Theater goers can see a class Bible tale this weekend.
The Center Grove Fine Arts Academy will be showing “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Lutheran High School Lily auditorium, 5555 S. Arlington Ave., Indianapolis.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students if purchased in advance online. Tickets at the door are $6 and $4 for adults and students at the door.Â
Melissa Dameron, the show’s director, tells you what you need to know about the show.
How many students are involved?
We have a cast of 71 students with another handful involved backstage. The families of our cast and crew are also involved in building the sets, creating the costumes and other behind-the-scenes jobs. Everyone has worked together to bring the show to life.
Why did you choose this show?
Joseph is filled with delightful musical numbers, memorable characters and roles for students in high school, middle school and even elementary school, allowing appropriate casting from the diverse age group in our program. The show has been performed for decades and continues to prove itself a staple in musical repertoires around the country and even around the world.
What is your favorite musical number?
The songs in this production are of such a variety of genres that choosing a favorite is a little tricky. I relish the emotional journey of “Close Every Door”; I enjoy the danceability of “Benjamin Calypso” and “Go, Go, Go Joseph.” I have tackled the challenge of learning the colors of “Joseph’s Coat.” And I have had some of the most fun working on the couple of dances for probably my favorite musical number: “Song of the King.” This 50s-style number features an Elvis-style Pharaoh and his sock-hop back-up singers. The music is catchy, and the dancing is, too.
What is your favorite scene to direct?
There are so many to choose from. But I have to say one of my favorites is “Jacob and Sons/Joseph’s Coat.” This is where we meet Jacob, his wives, his 12 sons and their wives and children and experience the excitement of Joseph’s amazing coat of many colors — 29 colors are named in the song. The scene reveals Jacob’s favoritism of Joseph and the frustration of Joseph’s 11 brothers in a fun and memorable song. With 49 cast members on stage during this scene, directing it was a challenge, but the energy of the scene and the excitement of the dancing has definitely made it one of my favorites.
Why should families see this show?
The show is based on the Biblical story of Joseph and illustrates how God used the circumstances of Joseph’s life to save the lives of countless others including Joseph’s own family. This encouraging theme coupled with the energetic musical numbers makes our performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat a perfect family outing that most anyone can afford at just $5 for adults and $3 for students. Audiences will be delighted with the way our cast brings their characters to life — from Jacob’s energetic Hebrew children to Potiphar’s stoic Egyptian household to our fabulous Elvis-style Pharaoh, and they will feel as if they are part of the action as the cast journeys from Canaan to Egypt more than once on their winding path through the audience.
