Limelight Theatre: Once on This Island

Limelight Theatre presents the Olivier Award-winning musical Once on This Island from Thursday, May 7, through Sunday, May 24, 2026. On Sundays, the show starts at 2:00 p.m.; all the other shows start at 7:30 p.m.

This Production

An adaptation of the old Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, The Little Mermaid. With music by Stephen Flaherty and the book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, Once on This Island tells the story of a peasant girl, Ti Moune, who rescues Daniel, a boy from the other side of the island. The musical has pompous gods controlling the island who bet each other about who is stronger, Love or Death, bargaining on Ti's life. Ti falls in love with Daniel. Is her love for him strong enough to save her? Ahrens and Flaherty are an Award-winning songwriting team known for Soussical and Ragtime.

The play ran on Broadway from 1990 to 1991 and opened in London in 1994, where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical. The musical reopened on Broadway in 2017 when it was hailed by the critics. In 2018, it won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

The Details

Admission:

• General admission tickets are $35.00. The Limelight does not offer lower prices for seniors, students, or the military during musical productions.
• Deal tickets for the first Thursday of each production (Preview Night, MONTH, DATE) and on one Tuesday (Terrific Tuesday, MONTH, DATE ) are $25.00.
• Student "Rush Tickets" are $15.00, when available, 60 minutes before the curtain.
• Box office hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., or purchase tickets online.

When: On Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from Thursday, May 7, through Sunday, May 24, 2026. Sunday shows are matinees and start at 2:00 p.m. The performances on all other days begin at 7:30 p.m. Preview Thursday is May 7, and Terrific Tuesday is May 19, 2026. 

Where: 11 Old Mission Avenue, St. Augustine, Florida 32084. There is free parking behind the theater—enter from Old Mission Avenue and drive to the back to park in the lot on Bernard Street. Use the main entrance.

Limelight's 34th Season in 2026

• I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change—January 29 - February 15
• God of Carnage—March 5 - March 15
• Godspell—March 26 - April 19
• Once on This Island—May 6 - May 24
• The Battle of Shallowford—June 4 - June 21
• The Sound of Music—July 16 - August 9