An epic of biblical proportions

Published 2:00 pm Saturday, November 12, 2005

Bethany Lutheran Church stages the musical ‘Children of Eden.’

About every two years, Bethany Lutheran Church stages an outreach performance that’s only “slightly religious,” and fun.

This year, cast and crew are undertaking “Children of Eden,” the church’s most ambitious production to date.

“It has terrific music that is very eclectic,” said musical coordinator/organist Betsy Dunlap, incorporating “tribal sort of pieces, pop ballads, gospel and great complex choral pieces.”

“These are very sophisticated pieces,” she said, “but we have an unusually large number of good singers and good instrumentalists.”

Based on the Book of Genesis, the musical features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by John Caird.

It was first performed in London in 1991. Schwartz earned two Grammy awards for the music and new lyrics for “Godspell” and a pair of Academy Awards and a Grammy with composer Alan Menken for Disney’s “Pocahontas” – among many other awards.

Schwartz’s musical “Wicked,” which opened two years ago, is still playing on Broadway. Caird won Tony awards in collaboration with Trevor Nunn for Best Director (Play) for “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby” and as Best Director (Musical) for “Les Miserables.”

“Steven Schwartz’s range is just incredible. (“Children of Eden”) is a much later production than ‘Godspell,’” Dunlap said. “I think it’s one of the best he’s done.”

Bethany Lutheran’s cast is performing the second act of the musical, which tells the story of Noah’s Ark.

It offers parallel stories of Noah dealing with his disobedient son and God’s anger toward his children. In addition, there’s the love story between Noah’s youngest son, Japheth, and an outcast daughter of the family of Cain.

“The picture you see of God is very human and shows his disappointment. At the end he realizes he has to let go,” Dunlap said.

The cast includes veterans of Bainbridge Performing Arts productions and non-church members, including Mark Byl, Tim Tully (also a co-director), Tanya Roe, Tim Glynn, Wayne Daley, Steve Stenberg, Michelle Lorenz, Colleen Chupik and Eden Nordby.

The other musical directors are Shirley Jenkins and Sylvia Cauter. Adam Lucke designed the sets and Mary Jensen handled the choreography.

“I am impressed with (the production) and challenged at the same time,” Dunlap said. “This is quite an undertaking for a church to do.”

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Ark de triumph

Performances of “Children of Eden” will be at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 18-19 and at 3 p.m. Nov. 20 at Bethany Lutheran Church. The Nov. 18 show is a pay-what-you-can event. A dinner/show package is available for $25 per person on Nov. 19. Reservations are required for the dinner and must be made by Nov. 13. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets for the other performances are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and $25 per family at the door. The church is located at 7968 Finch Road. For more information and reservations call 842-4241 or 842-9551.