Belafonte withdrew from the production due to illness, and the musical was tailored around the talents of Lena Horne.

The cast included Ricardo Montalbán as Koli and Lena Horne as Savannah, with Ossie Davis as Cicero, Erik Rhodes as Governor, Adelaide Hall as Grandma Obeah, and Josephine Premice as Ginger.

The song "Boy, Girl, and Island" was originally written for the play, but was cut and replaced by "Take It Slow, Joe.

Savannah, a beautiful island girl, longs to escape to New York City to live a life of modern conveniences.

However, when Koli, an impoverished fisherman, saves her younger brother's life during a hurricane, she opts to remain with him.