Posted: 10/19/15 at 5:34pm
It is a brilliant show and with the right director they could make it a beautiful production. Also been Cain and Eve is could be a really create Broadway stars.
Posted: 10/19/15 at 5:57pm
It's a rather uneven show. The highlights are high, but the book portions rarely work, the central "parable" of Japheth being the villainous son in the face of the rude and almost sociopathic Ham and Shem is uneven, and the songs that aren't highlights are awkward, ungainly and sound like early drafts of "Wicked."
The show could use a second polish, but it's not necessarily a complete travesty.
Posted: 10/19/15 at 6:04pm
I agree with the previous poster. It's a bit messy and the orchestrations probably need to be updated. I could at the same time see this being brought back. Alfie Boe as Father is something that is bound to happen.
Posted: 10/19/15 at 6:11pm
Ugh. A bit messy is a bit of an understatement.
Posted: 10/19/15 at 7:56pm
I've seen several college productions and think that is where the show really belongs. It has a large cast and can be divided even further to really give a number of students a chance to shine. The score has a few highlights that you can have on hand in your book for when a casting director wants to hear something with some range (especially for tenors). And I agree with the other posters who have stated that the book is a very weak point, and would need such an extreme overhaul to make it work that you might as well just start over completely and write a new show.
Posted: 10/19/15 at 7:57pm
Ugh. I sat through the first act of a college production. That was enough for me.
Posted: 10/19/15 at 9:07pm
The big numbers, "Let There Be", "Children of Eden", "Generations", "In the Beginning" are the four best songs that Stephen Schwartz ever wrote. The message is simple and earnest, but unfortunately the dialogue itself is difficult to listen to. John Caird apparently has never heard of the show don't tell rule. With proper book revisions and getting rid of some of the weaker songs you could have a lovely night of theatre. Unfortunately it will most likely never reach Broadway because of the massive cast requirements if you want the show to be any good at all.
Posted: 10/20/15 at 10:39am
I find the show to be incredible but I believe that the time for the big bombastic musical is going away now and something like COE, may suffer.
Posted: 10/20/15 at 10:54am
Like Honk!, the show only works as a cute student-or-community theater piece. Both pieces lack focus and sophistication (in the definition of being highly developed within the context of the form).
Posted: 10/20/15 at 11:15am
Because despite having some good songs, the piece is a mess. Sad, but true. It doesn't tour well either. Trust me.
Posted: 10/20/15 at 12:35pm
The original was bloated, the American version is better but still scattered.
While I have come to love the score personally, the music is mediocre (the Jersey rewrites help).
Posted: 10/20/15 at 1:50pm
Add to the fantastic songs from this show list
stranger to the rain
lost in the wilderness
the hardest part of love
Have never seen the show live but with this many great songs and the relatable themes.
a good rewrite could result in a very good musical
Come to think of it, has there ever been a really successful musical based on the old testament or old testament themes and characters???
very grateful to the papermill playhouse for FINALLY recording and releasing a complete soundtrack of this
show.
PS God must be cracking up at this thread about the musical based on the old testament
"Some great songs, but the book REALLY needs a lot of work..."
as Lewis Black the comedian said, the old testament God was "kind of a dick....."
Posted: 10/20/15 at 1:55pm
In Whatever Time We Have and The Dove Song are both really beautiful songs.
Frances Rufelle's versions on the OLC recording are 2 of my favorite Schwartz moments.
Posted: 10/20/15 at 2:11pm
Where can I find tracks from the OLC? I've only ever heard the Papermill recording.
