630) 896-0831.

Rosary High School is at 901 N. Edgelawn Drive, Aurora.

Cast of ‘Once on This Island’