I can hear it calling. Just around the corner.

A poignant, off-beat dramedy with a kinetic pop-rock score (boasting 9 MAC-nominated songs), Island Song takes us through a year in the lives of five twenty-and-thirty-somethings sharing a city and the chain of surprising, poignant, and partially random connections that bring them into each other’s spheres at moments that become pivotal. As the city pulses around them, they all must work through their own complex relationships with ambition, distraction, and the search for connection.

After premiering at the Adirondack Theatre Festival in 2016, ISLAND SONG released a cast album featuring Jeremy Jordan, Jackie Burns, Kimiko Glenn, Lilli Cooper, and Troy Iwata. Since 2018, the show has been performed in London, Tokyo, Singapore, Bologna, Paris, and at dozens of colleges, high schools, and theatre companies around the US and Canada.

"Tuneful, lyrically smart and full of heart, Island Song is another winning musical" - Times Union

Striving alternately for career success, parental approval, love, the excitement of being in the center of it all, and the desperate need for a moment that is still without being lonely, Jordan, Will, Cooper, Caroline, and Shoshana find their resilience tested and their perspective in constant flux. As the city pulses around them, they must all work through their complex relationships with ambition, distraction, and the search for connection.

ISLAND SONG is not just about New York; it is about the pace, the overwhelm, the isolation, and the tantalizing possibilities of our contemporary existence.

Six Versions, Explained

ISLAND SONG is ideal for a wide-range of cast sizes, and we have specifically tailored editions to casts of 5 (Standard version), 8-12 (Expanded version), and 13+ (Expanded-Plus version):

The Standard five-hander version—which is reflected in the album—is ideal for smaller collegiate or professional groups, offering each cast member a significant amount of material and dramatic range.

The Expanded version is designed for groups of approximately 10 performers. Very similar to the Standard version, the Expanded version un-doubles the Hipster roles and adds two additional characters and songs (“Waiting” and “Temp Job”) while also turning several numbers into female quartets; while providing solo material for each performer, the Expanded version offers a little more of a lead/ensemble dynamic.

The Expanded-Plus version was created for groups of 13 or more performers. It divides material into more individual tracks, leading to a many performers having 1-2 songs smaller but complete character arcs. The focus becomes more thematic, and ensemble moments like the Opening and Finale have been revised to emphasize the communal experience.

We have also created High School Editions of each of the three versions. High School editions are very similar to the original editions, but they eliminate certain adult language, religious oaths, references to drinking, and certain sexual situations. Certain additional vocal options are also included in the score to make it less vocally demanding as needed. In many cases, original text may be added back in according to a theatre's individual needs.

In the past, some groups have chosen to integrate elements of one version into another (such as adding a sixth character who sings “Waiting” into the standard version or un-doubling the Hipsters in the standard version, creating a cast of 8).  In general, these kinds of adaptations are approved.