Moorhead High School Theater blog

The Moorhead High School theater program would like to extend a big “Thank you!” to supporters of our fall musical production, Children of Eden.

Your attendance and enthusiasm for the seven performances of this production was wonderful. Thank you to our audiences, to students who took part in the cast and crew, to students in the pit orchestra, to parents for all of their support and volunteering, to school staff, to our advertisers, and to everyone else who contributed to making Children of Eden. a successful, enriching experience for our theater students. We’d like to extend a hearty round of applause to you! Thank you so much!

On Friday, November 25, the night of Children of Eden’s next-to-last performance, WDAY-TV ran a nice story. You can view the video at the link below:

WDAY News report

Come and be amazed by the production of Moorhead High School’s fall musical, Children of Eden. The show played to enthusastic crowds and standing ovations during its first three shows. MHS’s award-winning theater department invites you to be ignited by “the spark of creation” again and again by attending the remaining shows this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (November 18, 19, and 20), plus the Friday and Saturday nights of Thanksgiving Weekend on November 25 and 26.

The singing talent will absolutely astound you. Once you hear their voices, you’ll talk about it for days! The acting will deeply move you. The dancing will visually delight your eyes and the dancers even surround the audience at times. The music from the pit orchestra will lift and carry you from one emotion to another. Student musicians in the pit orchestra also provide the encompassing audio for many visual, special effects made possible by an extremely talented technical crew. Children of Eden is performed with absolute professionalism. You’ll be amazed that you are experiencing a production by high school actors, musicians, and technical crew.

You’ll ride a roller coaster of emotions as this production immerses and envelopes the audience at times. You’ll experience joy and jubilation, tearful sadness and gripping angst, laughter, the depths of despair, uplifting hope and most of all, the love between parents and children, brought to you through the eyes and hearts of biblical characters.

From Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and John Caird (Les Miserables) this joyous and inspirational musical, freely based on the story of Genesis. Children of Eden is a frank, heartfelt, and often humorous examination of the age-old conflict between parents and children. With incredible animation, projection, masks, puppetry, and movement, Children of Eden delivers a bittersweet message – that the hardest part of love is letting go.

No matter which date you plan to see this moving production, you’ll want to buy tickets early for the best choice of seats. Of course, you can buy tickets for more than one show, so that you can enjoy this exceptional production multiple times!

Children of Eden will be performed at the Moorhead High School Auditorium. Show times are 7:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays, plus a Sunday matinee at 3:00 P.M. this weekend, on November 20. Tickets are $6 for students ages 18 and under. $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the MHS Activities Office or by calling (218) 284-2345. Tickets will also be sold at the door on the north side of the high school before performances. Cash or check only – no credit or debit cards. Please arrive early for time to be seated and to get the best seats remaining if buying tickets at the door!

By LaRae Mikkelson,  parent of a freshman

I have just made it through my first tech week and opening week-end of a Moorhead High School musical. This fall’s musical is Children of Eden. I have found the process exhilarating and exhausting, amazing and inspiring.

Being new to this phase of being a theater parent, I didn’t expect to get drawn into the physical process of assisting in the creation of props and tech duties. Yet, as the children become a team, so do we as parents. You become invested in ensuring that the company has the best costumes, set and props. You want to make sure they are all fed, rested and healthy. The cast and crew become all of our children.

I didn’t expect to be awed and wowed by the parent preview of the production. After all, I had been to so many rehearsals leading up to it. I knew it would be good, of course, but certainly hadn’t expected to wince at each blow to Abel; to weep with Eve over the loss of her son; to be mesmerized by the animals entering the ark; and to be overcome with emotion when the group exhorts us: “Our hands can choose to drop the knife; our hearts can choose to stop the hating.”

I didn’t expect each following show to hold surprises and magic for me. How cool is the hair of the female storytellers? How is it I hadn’t noticed young Cain and Abel on their parents’ laps? How did I miss Ham’s gentle caress of Aphra’s swollen tummy?

I didn’t expect to cry each night.

I didn’t expect to be swept up in the story.

I didn’t expect to feel the “hardest part of love, is the letting go” so keenly. For I realize that the beginning of this show marks the end of my daughter’s firsts. It leaves just three autumns of MHS musical theater to savor with her.

Above all, I didn’t expect to be changed.

# # #

Children of Eden will have five more performances at the Moorhead High School Auditorium. The remaining shows are this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (November 18, 19, and 20), plus the Friday and Saturday nights of Thanksgiving Weekend on November 25 and 26. Show times are 7:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, with this weekend’s Sunday matinee at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets are $6 for students ages 18 and under. $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the MHS Activities Office or by calling (218) 284-2345. Tickets will also be sold at the door on the north side of the high school before performances. Cash or check only – no credit or debit cards. Please arrive early to be seated and to get the best seats left if buying tickets at the door!

Come and be amazed by the production of Moorhead High School’s fall musical, Children of Eden. The show played to enthusastic crowds and standing ovations during its first three shows. MHS’s award-winning theater department invites you to be ignited by “the spark of creation” again and again by attending the remaining shows November 18, 19, and 20, plus the Friday and Saturday nights of Thanksgiving Weekend on November 25 and 26.

The singing talent will absolutely astound you. Once you hear their voices, you’ll talk about it for days! The acting will deeply move you. The dancing will visually delight your eyes and the dancers even surround the audience at times. The music from the pit orchestra will lift and carry you from one emotion to another. Student musicians in the pit orchestra also provide the encompassing audio for many visual, special effects made possible by an extremely talented technical crew. Children of Eden is performed with absolute professionalism. You’ll be amazed that you are experiencing a production by high school actors, musicians, and technical crew.

You’ll ride a roller coaster of emotions as this production immerses and envelopes the audience at times. You’ll experience joy and jubilation, tearful sadness and gripping angst, laughter, the depths of despair, uplifting hope and most of all, the love between parents and children, brought to you through the eyes and hearts of biblical characters.

From Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and John Caird (Les Miserables) this joyous and inspirational musical, freely based on the story of Genesis. Children of Eden is a frank, heartfelt, and often humorous examination of the age-old conflict between parents and children. With incredible animation, projection, masks, puppetry, and movement, Children of Eden delivers a bittersweet message – that the hardest part of love is letting go.

No matter which date you plan to see this moving production, you’ll want to buy tickets early for the best choice of seats. Of course, you can buy tickets for more than one show, so that you can enjoy this exceptional production multiple times!

Children of Eden will be performed at the Moorhead High School Auditorium. Show times are 7:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays, with Sunday matinees at 3:00 P.M. Tickets are $6 for students ages 18 and under. $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the MHS Activities Office or by calling (218) 284-2345. Tickets will also be sold at the door on the north side of the high school before performances. Cash or check only – no credit or debit cards. Please arrive early for time to be seated and to get the best seats remaining if buying tickets at the door!

Children of Eden, Moorhead High School’s fall musical, opened to an enthusiastic audience on Friday, November 11. MHS’s award-winning theater department invites you to be ignited by “the spark of creation” by attending the remaining shows on November 12-13, 18- 20, and 25-26.

The singing will astound you. The acting will move you. The music from the pit orchestra will lift and carry you from one emotion to another. You will have a hard time believing that you’re seeing a production by high school actors, musicians, and technical crew.

You’ll ride a rollercoaster of emotions as this production immerses and surrounds the audience at times. You’ll experience joy and jubilation, tearful sadness and gripping angst, laughter, the depths of despair, uplifting hope and most of all, the love between parents and children, brought to you through the eyes and hearts of biblical characters.

From Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and John Caird (Les Miserables) this joyous and inspirational musical, freely based on the story of Genesis. Children of Eden is a frank, heartfelt, and often humorous examination of the age-old conflict between parents and children. With incredible animation, projection, masks, puppetry, and movement, Children of Eden delivers a bittersweet message – that the hardest part of love is letting go.

No matter which date you plan to see this moving production, you’ll want to buy tickets early for the best choice of seats. Of course, you can buy tickets for more than one show, so that you can enjoy this fantastic production multiple times!

Children of Eden will be performed at the Moorhead High School Auditorium. Show times are 7:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays, with Sunday matinees at 3:00 P.M. Tickets are $6 for students ages 18 and under. $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the MHS Activities Office or by calling (218) 284-2345. Tickets will also be sold at the door on the north side of the high school. Cash or check only – no credit or debit cards.

Today, Friday, November 11 is opening night for Moorhead High School’s fall musical production, Children of Eden. MHS’s award-winning theater department invites you to be ignited by “the spark of creation” as they present Children of Eden on November 11-13, 18- 20, and 25-26.

The singing will astound you. The acting will move you. The music from the pit orchestra will will lift and carry you from one emotion to another. You will have a hard time believing that you’re seeing a production by high school actors, musicians, and technical crew.

You’ll ride a rollercoaster of emotions as this production immerses and surrounds the audience at times. You’ll feel joy and jubilation, tearful sadness and gripping angst, laughter, the depths of despair, uplifting hope and most of all, the love between parents and children, brought to you through the eyes and hearts of biblical characters.

From Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and John Caird (Les Miserables) this joyous and inspirational musical, freely based on the story of Genesis. Children of Eden is a frank, heartfelt, and often humorous examination of the age-old conflict between parents and children. With incredible animation, projection, masks, puppetry, and movement, CHILDREN OF EDEN delivers a bittersweet message – that the hardest part of love is letting go.

No matter which date you plan to see this moving production, you’ll want to buy tickets early for the best choice of seats. Of course, you can buy tickets for more than one show, so that you can enjoy this fantastic production multiple times!

CHILDREN OF EDEN will be performed at the Moorhead High School Auditorium. Show times are 7:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays, with Sunday matinees at 3:00 P.M. Tickets are $6 for students ages 18 and under. $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the MHS Activities Office or by calling (218) 284-2345. Tickets will also be sold at the door (cash or check only – no credit or debit cards)

By Matthew Wisenden, Electric Bass:
Forgetting to audition for Rebecca Meyer-Larson’s cast of Children of Eden at Moorhead High School is possibly one of the best mistakes I’ve ever made. Not saying that the cast isn’t the place to be; it’s not an easy group to get into. But because I didn’t, I decided to join a family that, in my opinion, suffices to perfect satisfaction: the orchestra pit. We work on our own schedule; Mr. Brian Cole knows we have social lives. We also get to have a lot more fun and leniency during the rehearsal process than most of the other people involved.

Although we have our fun moments in the pit, like having pizza delivered midway through rehearsal, and Mr. Cole throwing candy around for us to share, the process for preparing for a show can be some of the tensest moments I’ve ever experienced. Earlier in 2011, at the Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre, Rebecca Meyer-Larson directed and produced Rent, which Mr. Brian Cole and I were both a part of. Even then, it was intense, and Meylar (a nickname given to Rebecca Meyer-Larson by her students) only had a cast of approximately twenty, and a pit of seven musicians. Children of Eden is Rent times two. With a cast of 50 and a fourteen person pit, the stakes are high and the potential of the show is even greater. This, of course, throws in a hard play of stress. We’ve had multiple nights where we’ve started our run-through at eight o’clock and haven’t finished till about midnight. Although it’s these kinds of things that give Mr. Brian Cole wrinkles, it’s worth every last second.

# # #

Children of Eden will be performed at the Moorhead High School Auditorium on November 11-13, 18- 20, and 25-26. Show times are 7:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with Sunday matinees at 3:00 P.M. Tickets are $6 for students ages 18 and under. $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the MHS Activities Office or by calling (218) 284-2345. Ticket will also be sold at the door before all performances (Cash or check only – no credit or debit cards).

After many long days and long nights of rehearsing lines and lyrics, learning challenging choreography,  construction of a complex set intertwined with multi-media aspects, the design and stitching of costumes, plus musical inspiration from the pit orchestra,  endless bursts of creativity come to life in Moorhead High School’s production of the musical, Children of Eden.

This joyous and inspirational musical, freely based on the story of Genesis, comes from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and John Caird (Les Miserables). CHILDREN OF EDEN is a frank, heartfelt, and often humorous examination of the age-old conflict between parents and children. With incredible animation, projection, masks, puppetry, and movement, CHILDREN OF EDEN delivers a bittersweet message – that the hardest part of love is letting go.

Moorhead High School’s award-winning theater department invites you to be ignited by “the spark of creation” as they present the musical, CHILDREN OF EDEN, November 11-13, 18- 20, and 25-26. Show times are 7:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays, with Sunday matinees at 3:00 P.M. Tickets are $6 for students ages 18 and under. $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the MHS Activities Office or by calling (218) 284-2345. Tickets will also be available at the door. (Cash or check only)