The Trinity High School (THS) musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is only weeks away from opening night. Directed by English teacher Mrs. Child and Choir teacher Mr. Komula, this year’s musical is different from past shows and has audiences waiting in anticipation.
Music for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and the lyrics were written by Tim Rice. This musical takes place in Egypt, dealing with topics discussed in the story of Joseph from the book of Genesis in the Bible. What also makes this musical unique is that it is a rock opera.
Child commented, “We wanted to do something different and this is it. There’s no dialogue, just singing.”
There is also an exorbitant amount of dancing and moving. The cast will be extremely busy and always on the move.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” has a very involved, but small, ensemble. In musical theater, an ensemble is anyone performing without a named role. The majority of musicals have many named roles and opportunities other than the ensemble. This makes this show distinctly different from past shows.
However, there are a number of main roles, some of them being mixed in with the ensemble. The lead roles in the show are Narrator and Joseph. Joseph is played by junior Caden Miller, who is very involved in the music department. Since the role of Narrator is very vocally challenging, it was split between three cast members. Juniors Katherine Drezewski, Sydney Klick and Addison Davis share the role of Narrator, and have enjoyed putting their own spins on their individual songs.
The other named roles include the Pharaoh, Jacob, Potiphar, Mrs.Potiphar, the Brothers, Baker and Butler. Seniors Lilah Clark and Ava Richter get to play as Butler and Baker together, after participating in the musical for years together. Richter also is playing the part of the mischevious Mrs.Potiphar, while freshman Easton Dulaney acts as Potiphar. Both Pharaoh and Jacob are played by sophomore Oliver Bodart.
Joseph’s eleven brothers are played by a group ranging from freshmen to seniors, and have a diverse range of voices and skills. They include Noah Jahn, Stephanie Drezewski, Riley Pegram, Evan Slagle, Kristen Davis, Peter Mugabo, Georgia Poach, Isabelle Ikach, Brynn Tomey, Meredyth Stimmel, and Allie Ewbank.
Stimmell commented, “I was cast as Levi and I was excited because this is my first named role,” Stimmell is one of the brothers in this year’s musical, but will also be a part of the ensemble.
The story follows the life of Joseph and his eleven brothers. In the beginning of the show, the Narrators and Jacob make it clear that Joseph is the favorite son, which makes his brothers jealous. Their jealousy causes Joseph to be sold into slavery by his siblings. While locked up, discovers that he has the ability to interpret dreams, resulting in his rise from rags to riches, becoming the Pharaoh’s right-hand man.
Since the story takes place in Egypt, the sets will require intricate backdrops and props. Joseph was born in Canaan and was taken to Egypt, so the backdrops will be reminiscent of ancient Egypt and transport audiences back many centuries.
The show will be performed from March 13-16, 2025, in the high school auditorium, with the Sunday show being a matinee. Tickets will be available upon entrance to the musical and online. More information can be found on Trinity’s website.
