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Children Of Eden - 1998 New Jersey CastBuy Children Of Eden - (Cast album 1998)

Children of Eden Recordings Compact Disc icon

Children of Eden Cast Albums - Music CDs

Children of Eden - Complete Album
American Premiere Recording, RCA, 1998 (37 tracks, 2 CD Set) Buy Children Of Eden - 1998 New Jersey Cast - [new browser window]
Children of Eden - Highlights

Children Of Eden: Highlights (1998 New Jersey Cast)

American Premiere Recording, RCA, Highlights, 1998 (21 tracks)
 
  • Let There Be, The Naming, Father's Day, The Spark Of Creation, In Pursuit Of Excellence, A World Without You, The Expulsion, The Wasteland, Lost In The Wilderness, Close To Home, The Mark Of Cain, Children Of Eden, Generations, A Piece Of Eight, The Return Of The Animals, Stranger To The Rain, In Whatever Time We Have, The Flood, The Hardest Part Of Love, Ain't It Good?, In The Beginning

"Hardest Part of Love" - Hear Stephen Schwartz, Children of Eden's composer-lyricist, sing this song on his album Reluctant Pilgrim. Reluctant Pilgrim at CDBaby - Buy it or hear long audio clip OR BUY Reluctant Pilgrim- Amazon.com

Children of Eden Downloads

Children of Eden at iTunes Children of Eden

iTunes requres iTunes software to be installed on your computer before your browser can access the song lists on the iTunes site. If you do not have iTunes installed on your computer you need to download and install this software first. Go to iTunes software download page and then return here for correct link for Children of Eden. (Itunes page says the artist is Danny Kosarin. He was the music director. Schwartz was the composer.)

Children of Eden songs on other albumsCompact Disc icon

Children of Eden - London version

"World Without You"

  • John Barr - A Small Affair - (Dress Circle, 1998) available in US and UK.

Children of Eden - US version

"Hardest Part of Love"

"In Whatever Time We Have"

"Spark of Creation"

"Stranger to the Rain"

Children of Eden Sheet Music Children of Eden the Musical Sheet Music

Downloadable Sheet Music

Link to Musicnotes.com where, after downloading free software, you can preview and order Children of Eden songs (or buy the printed version)

Printed Vocal Selections

Buy Children of Eden Vocal Selections. [new browser window]

Vocal Selections from Children of Eden - Warner Bros. Publications includes Ain't It Good * Children of Eden * Close to Home * The Hardest Part of Love * In the Beginning * In Pursuit of Excellence * In Whatever Time We Have * Lost in the Wilderness * Spark of Creation * Stranger to the Rain * Wasteland * A World Without You.

Also available from Sheet Music Plus. Find over sixty Schwartz songs or songbooks at Sheet Music Plus [new browser window] (opens new browser window)

BroadwayNewYork.com - Shop here for all things Broadway & New York - Enter "Children of Eden" for the vocal selections and CD combination

The Smash Broadway Collection: 100 Great... [new browser window] . 100 Great Songs of the Century includes "In Whatever Time We Have," "Beautiful City," and "Corner of the Sky," from Schwartz and 97 other Broadway greats. 436 pages, 40 different musicals.

Attention choir directors or choir members: Visit our Choral Music from Stephen Schwartz Musicals page for more options.

EUROPE: Children of Eden - Amazon.com UK

Children of Eden Overview and Summary

Music Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Book by John Caird. SEE ALSO: Children of Eden Synopsis (Plot summary), Song list with Characters, Vocal ranges

Children of Eden is perhaps the least describable Schwartz musical because it holds meaning on so many levels. The excuse for the story is Genesis--both the first books and the story of Noah's ark. But audiences immediately experience that the relationships between Father, Adam, and Eve has more to do with earthly families, their immediate challenges and their generational legacies.

This show is now in the top 20 of musicals most frequently licensed by Music Theatre International, which is unusual for a show that never played on Broadway. It's popularity has spread by word of mouth. The score is a favorite of many Schwartz fans and includes a vast range of styles beyond "typical" broadway. The love song "In Whatever Time We Have" is thought to be the most popular Schwartz song performed at weddings.

Children of Eden can be breathtaking if done well, and delightful in any case. Be sure to check the show schedules link to see a show in your area.--Carol de Giere

SEE ALSO: Children of Eden Synopsis (Plot summary), Song list with Characters, Vocal ranges

(Logo is copyrighted by Music Theatre International. All rights reserved. It is used here with permission. MTIShows.com)

Children of Eden on Broadway

Children of Eden may be headed for Broadway in the 2008 - 2009 season. Stephen Schwartz participated in a backer's audition in August of 2007. According to a news report, the production is set to be a family affair, with Scott Schwartz— Stephen's son, a respected New York and regional director — slated to stage the musical. (Schwartz and Schwartz are currently working together as a composer/director team for an opera.)

An early version of Children of Eden opened on London's West End in early 1991. Stephen Schwartz and John Caird substantially revised the work when it came to America, and then Music Theatre International made it available for licensing.

In 2004 Schwartz answered a frequently asked question about Children of Eden on Broadway. He said, "I would love to see a Broadway production of Children of Eden. But because of the cast size requirements (a choir of Storytellers, a chorus of children to be the Animals, etc.), it would be necessary to obtain concessions from Equity and perhaps other unions to make it economically feasible. This would, obviously, be difficult, and thus far no producer has emerged who is willing to try to accomplish the negotiations."

The casting of the forthcoming venture is not yet known, or whether or not Schwartz and Caird will change the requirements. Erik Orton, of O Productions, is lead producer with Alan Wasser Associates serving as general management for the production. Orton and producing partner Karen Walter Goodwin embark on familiar Biblical territory with Children of Eden; they produced the 2005 Off-Broadway production of The Ark, about Noah, his family and the famous flood.

Children of Eden is Stephen Schwartz's favorite of his own shows. He wrote, in answer to a question, "I think the work of which I am most proud is Children of Eden, for several reasons. To begin with, I think it’s my best score musically. It also contains the song that is maybe my personal favorite of my songs from a purely visceral point of view, “Stranger to the Rain”, a song that embodies how I feel about parenting (which is very important to me), “The Hardest Part of Love”, and above all, the song that most most espouses my philosophy of life and which, if I had one song to be remembered by, is the one I would choose: “In the Beginning”. There are more of the themes that I return to over and over – personal responsibility, rebellion, intellectual independence, as well as overcoming family dysfunctions -- in this work than in any of my other shows. And I am proud of the fact that I kept working on the show after its initial failure in its London premiere, so that it has become a viable and often performed piece that I know will live on after I’m gone."

Children of Eden Costume and Set rental

Paper Mill Playhouse. www.papermill.org/about/rental.php

Fullerton Civic Light Opera rents out Children of Eden sets and costumes. Photos can be viewed on their Web site www.fclo.com where you can also find their contact information. Or you may write to rentfclo@aol.com

Seaside Music Theater of Florida also rents Children of Eden costumes. Seaside Music Theatre costume rental

The animal masks that were designed for the Cranford Dramatic Club's 2006 production of "Children of Eden" are available to rent. There are many different animals available. Some are worn over the face and some are worn on top of the head. The masks are sort of constructed in the style of "The Lion King." Please contact: Cranford Dramatic Club, 78 Winans Ave, Cranford NJ 07016
info@cdctheatre.org or 908-276-7611

Set for Children of Eden: Music Theatre of Witchita

Children of Eden photos, lyrics, summary, and more camera icon

LYRICS: Children of Eden songs with lyrics for "In Whatever Time We Have" and "Stranger to the Rain"

Children of Eden plot summary - Synopsis, Song list, Vocal ranges

Photographer Paul Pederson contributed dramatic photos from one of the largest productions of Children of Eden, a Canadian show from Theatre Outreach on Stage.

A Children of Eden high school production in Michigan with rented costumes

The director and choreographer for Seacoast Repertory Theatre's production of Children of Eden production offers his thoughtful perspective on the musical and Stephen Schwartz's career. Colorful photos show off this production's professionalism and fun.
Seacoast's Children of Eden

Don't miss these precious photos from an Austrian performance of Children of Eden.
Austrian Children of Eden

Striking photos of Children of Eden at Stage by Stage at Exeter in Devon, England.

Gail's Page on being a new fan and Children of Eden-related fun
Gail's Page: Learned All From Noah

To contribute material, a page or a link write to: carol@musicalschwartz.com

Links to Relevant Websites

SHOP: BEST SOURCE for Broadway Posters and Poster Frames, Broadway Souvenirs, CDs, etc. MusicalEverything.com - Shop here for all things Broadway & New York - Enter "Children of Eden" for the vocal selections and CD combination

The Hardest Part of Love - a new picture book for children.

From the publisher: "This new book, an adaptation of Stephen Schwartz's eloquent and affecting song, "The Hardest Part of Love" from the widely popular staged musical CHILDREN OF EDEN and his RELUCTANT PILGRIM CD, will pull at the heartstrings of all parents and elate Stephen Schwartz fans with its beautiful, sophisticated pictures and enclosed CD featuring the songwriter himself." Available at: http://www.stillsonstudio.net/

The songs have been used for weddings and to meet inspirational needs. See special occasions recordings page for stories.

Photos from St. Louis: Shooting Star Productions - Children of Eden

Photos from a New Hampshire production with cute animal costumes, etc.

A Michigan production site - has costume design drawings and link to slide show. http://www.music.umich.edu

Photos for a Children of Eden in Tennessee

Click on Children of Eden on this site to find several features including detailed notes on a 1988 Children of Eden production in UK.
UK site

Linda Eisenstein interview of Stephen Schwartz includes valuble information about Children of Eden.
Interview

A site with pretty photos. www.nettell.com/child.html

Note Special effects: Father standing behind a gauze which has rain projected onto it with Noah standing in front. Says the producer Craig James, "It looked very effective and gave the impression of God being in the distance looking on. It was used in this instance for the musical number 'The Hardest Part of Love'"
Blaenau Gwent Young Stars

www.childrenofeden.co.uk - show in 2006

Click on the apples for study questions, etc

Children of Eden discussion forum and show schedule

See www.stephenschwartz.com forum for general discussion. Many people ask Children of Eden production questions on this forum.

See StephenSchwartz.com show schedule for a list of productions of Schwartz musicals around North America.

MESSAGE TO PERFORMERS: If you create a Children of Eden site for your show, please let me know so we can exchange links. Write carol@musicalschwartz.com with Link Exchange in the subject heading.

Licensing Children of Eden for performance

Music Theatre International provides a detailed description and ordering information. For Children of Eden licensing - MTIShows.com

Orff Instruments

What Stephen Schwartz says about using them: During "The Naming", some of the Storytellers (those who can) play little xylophones and percussion instruments known as Orff instruments (because they were invented for use by schoolchildren by Carl Orff, the composer of "Carmina Burana"). Also during "The Return" and, in some productions, "The Flood." In some productions, some of the Storytellers play guitars for "The Wasteland", and of course, percussion instruments for "Generations". And in all productions, they should reprise the sounds they make during the Cain/Abel fight when the same scene reoccurs with Japheth and Ham.

To buy Orff instruments: search for Orff -- Come Shop at the World's Largest Music Gear Company!