APRIL 4 • 2024 | 55
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ARTS&LIFE
THEATER
C
hildren of Eden, a musical
production that goes over
stories of biblical families,
has two members of a modern
family in the cast.
The production, presented now
through April 21 by Stagecrafters
in Royal Oak, spotlights a brother
and sister from the Bigelman
family of Bloomfield Hills.
Both attend Hillel Day School,
are members of Temple Israel
and have a special interest in
supporting theater.
Ari Bigelman, 14 and interested
in theater since he was 5, has
appeared in many plays and
has been in the audience of
productions staged around Detroit and
New York. Among the plays casting him
have been A Christmas Carol at Meadow
Brook Theatre and Picnic at the Berman
Center for the Performing Arts.
Amelia Bigelman, 11, has attended
professional theater productions around
Detroit, watched her brother have fun
with his appearances and decided to try
out to be a performing member of this
play with music and lyrics by Stephen
Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin and Godspell)
and book by John Caird.
Brother and sister are both having a
good time as they rehearse and tighten
up their school and activity
schedules. Their roles are part of
telling the stories — musically —
of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel
and Noah’s flood responsibilities.
The many songs include “Father’s
Day,” “The Mark of Cain” and
“The Flood.”
“I play Seth, the third child of
Adam and Eve,” Ari explained. “I
play a role in the transition from
Adam and Eve to generations
to come. I love the music, and I
appreciate the spiritual nature of
the role. It’s nice appearing with
my sister and being able to guide
her a little bit.”
The cast of 39, chosen from
auditions of about 80 people, were
selected by director Erica Valimont,
who has a special interest in this show
because it was the first musical she
appeared in while attending Stevenson
High School in Sterling Heights.
“I have a special connection to this
continued on page 57
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Hillel students have roles in
Stagecrafters’ Children of Eden.
Brother and Sister
Team Up on Stage
Ari and Amelia
Bigelman
A scene from the
production of
Children of Eden