When and Where? (Musical Meta #1)

Explanation: Just as 2-Down suggests, there are three islands in the puzzle: OAHU, ELBA, and CUBA, each clued with the word "this" at the start of the clue. On top of each island, you can find the letters 'ONCE', indicating that the solution is the 2018 winner for best revival of a musical "Once On This Island." Other hints and easter eggs can be found at 10-Across, 21-Down (which comes very close to being a lyric from the show), and of course, the opening clue "Wee Dance?" is a reference to the musical's opening number "We Dance"

Nice first meta! I found the grid challenging (as you can see I used check/reveal), but I don't know how it plays for others. I didn't have much trouble with the meta but I'm not complaining. Thanks for sharing this!

That is a really amazing construction. It made me go "Wow!"

I had to use Google because I had never heard of this musical. But the combination of ONCE with islands was a nice touch!

Terrific first puzzle. Some clever and original clueing and excellent construction. Music is nor my forte. I’m tone deaf! And I don’t know much about Broadway musicals. So I needed Google to find the title and I missed the other music clues and entries. But using “this” in those clues was a subtle hint. Look forward to more. Thank you.

Excellent debut meta! Nice cluing, well constructed. The clue at 2-down did tip me off, just as intended. Thanks!

Very clever! I had some difficulty with the grid also, and needed to google for the meta. Not very informed on recent Broadway shows so I also missed the hints in the grid. But I got there! Congrats on #1! Thanks, Danny!

Very nice first meta! Tough grid, but the ONCE thing jumped out fairly quickly, and then the islands. Like others, had to Google the title because I had not heard of it. Thanks for the puzzle, Danny!

Great job! Clever concept and nicely executed.

Top of the grid was tough. I had to google musical revivals although I should have had to. (I thought of "Once upon a mattress and looked to see if the letters below the ONCEs could spell mattresses and they couldn't..... Dope slap to me!)

I left a non-spoilery comment on xword-muggles, but I realized I didn't say anything here! O! This was an excellent debut meta. The only problem I had with the grid was that I fat-fingered one of the letters on the top row. I did see the ONCE, but that made me think of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS and ONCE UPON A TIME. I had to Google the real answer. The part I missed was the "This" in the clues.

Love the Easter eggs and the overall construction! Great first meta (of many, I hope).

Clever!

Great debut; keep 'em coming!

This was really cool! Didn’t see the “ONCE” but I did find the islands and the awkward cluing for “this works” in the Elba clue… awesome puzzle thank you for sharing :)