Based on John Steinbeck's novelEast of Eden, the allegorical tale centers on the Trasks and the Hamiltons, two families drawn to the rich farmlands of Salinas, California, in the early 20th century. While Steinbeck traced the two clans through three generations, the musical limits the action to the period between 1915 and 1917 and focuses primarily on the Cain and Abel aspects of the work.
Production
McNally asked that his name be removed from the credits prior to opening night. The official opening on Broadway was postponed from February 20, 1968, to March 2, 1968, to allow time for rewrites to the book. The musical premiered on Broadway at the Billy Rose Theatre on March 3, 1968, and closed after one performance and twenty previews. Directed by Michael Kahn and choreographed by Tony Mordente, the cast included Paul Rogers as Adam Trask, Walter McGinn as Caleb Trask, Ken Kercheval as Aron Trask, James Coco as Lee, Graciela Daniele as Faith, and Heather MacRae as Abra Bacon. The scenery was by Ming Cho Lee, costumes by Ruth Morley, and lighting by Jules Fisher. The play was picketed by the newly formed Oriental Actors of America, a group of Asian American stage actors, as a protest against the practice of casting white actors in yellowface makeup to portray East Asian characters. The role of "Lee", the Trask family's Chinese cook, had been assigned to white actor James Coco. Variety would mention the picketing in its review of the failed musical and note, "On the basis of the show, they had a point." Clive Barnes, in his review in The New York Times, questioned whether the book could be a viable musical as it was "too serious", but praised the sets by Ming Cho Lee and wrote that Paul Rogers had a "strong singing voice" and was dignified. The play was profiled in the William Goldman book .
"We're A Home" was recorded by The Ray Conniff Singers in 1967 and released as a single. The recording was reissued in stereo on a Ray Conniff compilation CD "The Singles Collection, Vol. 1" in 2005.
"Here is Where I Belong" was recorded by Al Caiola and released as a single in 1968. It was also recorded by Ferrante & Teicher and released as a single in 1968. Both were instrumental versions.
