Forgiveness and Family Featured in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

From the musical genius of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice comes the Old Testament tale of Joseph and his 11 brothers. A favored child among his brothers, Joseph's dreams take him from lowly slave to ruler of Egypt. Along the way he encounters imprisoned members of the royal court, the Elvis-like Pharaoh, and a chance to show his brothers forgiveness. Performances run October 27- November 6 at Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker St. Des Plaines.

Family is a key theme for Spotlight’s latest production, both on stage and off. Jason Schmidt plays Joseph, and his sister, Amanda Schmidt, is the show’s assistant choreographer.

“I love watching Jason perform,” says Amanda. “He’s so good at it. It brings me so much joy to see him on stage. I feel it’s a passion we have in common, and makes it more meaningful when we do a show together and get to work on it together.”

“She always supports me in what I am doing,” says Jason. “She is good at letting me know when I need to fix something in a positive way.”

Jason and Amanda have both been a part of the Spotlight theater community for many years, and both say that they have made some of their best friends and greatest memories as Spotlight performers. “Spotlight has been a safe haven for me, for my entire life,” says Jason. “It is the thing I look forward to every single week. It has really developed into my passion.”

Amanda agrees, adding, “I was never really someone who cared a lot if I was the lead. The best part was doing it with my friends and being able to express myself through dance. And now I love to mentor and teach the younger generation.”

Many of Spotlight’s performers and crew are families that work together. Parent volunteers make a great deal of the production come to life – costumes, tech, refreshments, green room, house … all are provided by the families of the students in the show.

Elizabeth Giromini is the Production Coordinator for Northwest Cook Spotlight. “I always say I got involved with this because my daughter loved to perform. But the TRUTH is I immediately made so many friends, it became an extended family for us.”

The story of Joseph is a familiar one. Lloyd Webber’s music and Tim Rice’s lyrics bring Joseph’s family and his famous coat to life. Forgiveness is a key element to the story. After everything that is done to Joseph, he still forgives his brothers. In Close Every Door, Joseph realizes that it is God’s world, not his, and God is in control. Amanda says, “It doesn’t just follow Joseph’s story - it also follows the brothers’ story as they seek forgiveness.”

“I love that it is the telling of a Bible story in a fun and joyous way that people can relate to,” says Giromini. “I love the idea of people coming to the theater and leaving with smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts.”

“We grew up listening to it, Jason and I,” says Amanda. “It is our mom’s favorite musical, so it is especially meaningful to me to do this with him.”

Jason agrees. “It is such a powerful show. The vocals are so good; I think no matter where you come from you are going to have a good time watching it.”

Excellent vocals and production values are what we’ve come to expect from Spotlight, who stages 3 full musicals a year in the Prairie Lakes Theater. After an exceptional production of Les Miserables last fall, Joseph promises to be just as good.

“Our performances are unique in that we expect so much out of these young people, but when you come and experience the production, you are so surprised that it is all children age 8 to 18,” says Giromini. “Our youth are capable of GREAT things! Especially when expect them to rise.”

“And what a great theater experience for the whole family!” continues Giromini. “You don’t have to drive all the way into the city; you’ve got a nice little family oriented theater right here!”

Full of color, energy and incorporating dozens of musical styles, Joseph is sure to dazzle audiences young and old. You won’t want to miss this musical full of fun for the whole family! To purchase tickets, call 847-516-2298 or visit www.spotlight.org. Tickets are $9-$12 presale, + $2 at the door, and group, child, and senior prices available. The Prairie Lakes Theater seats only 300, so shows sell out very quickly.

Article and photos by Jennifer Schneider