Youth theater group to stage 'Joseph' in Elgin
The biblical story of Joseph comes to life this fall in Elgin in a fun, family favorite production filled with the singalong songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
Fox Valley Youth Theatre will present "Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat" - a colorful story of sibling rivalry, reversal of fortune, and forgiveness - Sept. 8 to 17 at the Elgin Community College Arts Center.
"Joseph" is an ensemble cast featuring Joseph (Chase Nelson, Carpentersville) and narrators (Allison Masulis, St. Charles; Jessica Farfan, Gilberts; and Sydney Olson, West Dundee).
"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" is the story of Joseph, best-loved of the 12 sons of Jacob, a dreamer who was sold into slavery in Egypt by his 11 brothers and an interpreter of dreams who rose to be Pharaoh's right-hand man. He is a young man of vision who, by virtue of his talents, is reunited with his penitent brothers and beloved father.
"Joseph" is also a musical of storytelling. Like many theatrical stories, it has a narrator (in this case there are three) to introduce the story and actors to enact it. This production has an onstage audience - a youth choir - watching and responding to the story.
"'Joseph' is a story of dreamers and dreams: of how dreams are dangerous and dreamers are suspect, and of the power of dreams and how those who understand them can shape the world," said director Helen Hoffman of Barrington Hills, a former theater director for Dundee-Crown High School.
The crowd-pleasing musical is from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, the creative duo behind "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Evita." The main cast showcases 33 young people ages 14 to 19 and a youth choir of 15, ages 7 through 13, from throughout the Fox Valley area.
Matt Bishop is musical director, Maddie Plewacki the choreographer and Mary Dulabaum the producer.
Show times and tickets
"Joseph" takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 8, 9, 15 and 16, and at 2 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 10 and 17, at the Elgin Community College Blizzard Theatre. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. The Arts Center charges an additional fee of $2 per ticket and another $5 per order for online and phone sales. To purchase tickets, visit www.elgin.edu./arts or call (847) 622-0300. The Blizzard Theatre is at 1700 Spartan Drive, Building H, in Elgin.
About FVTC
Fox Valley Theatre Company, for students in Grade 9 through age 20, is an affiliate of Children's Theatre of Elgin (CTE). CTE was founded in 1988 to provide local performing arts opportunities and instruction in live theater for children in grades two to nine.
Children's Theatre of Elgin/Fox Valley Theatre Company is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation in-residence at the Elgin Community College Arts Center. For information about the organization visit CTEelgin.com or call (847) 214-7152.
Cast of Fox Valley Theatre Company's 'Joseph'
Algonquin: Kaylee Baumann, Lucas Becker
Carpentersville: Adrion Cruz, Campbell Dennison, Nick Geocaris, Catherine Hicks, Chase Nelson
East Dundee: Mack Day
Elgin: Ellie Bermudez, Kendall Burns, Addy Comings, Evie Comings, Allie Dulabaum, Haley Dulabaum, Megan Johnson, Russell Levin, Liv Litton, Isabel Martinez, Emmanuel Mateos, Michaela Newton, Sarah Rohloff, Chloe Sherman, Riyana Soni, Pari Soni, Samantha Swartz, Lilly Thompson, Sage Thompson
Gilberts: John Arnold, Aldren Briones, Auren Briones, Jessica Farfan, Dominic Frugoli, Maddie Frugoli, Morgan Miller, Jake Nyborg
Lake in the Hills: Brendan Hadfield, Sarah Hadfield
Maple Park: Amanda Schulz
Sleepy Hollow: Olivia Eckersberg, Summer Keas, Aspen Terlep
South Elgin: Gabby Ruth
Pingree Grove: Collin Bradley
St. Charles: Maggie Kinney, Allison Masulis
Streamwood: Regan Sanchez
West Dundee: Sydney Olson, Jolie Swanson