BTTUNY “Once On This Island” Opens Feb. 6 at Capital Repertory Theatre  

ALBANY — The Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NY hosts its first musical production, the second show in its 2024-2025 season “Once On This Island,” by Lynne Ahrens with music by Stephen Flaherty, Feb. 6-16. The show will be directed and choreographed by Hettie Barnhill with musical direction by Emily Rose Rivera. 

“Once On This Island” is a Caribbean retelling of “The Little Mermaid” story, set in a fictionalized version of Haiti. This one-act musical is a love story and a coming-of-age tale appropriate for the whole family. 

This show features 24 local BIPOC actors and is BTTUNY’s first musical production. It is a milestone for the company, both in scope and talent. The cast contains a combination of both seasoned and newer performers, including five local children. 

The Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NY’s goal is to foster cross-cultural understanding and to create more diversity on stage and in theatre by highlighting, producing and promoting performance and theatre arts by marginalized artists in upstate New York. 

Performances will be at the MainStage at theREP, 251 N. Pearl Street in Albany. Performances are Feb. 6-16, 2025, 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. To purchase tickets, visit attherep.org or blacktheatretroupeofupstateny.org. Groups of 10 or more can get tickets by calling 518- 382-3884 x 139.