The show premiered at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., on 12 December 1996, starring Davis Gaines as the Man and Irene Molloy as Swallow.

Lloyd Rose, the Washington Post reviewer wrote that the musical "...is just dull...Steinman and Lloyd Webber's differing styles of gothic intensity might have been expected to be mutually enhancing, but in fact they cancel each other out... Harold Prince brings all his brilliant directing skills to bear on the material, and with Binkley and set designer Andrew Jackness he produces some inventive, often startling staging.

"[1] The Variety critic praised the Lloyd Webber score, writing it is "a pleasing collection of numbers that range from his trademark melodies to boisterous country barn dances and rocking hymns.

"[2] The Baltimore Sun critic wrote that the musical has ..."lovely Lloyd Webber melodies and a more traditional book-musical structure than the composer's usual sung-through fare.... One change from the source material that appears to reflect director Prince's sensibility is the aura of danger and darkness that suffuses the piece.

It's a tonal choice that not only makes the story more credible, but -- without giving away the true identity of Gaines' character -- it also suits the harsh reality that underlies the children's leap of faith.

A reworked, and more successful, production opened in the West End at the Aldwych Theatre on 1 July 1998, starring Marcus Lovett as The Man and Lottie Mayor as Swallow.

[citation needed] In 2001, Bill Kenwright produced and directed his own production of Whistle Down the Wind for a UK tour, starring Tim Rogers as The Man and Katie Rowley Jones as Swallow.

He was granted a considerable amount of creative freedom as director, authorised by Andrew Lloyd Webber to make significant changes to the dramatic structure of the musical, including replacing the running parable of Annie and Charlie Christmas told to the children by The Man with a lighter-toned number called "The Gang" (lyrics by Don Black).

[11] Kenwright presented a second UK tour in 2010, opening at the Liverpool Empire on 20 January and moving onto venues including Bristol and Edinburgh.

It was directed by Tom Jackson Greaves, and featured a cast of 12 actor-musicians, starring Lydia White as Swallow, and Robert Tripolino as The Man.

Earl is looking for a place to put up a tent for a revival meeting, where "folks go to dance with snakes" in order to test their faith in Jesus.

In the barn, The Man (Arthur Blakey in the source novel, unnamed in the play) wakes to find himself surrounded by children, who all promise to take care of him and to keep his existence a secret.

Candy, a young black girl, and Amos, a white boy, sing of longing to get away from the town they live in, to a place they can be free: "Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts."

The children are discussing what it would mean if the mysterious man really was Jesus Christ, and what a difference it would make to their lives: "Long Overdue for a Miracle."

The Man asks Swallow to retrieve a package for him, 4 miles away at the train tunnel, and on noticing that she is shaking, tells her to "Try Not To Be Afraid."

The Man, hiding in the barn, overhears their conversations and joins in as Amos sings the song, realising that they seem to correspond to his life- "The emptiest words that there'll ever be, it could have been me- it could have been me."

It features 12 of the songs from the show performed by various popular recording artists and West End theatre stars who have collaborated with Lloyd Webber and Steinman over the years.

[19] All lyrics are written by Jim Steinman; all music is composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber"No Matter What" was released as a single and had unprecedented success: it went platinum, was voted the UK's Record of the Year for 1998, and hit No.

[23] A medley of "Whistle Down the Wind" and "When Children Rule the World" was performed by Ryoko Moriyama during the opening ceremony of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, with new Japanese lyrics by Keita Asari.

[24] Adapted from liner notes:[19] "Vaults of Heaven" "Whistle Down the Wind" "No Matter What" "If Only" "When Children Rule the World" "Cold" "A Kiss is a Terrible Thing to Waste" "Try Not To Be Afraid" "Wrestle With the Devil" "Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts" "Unsettled Scores" "Whistle Down the Wind" A double album cast recording, produced by Lloyd Webber and Nigel Wright, was released the same year featuring the original cast of the West End production.