Act I
Much like the story in Book of Genesis, the universe is born out of darkness. Father, with the help of the Storytellers, brings the universe and life into existence, including Father's new children, Adam and Eve ("Let There Be"). Eve finds herself drawn to the Tree of Knowledge, but Father tells her to stay away from "that tree," though he provides no clear reason why ("The Tree of Knowledge"). Father attempts to distract the two with a game where they name all the animals in the garden ("The Naming"). With everything right in the newly created world, Father reflects on parenthood and Adam and Eve fall in love with one another ("Grateful Children", "Father's Day", and "Perfect"). Though her life is perfect, Eve still hungers for something more: knowledge, adventure, and to see what lies beyond the garden ("The Spark of Creation"). Eve meets a snake who tempts her with apples from the forbidden tree and the possibilities that would open up for her if she eats it. ("In Pursuit of Excellence"). She eats the fruit and is awakened to knowledge and possibility. ("The End of a Perfect Day" and "Childhood's End"). Later that night, Eve attempts to trick Adam into eating the apple in several apple-related dishes, but stops him before eats. Eve admits to Adam that she ate of the Tree of Knowledge and the two hide from Father in the garden.
Father, after discovering Eve has eaten the apple, tells her that she must leave the garden as she is no longer innocent. But unlike in the Genesis tale, Adam is made to choose his fate: he can either stay with Father in Eden, or he can eat the fruit and be banished with Eve. Adam, deeply torn by the decision, decides that, even though it means he has to leave the garden he loves with all his heart, he must be with Eve ("A World Without You"). Adam and Eve are driven out of the garden by Father and into the wasteland of the outside world. As the years pass, they build a new life and have two children, Cain and Abel ("The Expulsion" and "The Wasteland"). The family hope that Father will one day bring them home to Eden, praying to him each day and offering sacrifices of their crops.
Adam and Eve, out of fear for their children's safety, have set their glen as a boundary, preventing them from going beyond a nearby waterfall. As the children grow into adulthood, Eve sees the same fire she once had present in her son, Cain ("The Spark of Creation (Reprise 1)"). Cain, much like his mother, longs to see the world beyond the boundaries placed by his parents, while Abel remains devoted to their parents and the idea that Father will one day bring them back to the garden. Cain begs Abel to run away with him, claiming Father doesn't care about them and that the boys should not be stuck with the consequences of their parents mistakes ("Lost in the Wilderness"). As Abel hesitantly agrees to leave, Father appears. Having never seen Father, the two are shocked. Father shows the two love and affection and promises them their very own wives. Assuming that he has arrived to take them all back to the garden, Abel goes to fetch their parents, but is stopped by Father. It quickly becomes clear that Father has no intention of seeing their parents or taking any of them back to Eden. Cain, further embittered, tells Father and Abel that he is going to leave the glen, finally free from the boundaries and predetermined fate his parents and Father have set for him ("Lost in the Wilderness (Reprise)"). Father tells Abel to keep their visit secret from his parents, but that he will return to them soon.
Adam and Eve, deeply worried for Cain's safety, reminisce on the boy's childhoods and find some comfort in the fact they have created a life and family for themselves outside of Eden ("Close to Home") But this peacefulness is shattered when Cain returns from his journey. He tells the family that he has seemingly found evidence proving the existence of other humans: a ring of giant stones. Cain takes the family to see the stones in the wasteland. While Eve and Abel are just as excited as Cain, Adam, however, becomes distant, cold, and mean, telling the family to return home. After prodding from the Family, Adam admits that he had found the ring of stones many years earlier, and was frightened of the people he found there. He kept this a secret, even from Eve, out of fear of the potential consequences ("A Ring of Stones" and "Clash of the Generations"). Adam's betrayal quickly leads to a family-wide fight, culminating with Cain threatening to leave forever, taking Abel with him and starting a new life. Torn between these choices, Abel, fighting through his heartbreak, decides to stay with his parents. Devastated, Cain begins to leave, but is forcibly stopped by Adam, who slaps him and sends him to the ground. Cain vows that he will kill Adam and the two begin to fight. When Abel intervenes, Cain throws him off and, in his rage, beats Abel to death with a stone ("The Death of Abel"). Cain, leaving the remaining members of his family, tells them that Adam is the one that should be dead. Father, in his anger, burns a mark into Cain's face. Father also decrees that his descendants will bear this mark forever as punishment for the sin of their ancestor. Cain stumbles into the wasteland. ("The Mark of Cain").
Many years after Abel's death and Cain's departure, Eve attempts to speak to Father one last time as she prepares herself for death. She details the lives they lead after the tragedy; the birth of another son, Seth, who has since had children of his own, Adam's grief over the loss of both his sons, and Adam's recent death. Surrounded by her many children and grandchildren, she prays that they may one day regain the garden that was lost. As she dies, Father greets her, allowing her into heaven ("Children of Eden").
Act II
The storytellers reconvene and continue their story, following the lineage of both Seth and Cain, tracing the descendants all the way down to Noah and his family ("Generations").
Father, after centuries of facing the race of Cain, has created a storm that will wipe them from the face of their Earth. He informs Noah of the impending doom, as Noah's family remain the only who are untainted by Cain's lineage, and commands him to build an ark for refuge. Noah begs Father to reconsider, but Father leaves him with the command and that the ark must be large enough for both his family and two of every animal ("The Gathering Storm").
Noah and his wife, Mama Noah, have three sons, and the eldest two, Shem and Ham, have wives, but his youngest son, Japheth, is unhappy and refuses the wives Noah has tried to obtain for him. At family dinner, he announces the woman he has chosen. Secretly, he has fallen in love with and wishes to marry the servant-girl, Yonah, a descendant of the race of Cain. Japheth tells this to his surprised family ("A Piece of Eight"). However, Noah cannot allow Yonah on the ark, due to her being a part of the race of Cain. As Yonah leaves, embarrassed, and Japheth angrily chases after her, all of the animals, played by the Storytellers, come to the ark so that they can board and be saved from the flood ("The Return of the Animals" and "Noah's Lullaby"). Later, Noah finds Yonah outside and explains that she cannot board the ark, though he wishes she could join them. She reckons with her plight, but knows she will continue to face her problems with an open heart and mind, as she always has before ("Stranger to the Rain"). Japheth finds Yonah and attempts to convince her to sneak on to the ark with him, telling her that he doesn't care about the consequences it may bring, as long as he can be with her. They vow to spend whatever time they have left together and secretly board the ark ("In Whatever Time We Have"), just as Father unleashes his wrath on the earth and the race of Cain ("The Flood").
The rain continues for forty days and forty nights, never ceasing, and tensions on the ark are high. With couples fighting, discussions on how to survive through these desperate conditions, including killing animals on the ark for food, and Noah's discovery that Father no longer speaks to him, the group questions why Father hasn't stopped the storm ("What is He Waiting For?"). Yonah, having stayed undiscovered, releases a dove to find dry land and save the residents of the ark ("Sailor of the Skies"). When the family discovers Yonah, they assume she is the reason why Father's wrath continues. Shem and Ham attempt to throw her overboard to appease him, but Japheth intervenes. This quickly escalates into a fight, directly mirroring the one between Adam and Cain generations ago, with Noah slapping Japheth to the ground. This time, however, Yonah intervenes and steps in between father and son, preventing the same events from playing out. Noah, shocked by the selflessness of one of the race of Cain, becomes unsure as to what he must do now. He sends the family away and attempts to talk to Father. Mama Noah asks him if Father speaks to him anymore, and when Noah answers "No", she advises him: "You must be the father now;" that Noah has to live without God telling him what to do ("The Spark of Creation (Reprise 2)"). Noah and Father both think of the difficulties they have faced in being fathers, but both ultimately come to terms with the fact that if you love something, you must let it go ("The Hardest Part of Love").
Noah calls the family together once more, all of them desperate for guidance and hope ("Words of Doom"). He decides to give Japheth and Yonah his blessing, allowing her to stay on the ark. The family huddles together to spend the time they have left as a happy, loving family ("The Hour of Darkness"). They spot the dove Yonah released, now returning with an olive branch in its beak, signifying nearby land, and the family finally sees the light of the stars return to the sky. The family rejoices ("Ain't It Good?"). Father decides to give humanity the power to control its fate and offers his blessing for all to find their future without his direct influence ("Precious Children"). The family lands and leaves the ark. They make plans to separate, taking various animals to their new homes across the world. As they say their final goodbyes, the family addresses the problems they know the future holds, but vow to face them with love and open eyes. They set off, still with hope that one day they will return home; to Eden ("In the Beginning").
