REVIEW Production of 'Eden' is heaven-sent

'Children of Eden' was very well done, both vocally and dramatically.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CHAMPION -- Delightful. Touching. Fun. Funny. Heart-rending. Cute.
Those are adjectives not usually associated with the creation and the flood. You know, the big ones in the Bible.
But the musical "Children of Eden," Kent State University Trumbull Theatre's final Summer Stock 2004 production, which opened Friday, was all of those ... and more.
"Children of Eden," with a cast, seemingly of Biblical proportions, that ranges from very young children, a couple of whom were trying to stifle yawns at the end of the three-hour show, to teenagers, to 20- and 30- somethings, to the more mature, was very well done, both vocally and dramatically.
Troy Ayers of Salem, a baritone/tenor who plays "Father," showed wonderful vocal focus and control.
"The Hardest Part of Love," Father's duet with Noah about parents letting children go was one of the highlights of the show.
Other singers
The second tier of singers -- Noah, Frank McCauley of Youngstown; Adam, Kyle Merrit of Howland; Eve, Shaina Vencel of Cortland; Cain, Jason A. Green of Salem; Abel, Jonathan Mercer of Cortland; Mama Noah, Connie Cassidy of Liberty; Yonah, Alex May of Cortland; Japheth, Thomas Mastroianni of Champion; Ham, Brent Whetstone of Warren; Aphra, Stephanie DeChant of Girard; Shem, Mike Young of Cortland; and Aysha, Erica Poff of Warren -- were all skillful and convincing.
Of particular note were a dying Eve's heartbreaking end to Act One with the title song, when she says goodbye to her descendants; Cain's impassioned "Lost in the Wilderness," just before his frightening and convincing fight with Adam that ends with Abel's death; and "A World Without You," sung by Adam, Eve and Father.
Mama Noah's rendition of the gospel-style "Ain't It Good?" with the entire ensemble was a show stopper.
"Children of Eden" tells the story of the Garden of Eden in the first act and the story of Noah and the Ark in the second act.
The cute part of the production was the animals played by the children. They were clearly having a good time, and the feeling transferred to the audience.
The only notable weakness in the production, directed by Tom Hitmar, was that some of the singing was so soft, and/or directed away from or toward one part of the audience, that it was sometimes difficult to hear. The musical director is Jason M. Fair.
Other members of the cast include: Brian Gillespie, Bil Hrusovsky, Angela Elston, Alyssa Connelly, Lori Freede, Emily Schrader, Makayla Robinson, Jenny Bitner, Jeff Butts, Jason Connelly, Erica Garfield, Hannah Gillespie, Rachel Hurd, Shel Jamison, Dave Lynn, Annie Miller, Kadie Morelli, Chris Rapinz, Joe Asente, Leah Bitner, Elizabeth Elston, Aaron Fall, Makenzie James, Andy Malys, Ali Osimek, Natalie Rink, Katie Schrader, Melissa Wasser and Hannah Waterman.
alcorn@vindy.com