Cast of 'Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' Is One Big Family

Rehearsing with the same group of people for months often creates a strong bond between cast members. But the cast of Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat may have the strongest theatrical bond yet.

It's because they're family—literally and figuratively.

Literally, of the 66-member cast, 40 people are actually related to others in the production.

And figuratively, cast members who have no blood relatives in the musical are still part of a family—a theater family.

Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the latest of Collingswood Community Theatre's productions. But according to cast members, it's more than just a community theater group.

It's a second family that Collingswood resident and Joseph cast member Chuck Jackson, 43, calls his "Theatre Family." Jackson and his own family have been involved with Collingswood Community Theatre (CCT) almost since its inception.

"My father-in-law was actually in (CCT's) first-ever show, and remained involved for subsequent productions. Then my wife, Stacey, got involved, and the rest of us jumped on and have been a part of it ever since," said Jackson.

But Jackson said having real family in the cast—wife Stacey, 40, who's in the female ensemble and helps with props; daughter Emily, 11, in the children's choir; son Kyle, 13, in the children's choir; and son Stephen, 17, who's handles production and tech-work—doesn't mean their bond hasn't extended to others.

"It's fun to be involved with all the other families in the cast," said Jackson. "When you interact with the same people so much, it becomes a secondary family, which we refer to as our 'Theatre Family.' And those people have become as much of a family to my own children as my wife and I are as parents."

While families like the Jacksons have been a staple at CCT since the beginning, new families—like the Hollands—are only making the borough's theater family even bigger.

Miles and Erin Holland—both 35-year-old Collingswood residents—and their children are one of the newest CCT families. In fact, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the first theatrical production any of them have ever participated in.

"We've been to see musicals in the past, and it always seemed like a fun thing to be part of," said Erin, adding that Joseph is the Holland family's favorite musical. "So when we heard they were doing Joseph, Miles told me he was going to audition. And I told him I'd be mad if he was in it without me, so I decided to get involved, too."

And CCT's latest production quickly became a Holland-family affair.

Miles and Erin are both part of Joseph's cast, and their 5-year-old daughter Annaliese is a member of the children's chorus.

The Holland's presence has made the CCT family stronger—especially since Miles, who works as a math teacher at Collingswood High School, said his theater family includes a lot of new, but familiar, faces.

"I got to meet a lot of people I normally wouldn't have met," said Miles of joining the cast. "And then after meeting them, I realized I already knew other members of their families as well—through my working at the high school. A few of my students are even in the play, and it's great to kind of get to know them on a different level."

And according to her mom, Erin, even the littlest Holland, Annaliese, is enjoying integrating her family into the theater's.

"She's really enjoying it," said Erin of her daughter's role in children's choir. "The other day, she said to her grandmother, 'Granny, I want to be in hundreds of plays!'"

And even Collingswood Community Theatre Assistant Director Terry Seeley, who's been involved with CCT from its early days, says the experience is a family affair. Besides acting as assistant director, Seeley is part of the chorus, her son Michael is a cast member, and Michael's mother-in-law is a chorus member.

Seeley said her family has become part of the theater thanks to one person—Collingswood Community Theatre Director Mary Baldwin.

"Mary used to direct the high school shows, and when she started Collingswood Community Theatre, we (the parents of her young cast members) all came to see our kids perform," said Seeley. "But Mary told us, 'If you're all going to come watch your kids perform, then you're going to be performing with them.'"

According to Seeley, CCT's family-oriented productions help theater life to run more smoothly, mainly because everyone is so comfortable around each other.

"It's funny, because the other day, my son Michael was talking to one of the new girls (in the cast), and she said to him, 'You've really got to tell me who's related to who, because I feel like I'm the only one here not related to anyone else," Seeley said, chuckling. "Of these families (in CCT), most of us have all known each other since our kids were in middle school. And now, my Michael's turning 26 this year."

And now, Collingswood's theater family is in full-gear, preparing for opening night of Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The production's first full orchestral rehearsal was this past Saturday, and its first dress rehearsal—which has actors in full-costume—was Sunday.

This coming Tuesday, the cast will run-through its first full dress rehearsal—which, in addition to costumes, will make use of sets, props and makeup.

But to see the CCT family in full effect, theater-goers must wait for opening night.

CCT's production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat opens Thursday, Feb. 17 at the Scottish Rite Auditorium.

What: Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Who: Presented by Collingswood Community Theatre

Where: Scottish Rite Auditorium, 315 White Horse Pike in Collingswood

When: Opening night Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Cost: Adults $15, students and seniors $10

Group discounts and other special deals are available. For more information, and to see a full schedule of performance dates and times for Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, visit Collingswood Community Theatre's website.