CHILDREN OF EDEN Opens 2/15 at Contra Costa Civic Theatre

Children of Eden, written by the creators of Wicked, Godspell, and Les Miserables, opens at the Contra Costa Civic Theatre (CCCT) in El Cerrito on Friday, February 15. Director Stewart Lyle, in his CCCT debut, helms this joyous retelling of beloved stories from the book of Genesis with music direction by Michael Wiles and choreography by Rick Wallace.

Based on the familiar Bible stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah's ark, Children of Eden uses music and dance to draw parallels between Biblical relationships and the today's families, their immediate challenges, and their generational legacies. These are not the biblical stories you may have learned in Sunday school, but rather explorations of other aspects of those stories; stories about how to live, which are still relevant today. Children of Eden is a celebration the whole family can enjoy.

Stewart Lyle is an active contributor to Bay Area community theatre. He directed the region's only theatre-in-the-round production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and, in his production of Man of La Mancha, the audience was right there in the dungeon with the characters-so much so that theatre-goers were startled when the inquisition barged in. Lyle was drawn to Children of Eden by its stories of parents and children, the expectations they place on each other, and what happens when things don't turn out as expected.

Children of Eden runs February 15 through March 10; Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sunday matinées at 2pm, and Thursdays at 8pm on February 28 and March 7. Tickets are $27, $15 for ages 16 and under and may be purchased online at www.ccct.org or by phone at 510-524-9132. Contra Costa Civic Theatre is located at 951 Pomona Avenue (at Moeser Lane) in El Cerrito, with free parking in the adjoining lot. Group rate is available for parties of ten or larger.

Contra Costa Civic Theatre (CCCT), established in 1959 by Louis and Bettianne Flynn and a group of dedicated volunteers, is a non-profit community theatre with its permanent home in El Cerrito, CA. Our mission is to provide affordable, high quality entertainment to residents throughout the East Bay and provide training in performing arts for children and adults. We are proud to be an independent, self-sufficient organization presenting five Main Stage and thirteen youth productions annually in our intimate two-hundred seat theatre.