East of Eden Program

This is one of the most precious items in the collection.  I have to tell you a little about it.  I think this was the first of three productions and maybe the best.  I recognize many of the actors and know they are wonderful.  But, now that I study the program, the part of Abra was not done as well as it was in one of the other productions when it was played by Jodi.  Jodi was not in this particular production.  And, you know what, thinking about it now, this just may not have been as good as the others because Jodi wasn't in it.  I mean that.  Jodi was part of the "band" as well as dancing and in one production playing Abra.  Now, about the production itself.  Naw, it would take too long.  Naw, I can do it.  The Western Stage wanted to do East of Eden as a play, but they knew there was no script written for this.  So, they went to the Steinbeck Estate to get permission to write the play and produce it.  Elaine Steinbeck, John's widow was the Steinbeck Estate and gave her permission with one condition, that they do the whole book.  The Western Stage brought in a playwright, Alan Cook.  He was in residence for two or three years writing the play and helping with the productions.  It was workshopped many times, written, rewritten, revised.  Finally, as the curtain was about to go up for the first time it was ready.  In the end, it was a nine-hour play.  Tom Humphrey directed.  Genius is the only way to describe his direction.  It was a life-changing event for all of us involved.  I think all of us were involved with all three productions except for Jodi who missed one.  (Now that we think about it, we're not sure if Josh was in all three productions.)  At the end of the nine-hour marathons, the audience stood and cheered for more.  That's enough for now.  A book could be written about this event.  That's enough for now.