Just over 160 young performers continue to dazzle audiences with their stellar performance of the iconic musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (popularly known as Joseph).
The musical extravaganza is currently staged at Durban’s Playhouse Company until Sunday, July 16
“Joseph” forms part of 2023 by the Young Performers Project (YPP), which comprises a group of children aged between five and nineteen from more than 50 schools throughout KwaZulu-Natal.
This initiative, which started in 2001, was created to empower learners to explore musical theatre in a professional context.
“Joseph” is a sung-through musical, written in the early 60s by Tim Rice, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible.
The director, Jaco van Rensburg, works alongside the production team, which includes musical director Des Govender and choreographer Simone Mann. The cast features Aaron McIlroy as Pharaoh, an Elvis-inspired character, and Georgie Mabbett Kelly as the Narrator.
“So we have about 200 kids involved in this production, which just makes it amazing. It's a visual spectacle. The level at which these kids are performing really makes this production stand on its own two feet,” offered Van Rensburg.
The Joburg-based theatre practitioner praised his colleague, choreographer Simone Mann, for her exceptional work in teaching choreography to such a large group of children.
“My job as the director also is obviously due to make sure that the story is told clearly, but another person who really deserves a big nod is the choreographer Simone Man, who did a phenomenal job in choreographing all of these kids.
“Teaching choreography to professionals is one thing, and teaching kids is another thing, but teaching a hundred and sixty-seven kids, is a massive undertaking”.
“This is a visual feast for the eyes, and the lighting is beautiful, and the costumes are amazing. We didn't approach this as an amateur production, we approached it with a professional production, and the young performers have really stepped up to the plate in terms of delivering those performances.
The show explores themes of jealousy, love, loyalty, and family, which resonates with audiences.
“Joseph is one of the very few musicals that was written with a children's choir in mind because it was written to be a school play.
“So we found it was the perfect vehicle for something like the Young Performance Project and to give it a grand scale treatment, to add hundreds of kids to it and hundreds of costumes to it.
“But we've kept very true to the story of Jacob and his 12 sons and the brothers who then get jealous of Joseph for his gift of being able to interpret dreams, and they sell him.
“Joseph ends up in Egypt, and where he becomes Pharaoh's second in command. And when famine strikes Canaan and where his brothers are, they go to Egypt to go and look for food and find that Joseph is not dead.
“So essentially, it's a story about community, and it's a story about forgiveness and those sort of themes resonate with youngsters all over.
“It's a universal story that we will never get tired of because it promotes good values and good understanding and working together and all those beautiful things that we want to instil in our children.
“And I think Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will forever be an evergreen story that we will be attracted to,” quipped Van Rensburg.
The YPP traditionally focused on high school learners, but the choice of a musical for 2023 led to the decision to audition for primary school students.
The production features two on-stage choirs of 55 children each, who alternate performances. This is likely the first Joseph production in South Africa to feature such a large, live on-stage children's choir.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” runs for a limited season at the Playhouse Company, which concludes on Sunday, July 17.
Tickets cost R150 and are available from Webtickets.
ANOTHER N0T TO BE MISSED SHOW
“Winnie the Pooh”
Where: Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.
When: Until July 16.
‘’Winnie the Pooh’’ is a delightful and episodic retelling of A.A. Milne's beloved stories about Christopher Robin and his lovable animal friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.
The production features a mix of new child actors and regular members of the KickstArt theatre company in various roles.
The main characters include Blessing Xaba as Winnie the Pooh, Iain Robinson as Eeyore, Lyle Buxton as Owl, Amahle Tembe as Piglet, Roland Perold as Rabbit, Keryn Scott as Kanga, and Micah Stojakovic as Tigger. The children in the cast play Christopher Robin, Roo, Rabbit's friends and relations, and Alexander Beetle.
The child actors are Botshela Monyele or Kanyi Monyele as Rabbit, Cassidy Hartman or Olivia Snell as Squirrel, Daniel Radford or Zian Brink as Christopher Robin, Khayone Moyikwa as Alexander Beetle, and Arya Jugernath as Roo.
With this ensemble cast, ‘’Winnie the Pooh’’ brings to life the charming adventures of Christopher Robin and his friends, providing a heart-warming and entertaining experience for audiences.