Area Life

AAHS presenting ‘Technicolor Dreamcoat’

The Altoona Area High School Performing Arts Club will present "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 6, in the high school auditorium.

One of the most enduring shows of all time, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" is a reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob, eleven brothers and the coat of many colors. Told entirely through song with the help of a main character narrator, the musical follows Joseph, the preferred son of Jacob. After being sold into slavery by his brothers, he ingratiates himself with Egyptian noble Potiphar, but ends up in jail after refusing the amorous advances of Potiphar's wife. While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty but troubled Pharaoh. Joseph's solution to Egypt's famine elevates him to the Pharaoh's right-hand man and reunites him with his family.

The Performing Arts Club began working on the musical in January, focusing on all aspects of the production, including building sets, making costumes and designing lights, director Ben Cossitor said.

"We watched our students grow over the process as they learned the meaning of this commitment and how their hard work pays off," Cossitor said. "It's been especially exciting to see many of our youngest elementary performers experience all of this for the first time."

Cast/crew

The cast includes Leah St. Croix as Narrator Leah, Laura Reed as Narrator Laura, Jane Fox as Narrator Jane, Ethan Eisenhart as Joseph, Cara Bolvin as Jacob/Potiphar, Rosslyn Jones as Jacob's wife, Ryan Longstreth as Reuben, Evan McGuire as Simeon, Trevor Wilson as Levi, Ethan Peterman as Judah, Owen Carmel as Dan, Greg Wenzel as Naphtali, Logan Schaffer as Gad, Gabrielle Beldin as Asher, Emily Pentland as Isaachar, Emily Berkheimer as Zebulum, Camille Krug as Benjamin, Skylar Rutherford as Potiphar's wife, Jillian Pierannunzio as Baker, Tyrese Hardison as Butler, Gavin Harkins as Pharaoh and Claire Piper as Canaan Days Featured Dancer.

Guards, Egyptian servants and Jacob's family were played by Olivia Behe, Ava Conrad, Liam Diehl, Michaela Etters, Bella Getty, Alexandria Hamel, Jorja Kimball, Payge Lamborn, Clarissa Long, Emmalee Martyak, Emily Myers, Claire Piper, Gabriella Ross, Leigha Short, Baylin Smith, Gabriella Sparacino, Alyssa Stetser, Kiera Stoltenberg, Selena Thompson, Lydia Wise, Sophia Wise and Karinna Wolfe.

Ishmaelites as well as the Cows and Corn Ensemble were played by AAHS faculty including Dave Borst, Gale Brubaker, Laura Brubaker, Jamie Colman, Denise Condo, Betsy Cron, Larry Detwiler, Tom Fox, Jess Hogan, Carolyn Kline, Megan Leone, Paige Matteson, Tom Palfey, Tabitha Quinn, Madison Runk, Jacob Wilt and Drew Yingling.

The show is under the direction of Ben Cossitor, with Bryce Cossitor as music director and Michele Dugan as assistant director and choreographer.

Co-choreographer is Anne Diminick; pharaoh movement is Mark Perehenic; children's choir directors are Kristin delGiudice and Shannen Billie; rehearsal accompanist is Susan Cossitor; pit orchestra conductor is Kelly Detwiler; technical director is Dave Borst; scenic design is Steve Smith; set painting/construction are Dave Borst, Jenifer Deblois, Courtney Getty, Caleb Marasco, Matthew Miller, Dennis Peterman and Jim Reed; costume/makeup design is Karen Hamel; costume construction is Cassandra Hamel, J Hamel and Karen Sparacino; prop design is Lucy Craig and Paige Matteson; logo design is Anne Diminick; program/poster design is Nancy Wonderly; headshots and production photos is Chuck Meyers and box office/usher coordinator is Kimberly Lenning.

Student director is Ava Rokosky; stage managers are Tommy Ford and Laila Wilkinson; assistant stage managers are Savannah Huss and Eli Rosenberry; student choreographers are Claire Piper and Emily Berkheimer; dance captain is Claire Piper; set construction are Silas Chirdon, Griffin Hollen, Anthony Jablonski, Daniel Kelley, Adrielle McNeal, Joshua Miller, Carmen Stevanus and Isabella Tarras; community service workers are Dylan Mort and Rayne Schraff; 6th period fall set design class is Owen Carmel, Silas Chirdon, Jackie Dalton, David DelFosse, Stayley Drenning, Ethan Eisenhart, Jordyn Fratangeli, Leah Garman, Kirra Klein, Rayne Schraff and Carmen Stevanus; 6th period spring engineering physics class is Brian Beere, Emily Berkheimer, Dylan Free, Tommy Ford, Anthony Jablonski, Mykynzee Milchak, Reece Myers, Maddy Pastore and Lucas Sipes; set painting is Carmen Stevanus, Stayley Drenning, Kelsey Crider, Myla Drenning, Bella Getty, Chassity Greenwood, Nyah Hughes-Thaxton, Nevaeh Kirsch, Kaiden Persing, Sofia Saracoglu, Arieana Scriver and Mackenzie Smith; projection art is Rebecca Matous; props are Taylin Geist, Devyn Eckels, Graycie Snyder and Addison Wilson.

Costumes are Alex Hamel, Mack Callan, Owen Carmel, Emma Garhart, Sophia Feigh, Haven Femea, Griffin Hollen, Finn Lesnikowski, Alaina Noel, Julia Schmitt and Carissa Ziegler; hair/makeup are Olivia Behe and MJ Miller; stage crew are Kitt Cox, Ruth Cron, Myla Drenning, Stayley Drenning, Ethan Franks, Adrielle McNeal, Ellie Oster, Avery Reimer and Carmen Stevanus; lights are Joshua Miller, Cider Ayala, Cassidy Clark, Alexis Fraundorfer and Emma Lunglhofer; sound is Attison Batten, Kelsey Crider and Rowan McCusker and publicity/broadcasting are Ava Cabell and Jaidyn Palladini.

The AASD Children's Choir includes Lorilye Babiak, Paisley Bauder, Azula Campell, Kaelyn Cherry, Madilyn Fagan, Campbell Fleegle, Brandi Frank, Kaylee Hoffner, Ethan Holzer, Victoria Larrimore, Devon Minnoia, Heidi Myers, Nolan Phillips, Hannah Pierannunzio, Marissa Scalise, Riley Schayl, Ava Starner, Harper Stenger, Norah Wertz and Emma Zearfoss.

The pit orchestra includes Rachel Kennedy on flute; Griffin Hollen on clarinet; Noah Hillard on saxophone; James Horell on French horn; Eileena Guo, Lavendia Guo, Emma Lunglhofer and Melissa Krainer on violins; Elexis Hawksworth and Morgan Hollern on violas; Andrea Slusser and Mira Sparacino on cellos; Sarah Saylor on electric bass; Isaac Hillard on piano; Isabella Abbott and Alyssa Koch on keyboards; Reece Myers on drum set and Meleah Lang on percussion.

Tickets for "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" are $10 for adults and $5 for students. They are reserved seating and can be purchased at the door 45 minutes prior to each performance. Tickets are also available online at altoonaasd.booktix.com with additional processing fees.