Imagine sparkling beaches under towering palms, and the rolling rhythm of native drums. This is the Caribbean paradise Theatre Horizon was thinking about when they began rehearsals earlier this month for Once On This Island, a jubilant Broadway-style musical opening this July. A folkloric twist on the traditional "Little Mermaid" tale, the musical is set on a tropical island, where a colorful band of storytellers dance and sing the story of a poor peasant girl who falls in love with a boy from a wealthy family. Theatre Horizon's professional cast of actors performs Once On This Island July 1st - 15th in King of Prussia at the Upper Merion Middle School's theatre, marking the first professional production to appear on the stage of the newly-constructed 650-seat house.

Once on This Island garnered eight Tony nominations when it premiered on Broadway, and has since gained a following across the nation as a soaring exploration of racial and class prejudice. The star-crossed lovers at the center of the production come from two different worlds: she is a poor black peasant while he hails from a wealthy, white aristocracy that has long oppressed the peasant laborers. To win his love, she makes a deal with the island gods in an effort to escape her peasant roots.

"Rarely does musical theatre dig this deep, while also entertaining so thoroughly," says Theatre Horizon Artistic Director Matthew Decker. "Audiences will be swept up in the music and the majesty of the setting and costumes. But at the same time, Once On This Island asks you to consider what we must each sacrifice in order for individuals-and society as a whole-to overcome prejudice and hatred."

Decker hopes the production will spark discussion about the ongoing problem of racism. To that end, Theatre Horizon has scheduled talk-backs and informal conversation circles after four of the performances to encourage a community dialogue. In the wake of Katrina, immigration controversy and ongoing racial tensions in Philadelphia, the question of how to create racial harmony is timelier than ever.

Coming off a celebrated performance at the Arden Theatre in Caroline, Or Change, an equally poignant race play, actress Ade Laoye will take on the lead role in Once on This Island. Alongside Ms. Laoye, Decker has assembled a multi-ethnic cast of ten professional actors to meet the challenging task of bringing the rhythms and style of authentic Caribbean life to the stage.

Theatre Horizon also enlisted the help of the Kulu Mele African Dance Ensemble, a Philadelphia-based company specializing in African and Caribbean dance. After selecting Haiti as the approximate setting for Once on This Island, Decker asked the Kulu Mele troupe to teach the Once on This Island cast about Haitian dance and its spiritual connection to the Gods and Goddesses of Haiti's vodou tradition.

Kulu Mele will lead a workshop on Haitian dance for children following the 12 p.m. performance on July 13th . Professor Michael Allen of Bryn Mawr College will spearhead a post-show talk-back discussion on July 12th for audience members interested in knowing more about the Caribbean's colonial history and fascinating Vodou traditions.

"Once On This Island is an ensemble piece that requires the actors to breathe together as one unit," says Decker, who traces his love of ensemble to his education at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Decker continues his exploration of ensemble in September 2007 when he assistant directs the Stephen Sondheim musical Assassins at the Arden Theatre. "Building that connection between performers is one of my favorite ways to work as a director," says Decker.

Tickets to Once on This Island are available at Theatre Horizon's website, www.theatrehorizon.org, or by calling (610)283-2230. All adult and senior citizen tickets are $21 if purchased by June 21st. Child and student tickets are $18. Preview tickets are $15 for all.