Leon County high school students are staging a musical time trip back to the 1960s beginning this week. The production is "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."
A school staging is especially appropriate for this musical. Mainly because "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" had its stage debut at the English equivalent of a middle school in 1965. But despite the 1960s vintage, it seems Tim Rice, who wrote the lyrics and Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote the music, tried for something that would outlive the era of tie-dye shirts and psychedelic rock n' roll.
"Andrew Lloyd Webber was so young when he wrote it, but he wrote it to make sure that lots of genres were represented in the musical context. So there's the calypso and hoe-down and a high opera piece. One of the pieces, we're putting on sweat bands and wrist bands and doing it like an 80s workout."
That's Leon High School Choral director Tabitha Peck, who is the directing the musical. Although she says the students involved with the production are not confined to "Big Red."
"Leon of course is the bulk of the group, but we've also got students from Lincoln and CHiles and Godby."
Students who, says Peck, could relate instantly to the show's embedded themes of sibling rivalry, being a stranger in a strange land and discovering one's true self. Because of that, the cast members bring a compelling immediacy and understanding to the story.
"It's beautiful, the transition of Joseph when he's sold into slavery to his rise in power in Egypt. There are beautiful and fun moments. The 11 brothers of Joesph will have you in stitches. They are hilarious guys and it's a really fun show all around."
Peck says the opening night for "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" is this Thursday evening.
"We do two weekend in a row. The shows on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday."
