Stimulus Overkill High-Energy ëChildren of Edení Packs Too Much Punch by Lisa Troshinsky ìChildren of Eden,î currently at Fordís Theatre, canít quite decide what it is. Is it a play for adults or an overblown childrenís pageant? Is it religious or sacrilegious? Is it Cirque du Soleil or a musical? ìChildren of Edenî is a high-energy production based on the story of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, as well as Noah and his family. It explores age-old conflicts between parents and children and lessons learned as parents struggle to hold on to their growing children. Consciously, I suspect, Fordís Theatre chose to produce this play around Easter time. And although strict Bible enthusiasts might be comfortable with the playís hypothesis, they might also feel that how it got to its conclusion was sacrilegious. The overwhelming messageówhich is flogged to death with too many songs, too many dances and too many speechesóis that parents shouldnít smother their children through overprotection. Fine. But the scriptís ultimate example of this lesson is the fact that God made a mistake when punishing Adam and Eve for eating fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and banishing them from the Garden of Eden . I may not be a religious expert, but one has to ask if this interpretationóthat God was wrongóis kosher? At best, it is an ironic take on the Book of Genesis, and one that doesnít fit into the productionís vanilla, Sunday-school feeling. Secondly, because the play is a biblical story, of sorts, sitting in the audience has a church-like quality to it. Yet on stage, a large chorus of pubescent girls and boys, clad in sexy clothing and revealing midriffs, undulate suggestively to tribal music. For fear of sounding prudish, this may not be appropriateóespecially if you consider this to be a childrenís show (minors filled more than half of the audience the night I attended). To accompany these mixed messages, there is a visual and audio overload. Director and choreographer David H. Bell crowds this production with, among other things, too many colors, songs and billowing sheets that represent the earth and rain. There is even a gymnast flying around and holding onto large bolts of fabric, who, besides being thematically out of place, has barely enough room for his acrobatics. I kept wincing at the thought that he was going to kick one of the dancers into the orchestra pit. What makes the production tolerable, especially for children, is the music. Although the compositions are in excess and not particularly memorable, most of the music and lyricsóby Tony nominee Stephen Schwartz (ìWicked,î ìGodspell,î ìPippinî)óare not half bad. And the multiracial castómade up of young people, except for the middle-age Godóincludes talented singers. Honors particularly go to AndrÈ Garner, a vivacious, powerful performer who plays Cain and Japheth and whose credits include multiple Broadway and off-Broadway productions, as well as a recent West Coast tour of ìDreamgirls.î Becca Ayers, who plays Eve and Mama, has a speaking voice that is just as vibrant, clear and full of emotion as her singing voice, which is a gift. The only mistakeóand itís a big oneóis that she ends the play leading a gospel number that clearly isnít her forte. This, unfortunately, makes the finale look a bit ridiculous. One of the productionís strongest points is the ambitious use of a chorus to convey scenery or the presence of animals. For instance, the Tree of Knowledge comes alive as a girl, positioned as a branch, extends an apple to tempt Eve. Eventually, the entire chorus becomes slithering snake temptresses in the tree, each with an apple, as Eve falls prey to their grasps. Another example is when the chorus uses a series of Pilobolus-like movements to transform itself into the animals that board Noahís ark. Besides being creative, this extended bit of choreography gives the audience a rest from the continuous singing and dialogue. Costumes by Mariann Verheyen looked like a cross between ìJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoatî and ìGodspell,î and felt a bit dated. James Leonard Joyís richly textured set design consisted of a copper-like wooden backdrop and wings, a looming moon, and a huge winding staircase that took up the width of the stage. That, combined with Diane Ferry Williamsís use of lighting to create sheets of rain, managed to invent for the audience the impression of history in cosmic proportions. ìChildren of Edenî runs through June 6 at Fordís Theatre, 511 10th St., NW. Tickets are $29 to $45. For more information, please call (202) 347-4833 or visit www.fordstheatre.org. Lisa Troshinsky is the theater reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.