Southwestern College is currently rehearsing for its performance of “Children of Eden” as its spring musical to be performed in Richardson Performing Arts Center Thursday through Sunday, April 12-15, with show times at 7:30 p.m. on April 12-14 and 2 p.m. on April 15.  The show will be performed as an optional dinner theatre, and ticket options for show only or shows with dinner are available.
 
“Children of Eden” is a two-act musical play with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, writer of Broadway hits such as “Wicked,” “Godspell,” and “Pippin,” and book by John Caird. The musical is based on the Biblical book of Genesis. Act I tells the story of Father (Matt Berthot), Adam (Justin Tinker) and Eve (Arden Moon), Cain (Chris Cole), and Abel (Christian Pressley), and Act II deals with Noah and the Flood.

In addition to playing Adam and Eve, Moon and Tinker also play the roles of Noah and Mama in Act II. Other main roles of the show include the characters of Yonah (Julz Faust) and Japeth (Shane Clark).

Other characters include Erin Buster as the Tribal Elder; Ronan McStravick as Ham; Joe Tran as Shem; Stephanie Wheeler as Aysha; Lauren Dentscheff as Aphra; and Nikia Smith, Katy Buffum, Lauren Dentscheff, Shane Clark, Joe Tran, and Christian Pressley combining to play the role of the Snake. In addition to these roles, all actors (except Tinker, Berthot, Buster, and Moon) are Storytellers. Danielle Morford and Syliva Chen are also Storytellers.

“Children of Eden” will also feature youth actors to play the roles of the younger versions of Cain and Abel, played by Gabriel Dos Santos and Luke Smith, and Bella Wood as a Dove. Other child actors include Lacie Wallace, Payten Humphreys, Klara Flom, Isabella Stewart, Nate Lee, Mia Pentz, and Allie Lawrence.

Dinner times are 6 p.m. on April 12-14 and 12:30 p.m. on April 15 and will be held in the Helen Graham Little Theater. Tickets for dinner and show are $25 for adults, $23 for seniors, $20 for students, and $18 for youth. Show-only tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth.