Once on This Island West End concert – watch performances in rehearsals

Recently, WhatsOnStage ventured into the rehearsal room for the upcoming concert staging of Once on This Island.

We were treated to a few of the show’s musical numbers during our visit and now we’re treating you to a sneak peek at them below.

Here’s Dujonna Gift (who takes on the pivotal role of Ti Moune in the production) with “Waiting for Life”:

Watch the entire company performing “Pray” from the much-loved musical here:

And finally, take a look at WhatsOnStage Award nominee Cedric Neal (as Agwe) performing “Rain”:

Alongside Gift and Neal, the cast also includes Alex Newell, reprising the role as Asaka following their performance in the Tony-winning 2018 Broadway revival, WhatsOnStage Award winner Melanie La Barrie as Papa Ge, WhatsOnStage Award nominee Marisha Wallace as Erzulie, WhatsOnStage Award winner Jamael Westman as Daniel Beauxhomme, Casey Al-Shaqsy as Andrea Deveraux, Waylon Jacobs as Armand Beauxhomme, Ako Mitchell as Tonton Julian and Wendy Mae Brown as Mama Euralie, as well as ensemble members Elliot Broadfoot, Jerome Lincoln, Lindo Shinda and Tamara Tare.

Written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Once on This Island follows Ti Moune, who rescues and falls in love with Daniel, leading her into a pact with the island gods.

The musical is based on the 1985 novel My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl by Rosa Guy, in turn inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. It first ran on Broadway in 1990 and in the West End in 1994, picking up the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Last seen in the capital at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, numbers in the show include “Waiting for Life”, “Mama Will Provide” and “The Human Heart.”

Annabel Mutale-Reed directs the concert with Jordan Li-Smith as musical director and conductor. The London Musical Theatre Orchestra will accompany the performance. Additional creative roles include Sarah Golding as choreographer, Harry Greatorex as sound designer and Ben Armstrong as casting director.

Once on This Island in Concert will take place this Sunday, 8 February at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with tickets on sale below.