Noah was writing the chapters of Genesis when suddenly God spoke to him: There will be a world-destroying flood, and Noah must build an ark to house two of every kind of animal. So begins the story of Two by Two, a retelling of the biblical story of the Great Flood. Naturally, Noah’s family is skeptical of this message; after all, Noah is over 600 years old and couldn’t possibly accomplish this task! His sons Shem and Ham, along with Shem’s wife Leah, argue that Noah should be put away in an asylum. But when God sends a gitka, an ancient species of rodent that sings, the family realizes that Noah is telling the truth. Yet there is still a holdout--Noah’s youngest and favorite son, Japheth, who can’t believe that God would actually destroy the world, and pleads with God to find something, somewhere that he likes. The family banters and battles over marriage, money, and whether or not the ark should have a rudder. Ultimately, God keeps His promises and floods the Earth--but in the end gives Noah a covenant in the form of a rainbow that He’ll never harm the world again.
A story of family and faith, the original Broadway production of Two by Two starred Danny Kaye as a witty and wisecracking Noah. In 2013, the York Theatre famously revived the musical starring Jason Alexander. Two by Two continues to be a popular community production, appealing to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Two by Two guide sections
