St. Anne to put on Joseph

By Korey Lalonde

St. Anne Catholic High School is aiming to dazzle its audience with its upcoming, colourful musical.

St. Anne’s is in the final stages of rehearsals for their performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The high school is promising that this will be their most vibrant and energetic musical so far.

Mr. Gabe Gagnon, a co-director for the musical and the actors’ vocal coach is enthusiastic about rehearsals for the show.

“In the last month of things, we don’t get much time to practice because we only get access to the stage now,” said Gagnon. “We build the props, set the lights and try and get the microphones ready. That’s the fun part, the last three weeks before the show, and hopefully it works out. It always does.”

Gagnon believes that the technical rehearsals are when the performers begin to be their best.

“Once the tech part starts, the kids get pumped. They put their costumes on, their makeup and they realize ‘Oh yeah, this is why I’m doing this,’” said Gagnon.

The cast and chorus of the musical are comprised of students of St. Anne. The pit orchestra and backstage crew include both current students, as well as former students of the high school.

Jillian Robinson, 16, plays the role of the Narrator and said she is excited that St. Anne chose Joseph for this year’s musical.

“I’m a huge fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s work, and Joseph has always been one of my favourite plays,” said Robinson. “When I found out that St. Anne’s was doing it, it was right up my alley.”

Robinson said a lot of time and energy goes into rehearsals.

“Right now everything’s just coming together with the pit orchestra and the choreography is getting better and better and the cast is learning all the lines. Just that feeling of nailing a scene is a really good feeling,” said Robinson.

The original musical was written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Its first performance took place Mar. 1, 1968. It was Webber and Rice’s first musical to be performed publically.

The show is set to open Feb. 15.