Children of Eden -

Synopsis, Songs, &

Characters​d

Plot Summary - Synopsis

DETAILED PLOT SYNOPSIS for the American version of Children of Eden.
By Carol de Giere
Note - This summary includes spoilers so if you want to see the show before reading what happens, don't
read this.
ACT ONE: The story of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel.
A chorus of Storytellers describes the beginning of the world. Father (God is always called Father in this
show to emphasize the parallel with earthly fathers) comes on and declares, "Let there be…." He builds
the world based on his dream. He creates Adam and Eve and gives them a perfect place to live in the
Garden of Eden.
The character Eve is like any modern restless and curious child who asks many questions, among them,
what's that glowing tree on top of the hill? Father tells them about the tree of knowledge from which they
must never eat the fruit. To divert their attention, Father asks Adam and Eve to name the animals. With
the help of the Storytellers pretending to be animals, Adam, Eve, and Father name them. Exhausted
afterwards, they sleep.
In "Father's Day," Father sings of his contentment as a father who has a universe to pass along to his
children.
One day, Eve goes up to the tree of knowledge and it enchants her. She sings, "The Spark of Creation,"
about the fire of creativity and exploration in her blood. In the song, "In Pursuit of Excellence," a Snake
convinces Eve to pursue knowledge and eat the fruit of the tree.
Eve offers Adam some apple juice, which ultimately leads Father to exile Eve. Adam has to choose
between staying in the Garden or departing with Eve, a conflict covered in "A World Without You."
As time passes after they are expelled, the Storytellers sing about Adam and Eve's desolate new
environment in "The Wasteland." Eve gives birth to two sons, Cain and Abel. As the boys grow up, their
behavior echoes that of their parents: Cain becomes more curious about the world while Abel remains
obedient to Adam.
In the song "Lost in the Wilderness," Cain tries to convince Abel not to accept the status quo of their lives
and to join him on a quest to make a life somewhere else. When Father comes upon the two brothers,
Cain declares he will find his own destiny and storms off. When Adam learns that Cain is gone, he curses
him. Then remembering his boys when they were younger, he joins Eve and Abel in singing about the
benefits of their home life and homespun material goods in "Close to Home."
Cain returns and describes what he has found, "A Ring Of Stones." This proves they are not the only
people in the world. Cain, wanting to be a part of a larger family and begins to leave, but Adam blocks his
way, wanting to prevent change and possible danger. Even though Cain's resentment is directed to Adam,
when Abel tries to hold him back, Cain kills him with a rock in the scuffle.
Cain runs. Father appears before him, marks Cain's forehead, and curses him and all his children in the
song, "The Mark of Cain."
The first act ends several decades later. By then Eve is ah elderly widow, ready to pass on. She gathers
her grandchildren together, born from her third son, Seth. During the song, "Children of Eden," Eve
momentarily communicates with Father, and sings of returning home to Paradise. She asks her family "not
to blame us, we were just human," referring to her act of leaving the Garden with Adam, and the influence
of one generation's experience on their descendents.
ACT TWO: The story of Noah and the flood.
Act II begins in light, a thousand years after Act One. Storytellers sing about who begat whom in
"Generations." They trace the line of Adam to Noah and his three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Father wants Noah to quickly finish building the ark, so he can flood the world and destroy the race of
Cain. Due to the forthcoming flood, youngest son Japheth is on a deadline to find a partner to bring on the
arc to be saved. Japheth doesn't want his father to choose for him, and announces he will bring his own
future bride to dinner. Noah and the family eagerly prepare for this in the song, "A Piece of Eight."
Japheth tries to bring his true love Yonah, the servant girl, to the table. But she bears the mark of Cain
and this causes a furor. Japheth storms off just as animals start appearing on their way to the ark. Noah
and his family try to organize the animals, but more and more keep coming on during the dance, "The
Return of the Animals."
After everyone is onboard the ark, Noah sees Yonah standing alone and apologizes that he can not take
her with him.
Left alone, Yonah sings "Stranger To The Rain" sharing how she is accustomed to being ostracized. But
Japeth insists he will hide her in the ark. They sing, "In Whatever Time We Have," at this dramatic
moment when they don't know how long either of them will live.
The rain comes and floods the land. But after forty days and forty nights downpour still continues, creating
a life-threatening situation because of food shortage. Yonah worries that she is the reason the rains have
not stopped. She sends a dove to find land during the song, "Sailor Of The Skies." Shem and Ham find
Yonah and there is a scuffle between Japeth and Ham, reflecting the Adam and Cain struggle of Act I. This
time, Yonah stands in the way and blocks a murder.
"Mama Noah," Noah's wife, speaks privately to her husband who reveals that Father no longer
communicates with him anyway. Mama Noah suggests he must be the father now and make his choices
from within himself. Alone, Noah reflects on his own choices in the song, "The Hardest Part of Love." At a
distance, Father too can be seen reflecting on his need to let go and let his progeny choose their destiny.
Noah calls the clan together to perform a ceremony. For a moment, no one but him knows if he is gong to
throw Japheth and Yonah overboard or bless their union. He makes the more humane and compassionate
choice by marrying them.
The dove returns with an olive branch and in "Ain't It Good," Mama Noah, joined by everyone, celebrates
their new hope for dry land and new life.
When the ark lands, the three sons decide to travel in different directions with different animals. Japheth
announces that he and Yonah will search for Eden.
The musical ends with the song, "In The Beginning," exploring the challenges and blessing of free will.