A note to our distinctly Christian community:
We want to tell you about the show you are about to see to give you some context and help frame your expectations of our show tonight. Children of Eden was written in 1991 for a religious education program based in Illinois. It later went on to be developed for The West End in London and then off-Broadway at The Papermill Theater. After several setbacks, it was finally seen on Broadway for the first time this past February at Lincoln Center, featuring a cast of over 200 students from around the world. With a rich score by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Prince of Egypt, Wicked), Children of Eden is regarded as having some of the most beautiful music in all of musical theater--Schwartz considers it his favorite among his musicals. According to Music Theatre International, Children of Eden is one of the most licensed musicals by community and church groups in the United States, though it is relatively unknown in New England because of its religious subject matter.
The religious subject is complicated, and there are significant differences, even among Christians, in how to interpret Genesis 1-11. Bible scholars in the audience will best enjoy the show if they view it loosely based on Genesis as the authors intended when writing it. The play tells the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah and his family, but it never attempts to be a literal telling. The authors take numerous liberties, adding characters like Yonah and plot points like the “rings of stones.”
The biggest obstacle we found in staging the play is the portrayal of Father. Virtually any discussion of God the Father involves some level of anthropomorphism (God the Father does not have a “right hand”). Any discussion or portrayal of God in human terms is fraught with error. However, the story told in Children of Eden goes a step further. For purposes of the plot and conflict, the play presents Him as a humanly embodied father, displaying a wide range of human emotions and flaws, which is hugely problematic from a theological perspective. In our presentation, we made choices that tried to remedy this as much as possible while staying true to the play. Jeremiah, who plays the role of Father, does so with great compassion and depth, in contrast to the original script, in which Father is significantly more capricious and wrathful. We have been thoughtful, prayerful, and particularly sensitive with students throughout the process. We are confident that we have honored God’s patient and merciful nature in our performance.
So why did we choose this play? We wanted to share a large-scale Biblical story, and a limited number of quality Christian musicals of that style exist for schools to license. This show was popular with other Christian high schools and colleges nationwide (Evangel University is a recent example). We incorporated Biblical truths creatively, even when they were not explicit in the script. Our process was an excellent exercise in Biblical analysis for the students and the adults alike. There is a lot of truth and beauty to enjoy here, and we sincerely pray that this is the message you will see shining through.
The play operates on two levels: telling ancient Bible stories on the one hand and telling stories about families that everyone here will be able to relate to on the other. We trust tonight’s performance moves you personally and that the Bible comes alive in new ways, even if you aren’t sure how you feel from time to time! Thank you for coming and for supporting LCA’s performing arts program!
Jen Bleiler, LCA Performing Arts Director
Greg Butler, Spiritual Life Director
Rick Duba, Head of School
