Winston-Salem Journal Review - "Children of Eden"

Twin city Stage

Biblical stories sing in 'Children of Eden'

There are lots of people out there who've either never seen a live performance of musical theater or haven't attended one in years. Which show is best for them?


By KEN KEUFFEL | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: March 28, 2011

Twin City Stage makes a good case for "Children of Eden," which opened Friday at the Arts Council Theatre and will run there through April 10. I attended Sunday's show.

Congregations of churches and synagogues should flock to see "Children of Eden," as should families with young children, especially those who have read or heard the most popular stories in the Bible.

Twin City Stage

Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for "Children of Eden," and John Caird the book. The show dramatizes several familiar parts of the Genesis story, including the Creation; Noah (Art Bloom) and the Flood; and the stories of Adam (Justin Hall) and Eve (Amanda Martin). The tale of Cain and Abel is also retold.

Some liberties are taken in the retelling of these stories, but not enough to alter the most important basics.

We sympathize with Father, aka God (Chuck King), who lays down the law only to find that his children either keep questioning said law or ignore it altogether because, well, that apple is just too tempting.

The first act of "Eden" takes us through Cain's murder of his brother and the hardscrabble wandering in the wilderness that the sins of Adam and Eve have unleashed. Act II is given over to Noah and the Flood. Each character convincingly shows his or her personal growth, and we better understand their difficult choices.

Twin City Stage

I liked the Flood parts of "Eden" the best. Here Bloom adopts the stereotypical mannerisms and accents of the Jewish ghetto to great comic effect. We're also prompted to sympathize with the plight of the passengers and animals of the ark. God, if the rain doesn't stop and dry land doesn't appear, our provisions will run out. Will we be forced to eat the animals on board?

Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for "Godspell" and "Pippin," two Broadway success stories that revealed his mastery of the pop idiom.

In "Children of Eden," by contrast, I sense songwriting and choral music of greater range and ambition. Sure, the peppy sound of Broadway is frequently evident. But so is more potent and challenging ensemble writing that would be appropriate for opera or oratorio. The cast sings it well.

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KKeuffel@wsjournal.com
(336) 727-7337