So I absolutely LOVED Once on this Islnd!!! I’m trying to go back in December but probably won’t make it back until after
Disneyland next year. We just missed Hailey Kilgore’s return (we went Sunday and she came back Tuesday) but we had Loren Lott as Ti Moune and we just fell in love with her. We met her at stage door and she was just the sweetest thing! She was on vocal rest but she took time with everyone, took pictures, signed playbills, gave out so many hugs, and had a smile on her face the whole time! She reminded me of Christy Altomare at stage door! I wish I had seen her before so I could see her again!
Going back to the show: so we had sand seats which was amazing. Front row and the seats were only like $180 including taxes and fees. There is a pre-show where the little girl is playing an instrument and the other characters begin to come on stage and talk to the audience before the show starts. Where we sat we were able to pet the chicken and they brought the goats over to us too. We were right next to Agwe so we had most interaction with him. He’s so much fun!
The stage itself is a huge oval in the center of the theatre so the audience is sitting around it. There isn’t a bad place to sit! It’s funny to think about because where I say I loved the show and had one experience but you could sit in a different area and see something different from what I saw! Apparently Asaka cooks during the show and I had no clue until I read other reviews! So that’s also why I want to go back to see it from a different part of the theatre.
But those gods. Let me tell you they were allll aammaaazzzinnngggg! Alex Newell killed it of course and that boy can sing! He was just incredible. Papa Ge (Tamyra Grey but I think I’m spelling her name wrong) was so... I can’t describe it. But everything Papa Ge did or say I loved. Seriously this show doesn’t get the love it deserves. It’s on 50th so it’s kind of out of the way (like most of the theatres are on 44th/45th) so it’s a bit of a walk. Also on 50th is Don Antonio which is a pizza place. Google it. It’s the same pizza in Italy! It’s authentic, fresh, and everything but the water is imported from Italy.
I would highly recommend seeing Once on this Island. The company enjoys each other and they just love their jobs. It’s like a huge party and we’re all invited! Seriously go grab tickets and enjoy it. I don’t think it’s goijg to be there much longer because the theatre was only 90% filled. Now it was a holiday weekend but also maybe people were are waiting until Hailey Kilgore’s return. I hope the numbers improve because I hope it has a long and successful run!
Next up is Spongebob. Now part of me hopes I hate it because if I love it, I’ll want to see it again and since it’s closing, that might be trouble. Haha