Musical comedy to hit the rocks
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat begins Saturday

by Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 11/98) - Student performers at St. Patrick, Sir John, Weledeh and N.J. Macpherson schools are gearing up for the musical production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, beginning this weekend on the rocks at St. Pat's.

The young actors were busy Monday afternoon rehearsing the play.

"This is different from anything else we've done before," said Jeanne Hunter, musical director.

"It's a light musical, not a serious subject," she added. "We wanted it opened to all the young people in Yellowknife."

The comic spoof, based on the musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Weber has two casts, two Josephs and four narrators.

Sir John's Heather Williams is Joseph in one cast with narrators Kate Guay and Katy Dillon, while St. Pat's Marlon Mongeon plays the other Joseph with narrators Brie O'Keefe and Jane McDermott.

The play is about five brothers who conspire to kill Joseph but instead they sell him to a passing caravan, which then sells him into slavery in Egypt.

While in prison, Pharoah gets word Joseph can interpret dreams and he becomes Pharoah's number 2.

"His brothers, after seven years of famine, then show up on Egypt's doorstep. It ends happily ever after," she said.

Brian Wainwright of Yellowknife Theatre is helping with the construction of sets, props and costumes and he does all of the stage direction.

"It could not have been done without him," said Hunter.

There are no tickets being sold for the show but donations are gratefully accepted.

Shows are Feb. 14 at 8 p.m., Feb. 15 at 2 p.m., Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 21 at 2 p.m.