New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu


?>

 

Aspire Performing Arts Company Presents Children Of Eden

originally published: 01/07/2016


(WAYNE, NJ) -- On January 22 and 23, 2016, Aspire Performing Arts Company will present Children of Eden, by musical theater legend Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell). Children of Eden features children and teens ages 6 through 18 from Wayne and the surrounding areas.  Children of Eden is a joyous and inspirational musical about parents, children, and faith, not to mention centuries of unresolved family business. The show ultimately delivers a bittersweet but inspiring message: that "the hardest part of love... is letting go." The original production was produced here in New Jersey in 1997 at the Paper Mill Playhouse, starring Stephanie Mills and Adrian Zmed.

Stephen Schwartz is quoted as saying, "I think the work of which I am most proud is Children of Eden, for several reasons. To begin with, I think it's my best score musically. It also contains the song that is maybe my personal favorite of my songs from a purely visceral point of view, ‘Stranger to the Rain’; a song that embodies how I feel about parenting (which is very important to me), ‘The Hardest Part of Love’; and above all, the song that most espouses my philosophy of life and which, if I had one song to be remembered by, is the one I would choose: ‘In the Beginning.’"

Lisa Beth Vettoso, Aspire PAC’s Artistic Director, says “It has been a personal dream of mine to direct Children of Eden, and it has been on my ‘short list’ for about 10 years. What I love more than anything else about Children of Eden is how it speaks to the heart of what makes each of us human. And how, ultimately, we have free will, and with that comes the responsibility that we control our own actions and our own destiny - and what power and beauty lies in that. I am thrilled to give my actors the opportunity to share in a show that means so much to me, and provide them with a memorable experience to last a lifetime.”

Performances will take place on Friday, January 22 at 8:00pm and Saturday, January 23 at 3:00pm at Wayne Hills High School, located at 272 Berdan Avenue in Wayne, NJ. Children of Eden is directed by Lisa Beth Vettoso. Randi Seffinger serves as Associate Director and Rich Lovallo is Music Director.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.aspirepac.com.




Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info



Aspire Performing Arts was founded in January 2011 by Lisa Beth Vettoso. Ms. Vettoso has more than twenty years of experience in the performing arts and has been working with youth for more than a decade. Aspire Performing Arts Company’s mission is to provide educational workshops and full-length production opportunities for children and teens, offering them a professional arts experience in a friendly atmosphere. For more information on Aspire Performing Arts Company, please visit www.aspirepac.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aspirepac


FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


Vivid

Vivid Summer Solos: My Name is Lucy Barton

Wednesday, July 16, 2025 @ 6:30pm
Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
68 Elm Street, Summit, NJ 07901
category: theatre


 

The

The Mallard

Thursday, July 17, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
category: theatre


 

The

The MAC players at the Middletown Arts Center present "Hairspray"

Friday, July 18, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJ 07748
category: theatre


 

The

The Mallard

Friday, July 18, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Premiere Stages - Bauer Boucher Theatre Center
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
category: theatre


 

Good

Good Riddance; A Gnarly Murder Mystery Dinner, Dude!

Friday, July 18, 2025 @ 6:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ 07008
category: theatre


 



Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info





 

EVENT PREVIEWS

NJ

NJ Rep Presents the World Premiere of "How My Grandparents Fell In Love"

(LONG BRANCH, NJ) -- New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ Rep) presents the world premiere of How My Grandparents Fell in Love, a heartwarming and timely new musical by playwright Cary Gitter and composer Neil Berg, directed by NJ Rep Artistic Director SuzAnne Barabas. The production runs from July 17 through August 10, 2025.



Skyline

Skyline Arts and Art House Productions present "13 Jr., The Musical"

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Skyline Arts Summer Intensive Program (Grades 4-12) and Art House Productions present "13 Jr." The Musical from July 26-27, 2025. A true coming-of-age musical, 13 JR. is made especially for adolescents with a universal message about friendship and being true to yourself.



Levoy

Levoy Theatre presents "Hairspray, The Broadway Musical"

(MILLVILLE, NJ) -- The Levoy Theatre presents Hairspray, The Broadway Musical weekends from August 8-17, 2025. The musical takes place in Baltimore. It's 1962 and the lovable plus-size teen, Tracy Turnblad, has only one desire – to dance on the popular "Corny Collins Show."



Broadway

Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents "Legally Blonde, the Musical"

(PITMAN, NJ) -- The Broadway Theatre of Pitman is presenting Legally Blonde, The Musical from July 4-27, 2025. This is a fabulously fun award-winning musical based on the adored movie, the musical, follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams.



Wharton

Wharton Players to Hold Auditions for Beetlejuice JR.

(BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ) -- The Wharton Performing Arts School (PAS) will hold auditions for the upcoming Wharton Players production of Beetlejuice JR., a hilarious and heartwarming Broadway hit based on Tim Burton's beloved film. Auditions will be held on September 5-6, 2025 for students ages 8-15, with performances scheduled for December 5-7 in the Wharton Black Box Theater.