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Winner of Best New Musical at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Islander tells a modern myth featuring two actors who use live mixing and looping technology to create a sonic landscape as dramatic as the Scottish coastline. Eilidh is the only child on Kinnan Island, where most of the dwindling population has moved to the “Big Land.” The government has proposed to resettle the rest, and the town must vote soon on whether or not to accept the offer. But the day after a baby whale beaches itself, Eilidh discovers a young girl named Arran along the shore, who seems straight out of Scottish folklore. As the two form a friendship, Islander takes audiences on a magical journey to transcend loss, recover hope, and find community.
“Islander” merges sophisticated recording/sound technology with human vocals and cascading emotions. The result is an exquisite rendering of the ocean’s ever-awesome powers and profound fragility, and its indelible impact on two young women poised on its brink, looking toward a wider world they look to with both hope and fear.
- The Chicago Sun Times
Conceived and Directed by
Amy Draper
Staging & Associate Direction by
Eve Nicol
Book by
Stewart Melton
Music and Lyrics by
Finn Anderson
DC-Area Reviews
- Washington Post: "Magic...the Scottish actresses arrange their golden voices into swooping, haunting harmonies that fill Olney Theatre Center’s main stage... It's exciting to watch."
- DC Theater Arts: "a fresh, music-and-vocals-inspired myth about relationships, care for nature, and time-honored tradition."
- Broadway World: "a powerful auditory feast that evokes everything from the sounds of the shore to the drip of a leaky roof to whale song and traditional Scottish instruments"
- MD Theatre Guide: "Islander casts an enthralling spell, a perfect blend of artistry and creativity unlike any other in the world."
- Washington City Paper: "Islander’s telling is simply pitch-perfect"
Watch the New Trailer
Want a Synopsis?
In one swift, intermissionless act, two actors embody more than two dozen characters to tell the story of Islander. The action (and character changes) move quickly, so this synopsis may enhance your enjoyment of this magical journey.
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Lois Craig
Eilidh
Lois Craig (Eilidh) is a 2022 musical theatre graduate from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London. She is originally from Fife in Scotland. Theatre Credits include: Julie Jordan in Carousel (Mountview), Ensemble in Les Miserables (Mountview), Toni Tinsel in Santa’s Little Astronaut (Macrobert Arts Centre). Lois has also been a professional voice over actor for almost 10 years. Credits include: Everest in Paw Patrol (Nickelodeon), Gail Whale, Hank’s step Mum and Anya in Baby Shark (Nickelodeon), Frida in Barracuda Queens (Netflix). Lois would like to dedicate her performance to the memory of her Dad. She feels him with her during every step of her journey with Islander.
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Stephanie MacGaraidh
Arran
Stephanie MacGaraidh (Arran) Training: Guildford School of Acting. Theatre Includes: Mistress Ford & Others/Musician in MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, Swing in A MOTHER’S SONG, Billie Bones/Captain Smollett/Musician/Puppeteer in TREASURE ISLAND. Other Credits Include: First Witch and others in MACBETH (award winning audio drama, Almost Tangible), OneVoice ‘Best Narrator’ Nominee.
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Julia Murray
Arran
Julia Murray (Arran) trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and was the BA Musical Theatre Programme Prize Recipient 2020. Recent Theatre credits include: Sleeping Beauty (Ayr Gaiety), Impromptu (Play Pie Pint), Underwood Lane (Tron Theatre), Thread (Kick the Door), Robin Hood (Cumbernauld Theatre), The Grain Store (Rehearsed Readings with The Tron) and Cow and Pig (Traverse Theatre), and City of Angels, The Baker’s Wife, Assasins, Pippin, Don’t Wait Too Long, Please, Bon Apetit (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). Julia is a multi-instrumentalist and has been a soloist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
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Sylvie Stenson
Eilidh
Sylvie Stenson (Eilidh) is a Scottish-Caribbean actor from Glasgow. Sylvie trained at ‘The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’ in Musical Theatre. Since graduating this year, Sylvie has taken part in her first Edinburgh Fringe show Soon the Musical with Eclipse theatre. Now Sylvie is excited to take part in the Islander tour.
Advance Reviews
- Seattle Times: Mythical, minimal ‘Islander’ at Seattle Rep prompts us to pay attention
- Chicago Sun Times: ‘Islander,’ a haunting musical from Scotland, exquisitely merges sound tech with the human voice
On The Blog
You can also find the Islander cast recording on Apple Music, Amazon, and YouTube.
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