Troika’s latest production, their fourth “work in progress”, is the whimsical musical ‘Once on this Island’.The play was first presented on stage in New York City, and even had a run on Broadway back in 1990.By the time the story made it to London in 1994, it was a polished, world-class production; so much so that it won the 1995 Lawrence Olivier Award for Best New Musical.The play is based on the 1985 novel ‘My Love, My Love’ or ‘A Peasant Girl’ by Rosa Guy, and was adapted to the stage by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.The stage version of the story has earned numerous nominations from prestigious awards committees over the years, including the Tonys.Bermuda’s first taste of this superb production promises to be amazing.Troika has truly stepped up their game for this show.Production values, set, costumes, and effects have all been amped up, and I predict that many patrons will forget that they are sitting in the Ruth Seaton James Auditorium. I’m not talking Broadway level here (yet!), but the quality on offer will be very impressive.The fact that Troika calls their creations “works in progress” indicates that they are on a journey toward being the best production house they can be.‘Once in this Island’ shows tremendous progress on their journey toward excellence.The cast is still comprised of young Bermudian men and women, the staging and lighting is designed by a Bermudian technical crew, and the production logistics are handled by Troika’s Bermudian founders.The show itself, however, is world-class; both in technical production and performance.Visiting director Steven Huntsman has been working with the cast for eight weeks now and describes them as a very talented group of young people with an interesting dynamic due to varying levels of experience.Mr Huntsman has directed ‘Once on this Island’ before, and performed in it another time (both in Las Vegas, where he is based), and is excited about the show’s first-ever run in Bermuda.The play itself is a love story set on a mythical island in the French Antilles.It follows the fate of Ti Moune, a young peasant girl who encounters Daniel, a “grand homme” (upper class person) after he suffers a car crash during a violent storm.Daniel is unconscious but still breathing and Ti Moune convinces herself that it is her destiny to save this man.She falls in love with him while caring for him, causing much consternation among the people in her peasant village.The story unfolds from here, implementing elements of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘The Tempest’, and depicting a grand struggle between the power of love and the power of death (which are represented by the peasant gods Erzulie and Papa Ge respectively).There is a vast cast of characters, and an emphasis on storytelling throughout the play; it is a fabulous story about love, fate, class struggle, and the power of the human spirit to overcome even the ultimate end, whether the gods like it or not.This is a show not to be missed; a showcase of Bermudian talent, and a step up to a new level of theatrical quality.The show is choreographed by the brilliant Eric Bean Jr and opens tonight, running through Saturday. Tickets are $30 for general admission, with special rates for students and family groups. Tickets are available online at www.ptix.bm and at the Liberty Theatre Box Office.For more information visit www.troikabda.com, e-mail info@troikabda.com or call 278-1508.