Press Releases

Monterey, Calif. - October 5, 2005 - Worlds will collide for the audience's enjoyment in late October as the Santa Catalina School Theatre presents the merging of ocean, land, and fire in the play, Once on This Island. Drawing on inspirations from Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid, the play explores the tradition of storytelling with classic themes of love, loss, and redemption through the fabric of Caribbean culture.

Based on Rosa Guy's novel My Love, My Love, the play tells the tale of Tonton Julian, played by sophomore, Daniella Sanchez of San Francisco and Mama Euralie, played by senior, Genevieve Taricoo of Rancho Palos Verdes. The two characters adopt and raise Ti Moune, played by sophomore, Camila de le Llata of Prunedale, who later saves the life of an upper-class boy, Daniel, played by Anna Lopez. Once on This Island depicts the value of storytelling, not only as entertainment, but as a means of passing down history, values, and insight from one generation to the next.

Students at Santa Catalina School will perform the play on October 21, 22, 27 and 28 at the Performing Arts Center located at 1500 Mark Thomas Drive in Monterey. The play is appropriate for all ages and the entire community is invited to attend.

Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. each evening; with an additional matinee performance at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, October 28 (there will not be an evening performance the evening the 28th). Tickets are $5 for senior citizens and students; $7.50 for general admission. Reservations may be made by calling 655.9341 or by visiting the website at www.santacatalina.org. 

                                            

Santa Catalina School is dedicated to the education of young people between the ages of 5-18 by giving careful consideration to the individual abilities and potential of each child. The school's mission is to balance intellectual growth with spiritual awareness, creativity with order, and individuality with compassion. Santa Catalina School is enriched by the diversity of socioeconomic, religious, geographic, and cultural backgrounds represented by students and faculty. The Upper School includes boarding students from 16 states and eight countries. Local students come from not only the Central Coast, but from cities as far away as Gilroy, King City, Santa Cruz, San Jose and Santa Clara.