Stagecrafters in Royal Oak is gearing up to present the musical masterpiece “Children of Eden,” a production that revolves around the themes of family, love and forgiveness.
The show, taking place March 29 to April 21 at The Baldwin Theatre, is open to all ages.
First-time director Erica Valimont said she’s thrilled to be making her directorial debut with “Children of Eden.” The show features a score and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, who wrote “Wicked,” “Pippin,” “Godspell” and more.
“I’m honestly most excited for opening night so that everyone can see how truly amazing each and every person in this cast is and all the hard work they have put in!” Valimont, 38 of Warren, says. “Every rehearsal, the show gets better and better, and I just can’t wait to share it.”
Valimont says her mom introduced her and her sister to theater at a young age.
“She took us to see ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ and ‘Phantom of the Opera.’ I immediately became obsessed with the music for both shows, and they will always hold a special place for me,” she says. “I always loved to sing but didn’t actually join theatre until my sophomore year of high school. My first show ever was, believe it or not, ‘Children of Eden,’ so this is a full-circle moment for me to direct it. I love the feeling of being on stage, singing, dancing and sharing important stories with the audience.”
This is a unique show, in that it retells the Biblical stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah’s Ark with a theme rooted in the importance of family.
“While this story is based on the first nine and a half chapters of the Book of Genesis, the beautiful thing about it is that you don’t have to be religious at all to appreciate it and connect with the themes,” she says. “I think the fact that we are opening on Easter weekend is also special. We have some church groups coming, but also people who are not religious at all. The themes are universal and the messages the show shares are relevant to every person, no matter your religious beliefs. In a way, this show humanizes religion a bit, and I hope everyone leaves feeling uplifted.”
Even though Valimont is just now directing her first show at Stagecrafters, she’s been with the theater company since 2019.
“I immediately fell in love with the historic Baldwin Theatre,” she says. “The people are truly some of the best. The amount of time and effort and dedication the volunteers give to the organization constantly blows my mind. There have been volunteers around the clock helping to put together my vision and I am forever grateful. Stagecrafters is a place I like to call my second home and I am forever grateful I found this second family.”
Find tickets and more information at stagecrafters.org.
