Virginia Musical Theatre to Stage CHILDREN OF EDEN, 2/28-3/2

Virginia Musical Theatre, the Commonwealth's professional musical theatre, announces a one-weekend engagement of Children of Eden by Stephen Schwartz and John Caird. Award-winning director Pierre-Jacques Brault returns for the first time since 2007 to direct and choreograph the family-friendly musical. Four performances are scheduled at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, Friday, Feb. 28 through Sunday, March 2. Tickets are on sale now.

Freely based on the early chapters of Genesis, Children of Eden intricately traces a path-from the family of Adam and Eve, all the way to the descendants of Noah. At the center of the story is the central theme of fatherhood, which is on display through the relationship that Adam and Eve have with Father, played by Troy Hedspeth, and the relationship that they have with their children. Those relationships are paralleled in the second act through Noah's family.

Brault is the Artistic Director of Mercury Summerstock, where he recently won the Cleveland News-Herald Theatre Award for Best Director of a Musical for his imaginative staging of Peter Pan.

Mack Shirilla, Huckleberry Finn in Casa Manana's Big River, is set to make his Virginia Musical Theatre debut as Cain/Japheth.

The cast of 49 singers, dancers and actors features Troy Hedspeth (Father), Brian Marshall (Adam/Noah), Caitlin Messer (Eve/Mama), Mack Shirilla (Cain/Japheth), Steven Moeslein (Abel/Ham), Matt McCubbin (Seth/Shem), Jennifer Myor (Yonah), Jennifer Hiemstra (Aphra), Tes Sabin (Aysha), and Jeff Warner (Snake). The creative team includes music direction by Bart Kuebler, set and costume design by Jeff Meredith, sound design by Steven Allegretto and light design by Brenda Veltre.

VMT's production of Children of Eden is presented in a limited engagement at Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, the state of the art 1,400-seat theatre in Virginia Beach. Performances are Friday, February 28 at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, March 1 at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday, March 2 at 2:00 p.m.

Discounted tickets for seniors, active military, AAA members, Virginia Beach Park & Recreation members, WHRO members, and students 18 and under are available by calling the VMT box office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., (757) 340-5446. To order tickets online, visit www.ynottix.com. For more information, visit www.broadwayatthecenter.com.

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