Original musical ‘Island Song’ to open at the BPP theater

High energy, fast paced, and crazy were all words IU senior Zachary Stewart used to describe “Island Song,” Bloomington Playwright Project’s new series. The first production of “Island Song” opens 7:30 p.m. Friday at the BPP theater.

The musical follows five young people in New York City. Hunter said it details relatable themes like finding love, success and oneself. 

As a cast member, Stewart plays the role of Cooper alongside actors Kayla Eilers, Mia Fitzgibbon, Emily Schultheis and Nat Zegree.

All are students in the Musical Theatre BFA program in the Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance, said Jessica Reed, the Managing Director at the BPP.

An original play, “Island Song” was written by Sam Carner and directed by Marlo Hunter. The musical was produced in partnership with the IU Theatre and Drama
Department.

Before being produced by the BPP, “Island Song” was tested in various cities
including Princeton, NJ., Seattle and New York City.

It was the online footage from the New York performance that caught the interest of the BPP, Hunter said.

The musical was also part of the Indiana Festival Theatre in Bloomington last August prior to being produced by the BPP.

“Eventually, we’d like to see a full production happen in New York,” Hunter said. “We’d also be interested to see how London audiences respond to it.”
 
Hunter is a graduate of Princeton University and a member of the State Directors and Choreographers Society.

Hunter was the 2013 winner of the Callaway Award for Excellence in Choreography for her work with Sam Carner and Derek Gregor on “Unlock’d,” a musical produced by Hunter, Carner and Gregor.

“It’s remarkable to see her command a room with such control and intensity but with such clarity and support at the same time,” Stewart said. “Marlo is like no director I have ever worked with before in Bloomington.”

Carner and Gregor are credited with writing the lyrics and composing the songs for “Island Song.” The duo has created numerous other projects, such as “The Great Cookie Quest,” “Buzzed” and “Sing But Don’t Tell,” since meeting at New York University in 2001.

Hunter said she thinks college students will especially enjoy “Island Song.”

“College students being on the precipice of change, being about to graduate and enter the world, your reality gets turned upside down,” Hunter said. “That’s what’s happening in the piece. It’s easily accessible to them.”