Acclaimed playwright Mike Wiley returns to PlayMakers with singer-songwriter Laurelyn Dossett to lead us on a musical journey across time, unearthing the cycles of history in a small North Carolina town. In this searing new work, where cotton is king in the 1930s and pork processing keeps the town alive in 2016, black and Latino citizens are the town's economic backbone past and present. So why do they remain its most vulnerable to violence and hatred? As high-stakes elections loom during both time periods, the young, as ever, have a lot to fight for—and a lot to learn.
AGE RECOMMENDATION
Due to the subject matter, racially-motivated violence, and the use of some racial slurs, we recommend this show for ages 13 and up.
Please be advised, this production contains live, simulated gunshots; water-based haze and fog; and the smoking of both vapor and herbal cigarettes on stage.
Run Time
2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.
2. “Roy White Jingle”…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Roy
3. “I Will Sing Until My Weary Voice is Gone”…………………………………………………….Selah, Maria
4. “Berry Pie in Springtime”…………………………………………………………………………………………Maggie
5. “She Feelin’ You”*…………………………………………………………………………………Javier, Andre, Tuan
6. “Riot of the Bitter Few”……………………………………………………………………………………………….Selah
7. “Run to the River”………………………………………………………………………………Selah, Maria, Maggie
8. “Change the Tide”…………………………………………………………………………………….Selah, Ensemble
9. “There is a Place On the Road”ˆ…………………………………………………………………….Javier, Selah
10. “Moses”˚…………………………………………………………………………………………………Selah, Ensemble
11. “I Will Sing Until My Weary Voice is Gone (Reprise)………………………………….Miguel, Maria
12. “Leaving Eden”………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Selah
All songs by Laurelyn Dossett except: *by Carlos Alcala & Mike WIley
ˆ by Mike Wiley
˚ Traditional
PREVIEWS
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OPENING NIGHT
Your ticket grants you access to the post-show celebration with the cast, crew, and creative team!
ALL ACCESS
Audio-description and sign language interpretation provided by Arts Access!
POST-SHOW DISCUSSION
Join actors, artists, or special panelists for a free conversation immediately following the show.
OPEN-CAPTIONING
Just because you’re hearing isn’t what it once was doesn’t mean you have to give up the theatre!
MINDPLAY
A psychoanalytic reading of our productions in partnership with the North Carolina Psychoanalytic Society.
Special Thanks to UNC-TV for this beautiful behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Leaving Eden
“[Wiley’s] shows are sophisticated blends of narrative and wit.”
American Theatre
“You will find hardly anyone who has the muse sitting with them more than Laurelyn.”
Joe Newberry, NC Dept of Cultural Resources
Many thanks to our co-producers:
This project is supported in part by an award from the Nation Endowment for the Arts. This project was also supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Photos
Photo by HuthPhoto.Samuel Ray Gates and Jeffrey Blair Cornell. Photo by HuthPhoto.Photo by HuthPhoto.Photo by HuthPhoto.Carlos Alcala, Sarah Elizabeth Keyes, Alex Givens and Tristan Parks. Photo by HuthPhoto.Photo by HuthPhoto.Carlos Alcala. Photo by HuthPhoto.Tangela Large, Tristan Parks & ensemble. Photo by HuthPhoto.Kathryn Hunter-Williams, Rebecca Guy and Alex Givens. Photo by HuthPhoto.Kathryn Hunter-Williams, Sarah Elizabeth Keyes and Alex Givens. Photo by HuthPhoto.Samuel Ray Gates, Sarah Elizabeth Keyes, Tristan Parks, Alex Givens and Tangela Large. Photo by HuthPhoto.Ray Dooley and Rishan Dhamija. Photo by HuthPhoto.Tangela Large. Photo by HuthPhoto.Rebecca Guy and Kathryn Hunter-Williams. Photo by HuthPhoto.Alex Givens, Trevor Johnson and Tristan Parks. Photo by HuthPhoto.Sarita Ocón. Photo by HuthPhoto.Dan Toot and Jonathan Varillas. Photo by HuthPhoto.
The UNC-Chapel Hill has awarded playwright Mike Wiley with its Distinguished Alumnus Award, which recognizes alumni who have made outstanding contributions to humanity.
Playwright and documentarian Mike Wiley is ever-mindful of history’s echoes. And never more so than in his upcoming new play "Leaving Eden," with music by Laurelyn Dossett.
Get an insider's look at the scenic production process for "Leaving Eden." In Part I, we catch up with scenic designer Jan Chambers and the beginning of the construction process.
In Part II, we continue our look at the production process for "Leaving Eden," cornering scenic charge Jessica Secrest to learn the secrets of painting one thing to look like another.
What’s the first thing you’ll notice when you step into the Paul Green Theatre "Leaving Eden"? Stuff—tons and tons of miscellaneous objects lining the perimeter of the stage.
UNC’s newest Distinguished Alumnus returns to PlayMakers for the final piece of a season bookended with productions about life and social disparity in North Carolina.
PlayMakers has helped premiere six new American plays in the last three seasons. From "Draw the Circle" to "Jump" and everything in between, what are the creators up to now?
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