Castlederg kids bring the house down with their version of Joseph

‘SHEER joy’ radiated from the faces of every single cast member of Much Ado Stage School at the weekend as the young performers brought an all-singing, all-dancing performance to Tyrone.

The Castlederg-based theatre school showcased what was a truly colourful and enjoyable production of the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ’Joseph and the amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ over four sold-out shows at St Patrick’s Hall, Strabane.

The mammoth production marked Much Ado’s 18th full show since the group was founded in 2008, with the group’s talented junior members from Castlederg and Strabane bringing the Biblical of Joseph and his coat of many colours to life.

Joseph – the favourite son of Jacob – is blessed with vivid dreams that foretell the future. Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph endures a series of adventures which challenge him to his core. This timeless Old Testament tale is set to a multitude of musical genres, spanning from country-western and calypso to bubble-gum pop and rock and roll.

Rois Kelly, proprietor of the drama group, described the performances as ‘an absolute blast!’

“Months of hard work, dedication and commitment from our superstars and their families came to fruition with our two casts, two techs, and four packed out shows in St Patrick’s Hall,” Rois said.

“Congratulations to our two Joseph’s, Caleb and Kris – you were both outstanding. The confidence, creativity and sheer joy that radiated from every single face from from three-to-13 years was just wonderful and made all the busy weeks of preparation unbelievably worthwhile. Massive thanks to our entire team; we couldn’t do it without your genuine care, loyalty and commitment to Much Ado StageSchool,” Rois added.

“Two full productions in five months… What an achievement.

“Let’s enjoy our end-of-term parties this week and celebrate another fantastic year at Much Ado!”