Editorial

Dreaming in Technicolor

Thursday, March 25, 2004

In this era of easy-to-get entertainment -- with radio and television only a click away -- it's refreshing to see the people of the McCook area combine their time and talents to produce a show as elaborate as "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."

What a wonderful show it is. And, for a community the size of McCook to take on this big of a challenge and pull it off, is a tremendous compliment to those involved.

You can see the results of their efforts yourself. Within the next three days, the cast and crew will present three performances of the 95-minute show. The curtain will open at 7:30 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights at the Fox Theater, and at 2 o'clock on Sunday afternoon.

To make your show-going experience even more special, three downtown eating places are cooperating with pre-performance dining opportunities. Country Whimsey, Mexico Lindo and Sehnert's Bieroc Cafe will be serving theater guests Friday and Saturday evenings, and Country Whimsey and Mexico Lindo will be offering Sunday specials, too.

More than 90 people from the town and surrounding countryside have devoted hundreds -- if not thousands -- of hours to bring this amazing production to the McCook stage.

How could that be? Let us count the ways. The dream began when Director Charles Coleman, and his wife and assistant director, Christina Coleman, first saw the production on stage in San Diego.

From that day forward, it was just a matter of time. Work on the production started in earnest more than eight months ago -- in August of 2003 -- and has been building in intensity since that time. Throughout late summer, winter and early spring, Chuck Trail and friends have been devoting hours to the construction of sets and props, with valuable assistance rendered by Kathy McBride, Jack Stevens, Diane Trail, Trevor Premer and devoted helpers. The sphinx alone is an accomplishment of no small order.

Then, there are the costumes ... the extraordinary costumes. A number of ladies -- including Janet Kool, Janet Hepp, Jerda Garey and Sheryl Havens -- had a months-long adventure finding and making the costumes. It was lots of work, but it was satisfying when the creations were completed.

Add to that the rehearsal hours put in by the children's chorus, starting last November, and the vigorous practice schedule for the orchestra and show cast from January through this, the fourth week in March. "We've rehearsed four times a week -- Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights and Sunday afternoon," Director Coleman said. But, as tough and time-consuming as the task has been, for Orchestra Director Carl Philo, Show Directors Charles and Christina Coleman and the cast and crew, it's been worth it.

"We started in the high school choir room, moved to the high school stage and, finally, two weeks ago to the Fox stage," Coleman said. This week -- during dress rehearsals -- it all came together. "There was a good feeling about what we have accomplished," Coleman said.

Come see for yourself. Local people -- working together -- can accomplish tremendous things. For living proof, you can see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on stage Friday through Sunday at the Fox Theater in McCook.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: