PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE Moonlight Stage Productions Opens 40th Anniversary Season with its Premiere Production of “Once On This Island” June 16 – July 3, 2021 ··· Actors Edred Utomi and Nathan Andrew Riley, on Hiatus from National Tours of Disney’s “The Lion King” and “Hamilton” Respectively, Return “Home” to Appear In “Once On This Island” ··· Health Protocols Are in Place to Ensure the Well-Being of Audiences, Casts, Staff and Volunteers VISTA, CA (June 1, 2021) – When the curtain goes up June 16 for “Once On This Island,” the first musical of Moonlight Stage Productions’ summer season, the theatre will celebrate two major milestones. First, the Moonlight celebrates the 40th anniversary of its founding in 1981 and its subsequent productions of 219 shows both at the Moonlight Amphitheatre and the AVO Playhouse. Its second milestone is its return to the stage following a near year-and-a-half nationwide shutdown of live events during the pandemic. “One of the most poignant aspects of reopening the Moonlight for the summer will be seeing the amphitheatre come back to life,” said Producing Artistic Director Steven Glaudini. “The Moonlight is considered home to many, from our audience, actors, creative staff, technicians and musicians. To have had our home shuttered since 2019 has been a challenge that we are excited to finally overcome.” “Everyone working to bring this season to life has a shared and heightened sense of anticipation,” said Managing Director Colleen Kollar Smith. “While every summer at the Moonlight is special, this one is uniquely so, with all the members of our Moonlight family returning after over a year of being shuttered. With our actors returning to the stage, our orchestra to the pit, and our audiences to their seats, we can’t wait until opening night.” Winner of the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, “Once on This Island” is the sweeping, universal tale of Ti Moune, a fearless peasant girl in search of her place in the world, and ready to risk it all for love. Guided by the mighty island gods, Ti Moune sets out on a remarkable journey to reunite with the man who has captured her heart. The show is the groundbreaking musical retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Little Mermaid." Revived on Broadway in 2017, the show has a musical score filled with Caribbean influences and comes from the creative team of writer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty. “Once On This Island” is directed and choreographed by Paul David Bryant with Lyndon Pugeda as music director and conductor. The acting company includes, Kevin “Blax” Burroughs as Armand, Leo Ebanks as Tonton Julian, Brooke Henderson as Ti Moune, Patricia Jewel as Mama Euralie, Jodi Marks as Asaka, Jocline Mixson as Andrea, Nathan Andrew Riley as Agwe, Anise Ritchie as Erzulie, Ala Tiatia-Garaud as Daniel, Edred Utomi as Papa Ge and Maya Washington as Little Ti Moune. “Once On This Island” marks a homecoming for Riley and Utomi who are both on hiatus from appearing in the national tours of Disney’s “The Lion King” and “Hamilton” respectively. The design team for “Once On This Island” includes Stephen Gifford (Scenic), Jennifer Edwards (Lighting), Jim Zadai (Sound) and Blake McCarty (Projections). Sets, costumes and properties are provided by 3-D Theatricals. Costumes are coordinated by Felicia Broschart and properties are coordinated by Gabrielle Tillinghast. The stage manager for the production is Stanley D. Cohen. Subscriptions and single tickets to the 2021 summer season are on sale now online at moonlightstage.com, by phone at (760) 724-2110, and in-person at VisTix, 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista. For more information, visit moonlightstage.com or call (760) 724-2110. CALENDAR INFORMATION "Once On This Island" June 16 – July 3, 2021 Gates open at 6:30 p.m. for dining and picnicking; curtain at 8:00 p.m. Performances are Wednesday through Sunday nights the first two weeks of the run and Wednesday through Saturday night the third week. HEALTH & SAFETY The Moonlight is poised to respond to the ever-evolving health guidelines from the state and has measures in place including a socially distanced seating option, hand sanitizing stations placed throughout the theatre and daily cleaning of common areas. A socially distanced seating area has been established in the theatre’s “great lawn” section for those who have not received Covid-19 vaccinations or for those who are vaccinated but wish to remain distanced from others. Patrons who plan to sit in any of the theatre’s other seating areas are asked to be fully vaccinated or to have received a negative Covid-19 test 48 hours prior to their ticketed performance. The Moonlight is requiring audience members to wear face masks while they are in the theatre except for when they are eating or drinking in their seats. Moonlight has instituted measures for its artists and staff to minimize health risks and is proactively working with the Actors’ Equity Association to ensure a healthy working environment on and backstage. FOOD AND PICNICKING For the 2021 summer season, The Moonlight welcomes Bread and Cheese Eatery as the theatre’s new concessionaire. Audiences may reserve a table for $5 a person on the Moonlight Patio to enjoy charcuterie boards and other menu items from Bread and Cheese Eatery for an additional purchase. Audiences are also invited to bring their own picnic suppers and non-alcoholic beverages into the Amphitheatre. Outside alcohol is not permitted. A variety of wine and beers will be available for purchase from Bread and Cheese Eatery. ABOUT THE COMPANY Kevin “Blax” Burroughs (Armand) is a performer, director, choreographer and lighting designer. Performance credits: Smokey Joe’s Café (Victor & Adrian), In The Heights (Benny), Hairspray (Seaweed), Violet (Flick), title role in The Wiz, Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas), Les Misérables (Enjolras), Next To Normal (Henry) among others. Directorial credits: Carrie, Next To Normal, James...Giant Peach and an upcoming production of Songs For A New World. Choreographic credits: Little Shop Of Horrors, In The Heights, Carrie, Legally Blonde, All Shook Up, James...Giant Peach, Matilda, The Addams Family, Hairspray, The Wiz and others. Select lighting design credits: The Addams Family, Legally Blonde, All Shook Up, Matilda, Wizard of Oz, James…Giant Peach, Next To Normal, The Little Mermaid and his favorite, Carrie. He is the Co-Founder of Teatro San Diego. Leo Ebanks (Tonton Julian) is ecstatic to be making his Moonlight debut in Once On This Island. Recent credits include Benedick in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing at SDSU, Billy in Carrie, The Musical at Onstage Playhouse and Georg in Spring Awakening at Grossmont College. Leo is a U.S. Army Veteran and is currently a student at San Diego State University double majoring in Theatre performance and Film Production. When he isn’t on stage, Leo focuses on videography, editing and producing short films. Brooke Henderson (Ti Moune) is excited to return to The Moonlight this summer! She just finished her freshman year at Columbia College of Chicago where she is getting her BFA in Musical Theater. Her previous credits include Lorraine in All Shook Up (San Diego Musical Theater), Katherine Plumber in Newsies (San Diego Junior Theater) and Viola in Twelfth Night (Old Globe Summer Intensive) as well as her five years in How The Grinch Stole Christmas (The Old Globe). Patricia Jewel (Mama Euralie) is delighted to return to The Moonlight in this magical production of Once On This Island. She was last seen on our stage in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She is an accomplished singer, ASCAP songwriter and actress based in Southern California. Patricia is a proud graduate of the University of Redlands where she earned her Bachelor’s in Music and Psychology. Some of her favorite previous roles include Matron Mama Morton in Chicago, Iemanja in Oliverio: A Brazilian Twist and Muzzy Van Hossmere in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Other theatre credits include Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act, Ragtime, Shrek The Musical and Accelerate! The Magic of Making Musicals. Jodi Marks (Asaka) is honored to be joining The Moonlight family. She graduated from AMDA with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Credits include The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Evita, Little Women, The Laramie Project and Xanadu. She is so grateful to be back on stage and would like to thank the entire cast and crew for making this show one she will never forget. Most of all she would like to thank her family and friends for their continuous support and love. Jocline Mixson (Andrea) is thrilled to make her Moonlight stage debut! Past theater credits include: Sister Act, Ragtime, Hairspray, and Dreamgirls. When not on stage, she makes her living as a model and singer/songwriter. She has recently released her debut single “Simple & Slow,” streaming on all platforms. Nathan Andrew Riley (Agwe) is honored to be a part of this summer’s season at The Moonlight having last been seen here as Seaweed J. Stubbs in Hairspray! The Musical. Nathan performed extensively in theaters and cabarets in San Diego and Disney’s California Adventure before moving to New York City. Most recently, Nathan was touring the country as a Swing in the National Tour of Disney’s The Lion King. Favorite credits include: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (1st & 2nd National Tours); High Button Shoes (Encores! at New York City Center), The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Radio City Music Hall); The Scottsboro Boys (Phoenix Theatre Company); Shrek and In The Heights (PCPA). Anise Ritchie (Erzulie) is excited to return to The Moonlight after a LONG time off due to the pandemic.