'It's not a love story but it's a story about love’

SOAP LAKE — Masquers Theater will be presenting their first musical since the pandemic with “Once on this Island.” The play opens at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at the theater, 322 E. Main Ave., Soap Lake.

“I love the music and I love the characters but this story is timeless,” co-director Clifford Bresee said. “It’s full of foreshadowing. It's not a love story but it's a story about love.”

“Once on this Island” tells the story of Ti Moune, played by Ruth Bresee, a peasant girl who rescues and falls in love with Daniel, played by Taggart Hodges, according to a Masquers press release. When Daniel is returned to his people, the fantastical gods who rule the island, played by Clifford Bresee, Jamie Cordell, Allison Pheasant and Pamela Ramirez, guide Ti Moune on a quest that will test the strength of her love. The story is told through almost non-stop song and dance.

“This genre of musicals, they’re definitely up in my favorites because I think they bring a sort of realism to life that some other musicals, or just plays in general, don't often bring,” said Ruth Bresee.

“That’s what’s really special about the show is that you get to feel the emotion. It’s a gut-wrencher and it just keeps going because the story itself is a lesson,” Hodges said.

The musical is directed by the husband-and-wife team of Clifford and Stacey Bresee, who have been involved in theater for many years.

“It finds its roots in the Little Mermaid – but not the Disney product, the Hans Christian Andersen product – and so it includes all that drama and turmoil that's from the original story by Andersen. There’s just a lot of depth to it,” said Clifford. “I’m going to try to get audiences to come more than once because, I know my experience with it and everybody who’s seen it before says, you get a whole lot more the second time you see it. It has that depth of layers and things going on.”

Clifford said he feels like the biggest challenge in drawing an audience is the fact the story isn’t very well known. But he has confidence that viewers will enjoy the production and the hard work of the Masquers cast and crew.

Hodges said that connecting with the characters they play sometimes can be hard but he is able to find ways to form a middle ground.

“It can be a little awkward I guess you can say but eventually once you’re into character you kind of form a friendship in a way,” Hodges said.

Jeremy Hansen, who plays Tonton Julian, the father figure to Ti Moune, said he hopes the audience can form a connection with the characters and the show as well.

“I hope (the audience) can experience being immersed in the story, that the music brings them in and they get to just kind of escape and kind of actually become a part of the world that we’re creating here,” said Hansen.

The musical continues at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee. “Once on this Island” will run three more weekends through Nov. 13. Tickets can be purchased online at www.masquers.com and any questions can be answered at the box office at 509-246-2611.

Once On This Island Cast List:

Asaka, Goddess of the Earth – Allison Pheasant

Agwe, God of Water – Clifford Bresee

Erzulie, Goddess of Love – Pamela Ramirez

Papa Ge, Goddess of Death – Jamie Cordell

Ti Moune – Ruth Bresee

Daniel Beauxhomme – Taggart Hodges

Mama Euralie – Sheila Massey

Tonton Julian – Jeremy Hansen

Little Girl – Magnolia Burke

Andrea Deveraux – Rainy Nichols

Little Ti Moune – Josie Emerson and Lilly Conway

Armand & Daniel’s Father – Darryl Pheasant

The Gatekeeper – Carol Boyce

Storytellers / Peasants / Gossipers / Ball Guests –

Carol Boyce, Stacey Bresee, Izzy Delay, Zander Garnett, Sherry Joski, Rainy Nichols, Darryl Pheasant

Choreographer – Megan Stoaks

Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.