Based on Clifford Odets' play The Flowering Peach, it tells the story of Noah's preparations for the Great Flood and its aftermath.

The opening night cast included Danny Kaye, Marilyn Cooper, Joan Copeland, Harry Goz, Madeline Kahn, Michael Karm, Tricia O'Neil, and Walter Willison.

Walter Willison (the original Broadway "Japheth") has also appeared as Noah in the 2002 Richard Rodgers Centennial concert for the Jewish Repertory Theater Off-Broadway (which he also directed) and in regional productions of the show in recent years.

In creating the new version of Two by Two, Charnin stated that "I'm going to restore a concept that I had that was originally negated by Danny Kaye" [3] The cast included Ruthie Ann Miles as Leah, Holly O'Brien as Goldie and Alan Baker as Noah.

The show also starred Nikita Burshteyn as Japheth, Frank Calamaro as Shem, Marcy DeGonge Manfredi as Leah, N’Kenge as Goldie, Michael Notardonato as Ham, Sophia Tzougros as Rachel, and was hosted by Ted Chapin, president of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Noah's wife and family have their doubts and even make fun of him as he plans to build the ark, but join in when the animals start to appear en masse.

"The story dealt with Noah and the flood, and though written in 1954, covered such contemporary themes as the generation gap and ecology," Rodgers wrote.