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newlenoxpatriot.com life & arts
the New Lenox Patriot | July 21, 2016 | 21
‘Joseph’ performances to benefit Rotary Club
Travis Cornejo
Freelance Reporter
Rehearsals are underway
for Lincoln-Way Area Summer
Stock Theatre’s 2016
production of “Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat,” presented by
the Rotary Club of New
Lenox.
The musical by Andrew
Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice
is based on the story of Joseph
and the coat of many
colors from the Book of
Genesis. Performances are
slated to begin Friday, July
22, at Lincoln-Way West.
“Most community theaters
rehearse over a 10-week period,”
producer Kevin Molloy
said. “Our rehearsals are
done in four weeks. That’s a
big challenge. This is a rehearsal
process on steroids.
The cast is off book before
they even show up on day
one. To me, that’s what
makes this special.”
And for director Mike
Knezz, just four weeks were
available to wrangle his cast
of nearly 80 children and
adults.
“It’s challenging, but these
are really good people,” he
said. “As long as I communicate
in a positive way, it’s
all good. This is something
special, and I’m just glad
to be part of it. It’s great for
the community, and what
the Rotary Club does for the
area is awesome.”
One of the stars of the
cast is Justin Corp, a recent
graduate of Lincoln-Way
North. A veteran of his
high school’s theater group,
Corp’s turn as Joseph marks
his first role in an independent
production.
“It’s been a little tough,”
he said regarding the rehearsal
schedule. “There’s
a lot of work to be done on
your own. And the dances
JoAnn Robertson (left) puts a wig on Mimi Pahis, who plays Potiphar’s wife, to prepare for
rehearsal.
are the hardest part, because
there’s so little time to put
it together with everyone
else.”
Overall, he said it
has been an incredible
experience, and it helps
to know the production is
raising money for a good
cause — for Rotary.
But while Corp is moving
on to college in the fall, Tom
Venutolo, who plays the
Pharaoh, will return to the
halls of Lincoln-Way West
as he’s done every year since
2009. As the high school’s
choir director, it was a simple
coincidence that got him
involved in this year’s production.
“I had just come back from
a field trip with my kids, and
they were using my choir
room for auditions,” Venutolo
said. “They asked if I
was going to audition. I said
‘maybe,’ but I wasn’t planning
on it. Now all of a sudden,
here I am playing the
Pharaoh.”
Next week will mark
Venutolo’s first time on stage
in nearly 17 years. While he
performed in college, he’s
spent most of the time since
behind the scenes, either directing
or performing in the
pit.
“It’s a fun role, and the
experience has been a whirlwind,”
he said. “A lot of my
students are in the show,
which is cool. And it’s just
a fun show for the audience
and the cast. It’s probably
one of the best family shows
there is. The energy is just
contagious.”
Other than Knezz’s direction,
bringing the show together
is Sara Martin, who
plays the narrator.
“The narrator is exactly
what it sounds like,” she
said. “I tell the story as it
goes. I open it up, and I keep
the story moving along as
characters move in and out
of the show.”
As a stay-at-home mom,
Martin has been involved
with community theater for
the past 25 years. And for her,
the intense production schedule
is actually a benefit.
“I love these production
schedules,” she said. “I like
it because it’s four times a
week for three to four weeks.
No weekend rehearsals. So
being a sports mom, that
‘Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat’
performance schedule
Where: Lincoln-Way West
Fine Arts Center, 21701
S. Gougar Road in New
Lenox
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday,
July 22, and Saturdays,
July 23 and 30; 2 p.m.
Sundays, July 24 and 31
Price: $20 Rows Q-Y and
for seniors and students
at matinees; $25 Rows
A-P
To buy: Visit www.
newlenoxrotary.org or
call (708) 339-1883.
means I don’t have to miss
any games. It works out really
great.”
But it does present a challenge
when it comes to
memorizing her lines. As the
narrator, she sings for nearly
70 percent of the show.
“I think so far it’s been
a really good experience,”
she said. “This is my first
big show with this group.
They’re doing great things,
and I love doing shows for
Justin Corp, who plays Joseph, shows off his costume
during a rehearsal of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat” Thursday, July 14, at Lincoln-Way West.
Photos by Laurie Fanelli/22nd Century Media
Kelsie Kasky, junior choreographer, waves a flag during a
dance.
charity. Any time you can
raise money for other people
or help other people, it really
boosts it up because this
is community theater, and I
think one of the driving forces
is to help people in your
community.”