Chris Van Cleave’s acting and music career has included national tours, eight albums, and documentary and dramatic films. He brings his vast experience and talent to Mill Mountain Theatre’s production of Children of Eden where he will play the character “Father/God” in the musical play based on the Biblical story of Creation.
Van Cleave’s three-octave voice celebrates the memorable music of Stephen Schwartz along with a cast of nearly 40 actors and singers. For Van Cleave, the show also offers the opportunity for personal reflection about family, relationships, and communications. “We all are given circumstances in our lives that are opportunities to make choices about love and forgiveness. It seems too often the last person we go to for love and forgiveness is ourselves and so we look for it elsewhere, perhaps our whole lives, when that ‘spark of Creation’ was with us all along.”
Van Cleave portrayed “Father” nine years ago in another production of Children of Eden but said he wanted to start with a fresh canvas at Mill Mountain Theatre and see what the director’s vision would be, along with what other company members bring to this production. “I love this show,” Van Cleave says. “The music is beautiful and powerful. It tells the story of mankind and the choices we make. It also has a lot of humor. I’m grateful to be here in this production of one of the most beautiful shows ever written.”
Van Cleave’s credits include national tours of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar and London’s West End theatre productions of Les Miserables, Chess, and Bernadette. He holds an MFA degree from the University of Virginia, lives in Staunton, and has performed in numerous regional productions around the country. Most recently has performed in theaters in the New York Catskills and in California. This is his first appearance at Mill Mountain Theatre.
Children of Eden runs on MMT’s Trinkle Main Stage Dec. 3-21. Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 540-342-5740 or on line at www.millmountain.org.