Astoria Performing Arts Center is pleased to announce their production of the Stephen Schwartz musical Children of Eden, choreography by Christine O'Grady, musical direction by Lilli Wosk, and directed by Tom Wojtunik. Children of Eden will play a 3-week limited engagement at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church (30-44 Crescent St, Astoria, NY 11102. Entrance on 30th Road.) Performances begin Thursday, May 6 and continue through Saturday, May 22. Opening Night is Saturday, May 8 (8 p.m.).
Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and John Caird's (Les Miserables) Children of Eden is an inspirational musical about forgiveness. Loosely based on the story of Genesis, this frank, heartfelt, and often humorous examination of the timeless conflict between parents and children has been presented across the world since its London premiere in 1991. At the Astoria Performing Arts Center the act of telling this grand and epic story will be accomplished with a sense of theatrical wonder, creativity and innovation that will capture the imagination of audiences of all ages.
James Zannelli* (Bryan Putnam's The Toymaker in the 2009 NYMF) as Father, Joseph Spieldenner* as Adam/Noah, Emmy Raver-Lampman as Eve/Mama Noah, Alan Shaw* (Huck Finn in Big River at The Arvada Center) as Cain/Japheth, Stephen Gelpi* (Shafrika The White Girl at the Vineyard Theatre, The Mission at the The Producer's Club) as Abel/Ham/Snake, Jonathan Gregg* as Seth/Shem/Snake, Charissa Bertels* as Aphra/Snake, Kelly Scanlon* as Aysha/Snake, Stacie Bono* (Evelyn Nesbit in APAC's Ragtime) as Yonah/Snake and Zekari Jackson (APAC's Ragtime) as Young Abel.
The production features set design by IT Award recipient for outstanding set design for APAC's Ragtime, Michael P. Kramer, costume/puppet design by Hunter Kaczorowski, and lighting design Dan Jobbins. Kate Foretek is the sound designer, Nicole Gaignat is the props designer, Rebecca Lewis-Whitson is the assistant director and Michelle McDaniel is the stage manager.
Children of Eden plays the following regular schedule through Saturday, May 22:
Thursdays at 8 p.m.
Fridays at 8 p.m.
Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Tickets are $18, available online at www.apacny.org or by calling 866-811-4111. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the Theatre Box Office, 30 minutes prior to the performance.
Directions to the theatre: Take the N or W Subway to 30th Avenue. Walk down 30th Ave. to Crescent St. (Mount Sinai Hospital is on the corner.) Walk one block South to 30th Road.
Running Time: 150 minutes
Website: www.apacny.org
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BIOGRAPHIES
John Caird (book) is a freelance director and writer working in theatre, musical theatre and opera. Many of his recent productions have been for the National Theatre in London including Hamlet with Simon Russell Beale, Bulwer-Lytton's Money, his own new versions of Bernstein's Candide and Barrie's Peter Pan, Trelawny of the Wells, The Seagull, Stanley by Pam Gems and Humbleboy by Charlotte Jones.
He is an Honorary Associate Director of the RSC, where he has directed over twenty plays including classic works by Shakespeare, Shaw, Farquhar, Gorky, Strindberg, Brecht and Ben Jonson, and new plays by Peter Flannery, Pam Gems, Jonathan Gems, John Berger and Nella Bielski, Richard Nelson, David Edgar, Mary O'Malley and Charles Wood. His productions of Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby, both with Trevor Nunn, have won numerous awards around the world.
