The Kennett High School players take on Andrew Lloyd Weber’s first biblical epic, March 15-17
By P.J. D’Annunzio, Staff Writer, KennettTimes.com
KENNETT SQUARE—Kennett High School’s theater troupe is preparing to take their audience on a colorful journey back to ancient Egypt in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Tony Award-winning musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
“Every year we try to look for a show that best fits the kids, and this year it was Joseph,” Chorus teacher and Joseph production manager Katie Soukup said.
Joseph tells the story of its namesake and his experiences relayed in the book of Genesis. It begins with the narrator taking to the stage to give Joseph’s back-story: He is a dreamer and is clearly his father’s favorite out of 12 sons. He is given a coat by his father as a token of affection, causing the other sons to become jealous of him.
Knowing that Joseph is one day destined to rule over them, his brothers kidnap him and sell him to slavers bound for Egypt. Once there, Joseph finds himself the servant of a wealthy man. Comedy ensues when the man’s wife tries to seduce Joseph—only to be caught by the master himself!
After being thrown in jail, Joseph interprets the dreams of his two cellmates, one of whom escapes execution to put a good word in to the Pharaoh, who in turn frees him. Joseph gains the trust of Pharaoh and soon becomes the second most powerful man in Egypt. However, not everything is peachy in desert kingdom.
After seven years of prosperity, Joseph predicts that Egypt will fall under a period of devastating famine the likes of which no one has ever seen. Will Egypt find a way to endure the famine? Will Joseph continue to prosper under Pharaoh? Will his brothers ever be reconciled?
Cast of Joseph, from left to right. Front: Gaby Seamon, Zac Chew, Colby Ball. Middle: Wes Schwartz, Matt Mason, Katlyn Johnson. Back: Max Minka, Natasha Lippians.
The answers—as well as Joseph’s coat—are revealed in this stunning production , showcasing a cornucopia of musical styles from country-western and calypso to bubble-gum pop and rock ‘n’ roll.
“It’s a fun show to do. It has a lot of different styles incorporated in it,” Soukup said. “One thing that’s different about this show is that it’s all sung—there’s no dialogue. So it just keeps going and going. But even though it’s all music it isn’t a long show.”
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has been entertaining crowds for over four decades. It is as timeless as it is timely, and now it can be seen at Kennett High’s auditorium at these times:
Thursday March 15th at 7 PM
Friday March 16th at 7 PM
Saturday March 17th at 2 and 7 PM
Tickets can be purchased at http://kcsd.ticketleap.com/
