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Overview

Synopsis

Stephen Schwartz and John Caird’s musical, Children of Eden casts the beloved biblical stories of Genesis through the personal lens of family. An epic musical with an original cast of 60 (though it can be done with far fewer actors, if necessary), Children of Eden starts with the very beginning: the creation of the universe. Father breathes life into his children, Adam and Eve, and learns that the hardest part of being a loving Father is letting go. It’s a lesson that translates into the parenting of Cain, Abel, and Seth -- and is reiterated once again as Noah parents his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. This joyous and inspiring musical celebrates the difficulty of choice, the importance of passion, the value of questioning, and the pain in allowing those you love to take risks and face the consequences. In order to capture the expanse of humanity, this play is traditionally performed with a multi-ethnic cast.

Show Information

Book
John Caird
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1997
Genres
Settings
Multiple Settings
Time & Place
the garden of eden at the beginning of time / the wilderness, after paradise is lost
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Large
Dancing
Some Dance
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, High School, Large Cast, Middle School, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Religious Groups, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Child Characters, Medium Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Abel / Ham

Lead

Male

Tenor

Adam / Noah

Lead

Male

Tenor

Cain / Japheth

Lead

Male

Tenor

Father

Lead

Male

Baritone

Eve / Mama Noah

Lead

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Yonah

Supporting

Female

Mezzo-Soprano

Seth / Shem

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Aphra

Featured

Female

Alto

Young Abel

Featured

Male

Countertenor

Young Cain

Featured

Male

Countertenor

Snake (5)

Featured

Either Gender

Aysha

Featured

Female

Alto

Ensemble

Ensemble

Either Gender

Songs

Act One

  • *Let There Be – Father & Full Company
  • Perfect (Part 1) – Storytellers, Father, Adam & Eve
  • The Tree of Knowledge – Father & Adam
  • The Naming – Father, Adam, Eve & Storytellers
  • Grateful Children – Adam & Eve
  • Father's Day – Father
  • Perfect (Part 2) – Storytellers, Father, Adam & Eve
  • The Spark of Creation – Eve
  • *In Pursuit of Excellence – *Snake & Eve
  • The End of a Perfect Day – Storytellers
  • Childhood's End – Storytellers, Father & Eve
  • A World Without You – Adam, Father & Eve
  • The Expulsion – Father & Storytellers
  • The Wasteland – Storytellers
  • Wilderness Family – Adam, Young Cain & Young Abel
  • The Spark of Creation (Reprise 1) – Eve
  • Lost in the Wilderness – Cain & Abel
  • Lost in the Wilderness (Reprise) – Cain
  • Close to Home – Adam, Eve, Abel, Young Cain & Young Abel
  • A Ring of Stones – Adam, Eve, Cain & Abel
  • Clash of the Generations – Adam, Eve, Cain & Abel
  • The Death of Abel – Eve & Storytellers
  • The Mark of Cain – Father & Storytellers
  • Children of Eden – Eve & Full Company

Act Two

  • Generations – Storytellers
  • The Gathering Storm – Noah & Father
  • A Piece of Eight – Storytellers, Noah, Mama Noah, Japeth, Yonah, Ham, Shem, Aphra & Aysha
  • Blind Obedience – Noah
  • The Return of the Animals – Orchestra
  • The Naming (Reprise)/Noah's Lullaby – Storytellers & Noah
  • Stranger to the Rain – Yonah
  • In Whatever Time We Have – Japeth & Yonah
  • The Flood – Father & Storytellers
  • What Is He Waiting For? – Noah, Mama Noah, Japeth, Ham, Shem, Aphra & Aysha
  • Sailor of the Skies – Yonah
  • The Spark of Creation (Reprise 2) – Mama Noah
  • The Hardest Part of Love – Noah & Father
  • Words of Doom – Storytellers
  • The Hour of Darkness – Noah, Mama Noah, Japeth, Yonah, Ham, Shem, Aphra & Aysha
  • Ain’t It Good? – Mama Noah & Full Company
  • Precious Children – Father
  • In the Beginning – Japeth, Yonah, Noah, Mama Noah, Father, & Full Company

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

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Guide Written By:

Avital Shira, Alyssa Yates