(Cast of Piece of Eden. Photo courtesy of Sheila Vera.)
On Virginia’s Eastern Shore, history does not feel distant. Along this narrow stretch of land between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, many places carry Algonquian names like Nassawadox, Chincoteague, Machipongo, and Kiptopeake, each a memory of the people who came before. Dig a little deeper, and there are stories behind more familiar names, too: Savage Neck, Johnsontown.
This spring, Piece of Eden (1618–1776) returns to the stage at the Historic Palace Theatre in Cape Charles, telling stories of Eastern Shore history long before the birth of the United States. First performed in 2007 and revived in 2012 and 2013, the historical musical drama has been reimagined once again in 2026…