This weekend, March 21-23, the Aspen Choral Society will welcome local audiences into the world of “Children of Eden” by Stephen Schwartz with a concert-style performance. The show, which first premiered in 1991, is popular among theater enthusiasts despite a lack of commercial success after plans to take the production to Broadway were scrapped. The story is based on the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament with Act 1 telling the story of God, who is called “Father” in the show, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. Act 2 portrays the story of Noah and the great flood.
“I believe he’s called ‘Father’ in this script because this is a point of view of looking at this deity as a parental figure, first and foremost, not just as this omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent being,” mused Travis Dean Wilson, the actor portraying God. “This is also, first and foremost, a parent.”
At the core of this story are themes which every audience can relate to, including generational suffering, loss, family dynamics, consequences of the choices we make and, probably the most important theme, redemption.
“It’s a very important show to see because it is not a simple retelling of the Book of Genesis. It is not just a reiteration of biblical stories,” Wilson elaborated. “It is an excellent observance of what familial relationships look like, how they intertwine, what is healthy or unhealthy, and how you carry on with your life, knowing the ancestors you had and what you came from. Are you supposed to carry it with you your whole life? Do you let that define you?”
Along with 60 members of the Aspen Choral Society, performers stepping into lead roles include Micha Schoepe — who is also serving alongside his husband, Paul Dankers, in a directorial capacity — portraying Adam/Noah, Katie Hone Wiltgen as Eve/Aysha, Maureen Jackson as Momma/Snake, Claire Svedberg as Cain/Japheth, Dean Gautreau as Able/Ham/Snake, Darrell Smith as Seth/Snake/Shem, Beth Noble as Aphra/Snake, Erin Riccio as Yonah/Snake, Kurt Wiltgen as Young Cain and Holmes Hinkle as Young Able.
Dankers expressed great vulnerability and excitement while discussing this production with The Sopris Sun. He has carried a deep appreciation for the material for roughly three decades and is looking forward to bringing it to the Valley in this way.
“I had wanted to see a production of it here in the Valley, but it hadn’t materialized. I don’t have any control over any of the theater groups, so I thought, ‘Well, let’s just do a concert version of it with Aspen Choral Society rather than a fully-staged version,’” Dankers said.
He continued, “The music and the story are so powerful that I believe the story carries even without all the set and the costumes. You pull it all away, and the story telling itself is just incredibly powerful.”
Dankers described how the retelling of myths, when done well, can help audiences see their own humanity and learn from the raw and poetic portrayal of universal themes.
“I think that was the original intent of myths as they were invented: to tell the human story in a resonant and truthful way,” Dankers said. “Myths often showcase our raw, darker sides and the bad choices we make and the consequences of those choices. This show in particular hits on how it can happen.”
His sentiments were echoed by Schoepe, who said this production brings a level of humanity to the biblical figures it presents by drawing out human experiences like grief, loss, parenthood and rebellion.
“I think everyone will take something different from this show since there are so many big, universal themes hidden in it,” Schoepe explained. “I think one person will be deeply touched by one moment, while another person will resonate with the next. I think everyone will find moments where they’re reminded of experiences they’ve had and choices they’ve had to to make. I hope it will reach people on a deep level, and maybe allow for some resolution.”
Performance dates are: Friday, March 21 at Glenwood Springs High School; Saturday, March 22 at the Wheeler Opera House; Sunday, March 23 at Basalt Middle School. All performances are at 7pm. For more information, visit www.aspenchoralsociety.org