The boys from St Colmcille's PS in Omagh are once again taking to the stage with their production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Many of you may remember the first time Joseph was put on by St Colmcille's over 30 years ago and then more recently in 1994.
While each production has had its own distinctive style, the underlying storyline remains intact.
The narrators, Liam Floyd and Kevin Rafferty, lead us through the story. It starts out with Jacob, played by Dillon Sloane, being blessed with 12 sons. Of these, the second youngest and his favourite is Joseph (Darragh McCann). Joseph is good and kind and serves his father and family well as a shepherd. However, the other brothers, made up by the formidable group of Conan Byrne, Darren Campbell, Charlie Colton, Paul Gormley, Ronan Hackett, Paul Lowe, Ciaran McCann, Barry McCrory, Diarmuid O'Doherty, Conor O'Neill and Conor Tierney, resent the favouritism which Jacob shows towards Joseph. Their anger against Joseph grows when their father gives him a dazzling coat of many colours. Joseph is a dreamer and his dreams tell him that he will become a great man whom his brothers will look up to. On hearing this the brothers decide that something must be done about the Joseph.
Out in the fields, the brothers attack Joseph, strip him of his coat and are about to throw him into a pit, when a band of Ishmaelites pass by. The brothers sell Joseph to them as a slave and return to their father with the news that Joseph is dead.
In Egypt, Joseph is then sold to Potiphar (Ronan Hackett), a wealthy merchant. He serves his master faithfully and is quickly promoted and things are beginning to look brighter for Joseph until Potiphar becomes jealous and has him thrown into jail. While in jail, Joseph builds up a reputation as someone who can interpret dreams. The Pharaoh (Caolan Gillespie) hears of this and calls for Joseph to come and explain the dreams he has been having. So, we see Joseph's importance within Egypt growing. Egypt is prospering due to Joseph.
Meanwhile, in the land of Canaan there is a famine so in desperation, Jacob and Joseph's brothers set out for Egypt in search of food. The story reaches its exciting end when the brothers meet up with Joseph for the final showdown and what promises to be an explosive climax.
The show is produced by Fiona McGowan and directed by both Mrs McGowan and Paul Groogan. Musical direction is Brian McDevitt and Mairead Prunty is choral director. Aideen Shannon has assisted th e directors with choreography. The sets are yet again designed and painted by Anthony Bradley and constructed by the team of Niall Turbett, Robert Galbraith and Aiden McKernaghan. Wardrobe design is in the capable hands of Breidge Gallagher and Alison McElhatton.
The show opens on Monday, April 21 at 7.30pm in the Christian Brothers Grammar School and runs until Wednesday, April 23. Tickets are available from the secretary's office at St Colmcille's Primary School, Brook Street.
