'Joseph' enters tech week at Immanuel School
It's Tech Week at Immanuel Lutheran School as students, staff, and parent volunteers put the finishing touches on their ambitious amateur production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," which debuts at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 19, in Immanuel's Family Life Center, 950 Hart Road in Batavia.
The musical tells the biblical story of Joseph, who is the apple of his father's eye. Jacob gives his favorite son a beautiful "Coat of Many Colors," engendering the irritation and dismay of his other, older sons. The sons get together and sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt. The story is developed through narration and musical styles that run the gambit from jazz to country to rock and roll to bubblegum pop to calypso.
Joseph is portrayed by eighth-grader Collin Roin, the Immanuel Lutheran student council president. He has participated in a previous Immanuel student musical production and is an annual school talent show veteran. Collin loves to sing and enjoys playing Joseph because of the way Joseph's "character develops throughout the play."
Parent volunteer directors Rebecca Bello and Bill McLane and music director Jen McLane are busy fine tuning the production at rehearsals this week and making sure costuming is complete. Middle school students have lead roles and are assisting behind the scenes, while the chorus is comprised of students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
A total of 170 students are involved in the production.
Amy Kennaugh is the volunteer technical director and has been working with other adult volunteers and the student tech team on set design, sound, and light. She has also supervised the students on the marketing team, who developed the questions and interviewed the main cast members for this article. These students are Grace Linden, Alex Kubitz, Jake Kubitz, Cam Gruel, and Evan Roin. Immanuel fourth-grader Cayla Oldenberger designed the "Coat of Many Colors" being used on posters and playbills.
Immanuel Lutheran School Principal Donna Laughlin is excited for the students to have this opportunity to share the Bible story in such a fun way; one that allows them to share their talents and create a fun, family friendly event for their audience.
Sixth-grader Chloe Nelson and eighth-grader Jocelyn Kennaugh will share narrator duties. Chole feels that it is important to share the story to help "people learn about God and the Bible." They agree that they are a little nervous, but disagree on their favorite characters. Chloe likes Pharaoh because, "at first he is arrogant, but then he helps the brothers," while Jocelyn prefers Joseph, "because he figures out who he is."
Rounding out the main cast are: Jacob (Nathan Hatch), Potiphar (Charlie Nelson), Pharaoh (Ethan Bello), Baker (Colleen Siemann), and Butler (Kayleigh McLane). The brothers are Reuben (Ethan Bello), Simeon (Warren Swanson), Levi (Kera Kennaugh), Naphtali (Kelsey LaPointe), Isacaar (Addisyn Hamill), Asher (Colleen Siemann), Dan (Ethan Peck), Zebulun (Mackenzie Murphy), Gad (Vera Indelli), Benjamin (J.T. McCormick), and Judah (Aiden Toner). The brothers' wives are portrayed by Jocelyn Kennaugh, Kayleigh McLane, and Chloe Nelson.
The community is invited to attend the productio. Senior community members are also invited to attend the full dress rehearsal beginning at 8:40 a.m. Friday, May 19, if they prefer a daytime show. Admission is free, but free will offerings will be accepted. Vera Indelli (Gad) summed it up best when she said, "It's important to have fun and tell a story."