Students will perform on Broadway in “Children of Eden” concert

For the first time in the history of Salve Regina’s theatre arts program, 22 students will perform on Broadway in a concert production of “Children of Eden,” a musical by the famed Stephen Schwartz, at the Lincoln Center in February 2024.

“When I found out that Broadway wanted our Salve cast to perform at the Lincoln Center with famous Broadway actors, I did not understand what I was being told,” said Matthew Desorcy, a theatre arts major. “It took me a moment to realize that I would actually be performing on Broadway – and when I told my parents, they could not have been more proud. It’s a dream come true.”

An unexpected phone call

“Children of Eden” uses biblical stories found in Genesis to think through themes of family conflict, identity and acceptance. The tales of Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel are featured in Act I, while Noah and the Ark are featured in Act II. Salve Regina’s theatre arts program performed the musical in the spring of 2023.

The Broadway concert performance is being produced by Manhattan Concert Productions, who called Dr. Tara Brooke Watkins, assistant professor and coordinator of the theatre arts program, to invite the students to audition by way of submitting a cast recording of the ensemble singing. After viewing the recording, Manhattan Concert Productions asked if the students would be interested in performing during the Broadway concert.

“I have never had somebody call and say, ‘Hey, we want you to audition for Broadway,'” Watkins said. “When I got the email saying they were trying to get a hold of me, I thought it was a joke. But it was completely legit – and we are now taking 22 of our students to perform at Lincoln Center. I’m still a little in shock that this is happening.”

The leads for the concert have been cast with well-known Broadway stars like Auli’i Cravalho, Nikki Renée Daniels, Jordan Fisher and Norm Lewis – and Salve’s students will be part of an estimated 350-person chorus to round out the cast. The students are being assigned to sing in either Act I or Act II because of how vocally demanding the show is. Schwartz himself might also make an appearance during the show.

“I am a big fan of Jordan Fisher, who will be performing as Cain, so I am extremely excited for the chance to work with him in a professional setting,” Desorcy said.

Scenes from Salve’s theatre arts program performing “Children of Eden” in the spring of 2023.

Students react to the chance to perform on Broadway

To say that the 22 students who are performing on Broadway are excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is an understatement.

“The cast and crew put so much of themselves into our production of ‘Children of Eden,’ and to have all the hard work recognized by those who work alongside the best in the business was amazing,” said Anna Annese, a theatre arts major with a minor in music. “We are a small school, and it was empowering to be seen and chosen.”

No matter what happens in the future, the students say that they will never forget this chance, and they are excited that Salve Regina’s program is being recognized in a national spotlight.

“I am undoubtedly grateful for the hard work and long hours that Salve theatre has put into perfecting every show performed throughout the four years I’ve been here,” Desorcy. “This opportunity goes to show the dedication artists have when chasing their dreams. They refuse to go unnoticed.”

“For some, this has been a lifelong dream come true – something that we have been working at since we were little,” Annese said. “Every theater kid dreams about being able to perform on Broadway someday, and for Salve our someday is coming in February.”