Eden Valley Enterprises is dedicated to providing unique educational experiences. Our philosophy is that learning and doing are fun and our basic tool is theatre. While we specialize in living history programs, storytelling, and musical trips back in time, we are equally adept at other kinds of programs.

From CANAL SONGS AND STORIES, a fun and informative program that features music and stories from the Ohio-Erie Canal, to DOCTOR PUTNAM’S MIRACLE MIXTURE, a vivid, high-spirited living history program, Eden Valley gives your audiences drama that brims with energy, humor, and fantasy and features a magical cast of characters.

Johnnycake Village, our first project, was first produced in 1977 for the National Park Service at The Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. As an outdoor, living history program, Johnnycake Village re-created a mythical canal town as it might have existed on the Western Reserve during the 1800's. Visitors to the Village took part in major events in the building of our country as they became involved in debates over whether or not to build a canal, helped rescue a runaway slave or celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the State of Ohio. During its three summers, eight different scenarios were developed by EVE's director and 15 actors. Over 15,000 people relived history at the Village. (See a PowerPoint program about Johnnycake Village)

MEET THE PEOPLE became our second show as a direct outgrowth of Johnnycake Village. Using the same techniques of Johnnycake Village, the first program in this series was THE OHIO PIONEERS for elementary school students. MEET THE PEOPLE has since become an umbrella title for all of our small touring shows including such titles as MEET MARGARET BOURKE-WHITE, YOU CAN'T PLAY BALL IN A SKIRT! etc. These shows have traveled quite extensively throughout the northeast Ohio area from Youngstown to Canal Fulton, Berea and Jefferson; and have been sponsored by diverse groups including Roscoe Village and the Western Reserve Historical Society.

See a video about how EVE began.

In addition to our living history programs, Eden Valley staff members are available for lectures and workshops in such areas as Ohio history, Canal history, and theatre. Eden Valley has also developed several murder mystery programs done in a similar style to the living history programs. These stories, done as dinner theatre programs or weekend events, allow the audience to become detectives and help solve the crime. The company has also produced special programs for a number of local organizations including The Health Museum of Cleveland, The Lorain County Metro Parks, North Coast Harbor, The Steamship William G. Mather, Roscoe Village, The Great Lakes Historical Society and the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Eden Valley programs can focus on general groups or on age or gender specific groups from school children through seniors. Programs can range from being fully cast with actors, sets and props all the way to our simpler programs where absorbing stories are read aloud from our unique Big Book. Our flexibility allows meeting many different budgetary and timing needs.

Though we primarily serve the Northeast Ohio region, we are available to present performances and conduct workshops in other locations -- ask us!

Read what our audience thinks about EVE's programs.

To read our latest newsletter, click here.

Read on-line articles by EVE's artistic director:
"The Women From Ragersville"
"Putting The Story Into History"
"Ohio's Presidential Particulars"
"How To Be A Character"
"There Are No Bulldozers in 1804"
"The Christmas Tree Ship"
"Restaurants" (history of Cleveland, Ohio Restaurants for THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CLEVELAND HISTORY)

As a non-profit corporation under Section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code, Eden Valley accepts donations to help fund our educational programming. If you would like to make a donation, you can do this through PayPal. Donations are tax-deductible and gratefully accepted. To make a donation, simply click the button.

Eden Valley is pleased to be associated with artistschair.com. For more information about this Artists Organization that serves Northeast Ohio, click on the logo below:

If you're looking for additional materials related to Ohio History, be sure to check out our publications based on our storytelling programs. Looking for more? Then try our selections from Amazon.com Any purchase made at Amazon.com through the EVE website help support our educational activities.

EVE is a not-for-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code