The Show That Made Me Want to Pursue Theatre

Gianna Principe

When I look back from my resume of theatre roles, there's one that stands out to me as the one. The one that made me want to peruse musical theatre. That role was a child in the kids chorus of Joseph And the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. 

I was twelve years old when I was cast. It was a community theatre show in Bartlett, Illinois. It was the most exciting thing to be cast in a show with both kids and adults! To twelve year old me it was like being cast in a professional Broadway show. Because In my mind and heart it was. 

When I learned I was cast in the kid's chorus I immediately went and rented the cast album. Yes, I said rent. From my local library! Yes I had iTunes and YouTube on my side because I was living in the age of modern and technology. But I wanted to be old fashion I guess. I went to the library and checked out the cast album and put it inside my laptop and listened. And I was blown away. Script in my lap and headphones on I listened to Donny Osmond blow my mind with his powerful voice. I swayed along with songs like Any Dream Will Do, Joseph's coat, Stone the Crows and Go Go Joseph! 

But I'll never forget listening to the opening chords of Jacob and Sons. It was classic Andrew Lloyd Webber at his finest. It still gives me chills when I listen. It's a song I have a special place in my heart for.

Soon the rehearsal process started and I learned the ropes of the show. The creative team behind it were (and still are!) amazing! And I even got my chance to shine in the show. The choreographer thought I was the right choice to lead the line of the kids chorus for Joseph's Coat and I remember being so nervous like this was a big opportunity for me I never lead anything until that point and damn it I was going to do it perfectly! And I'm happy to report that no mistakes were made!

The cast. This cast was simply amazing and I looked up to (and still do look up to) and admired. I got along with everyone in the cast and considered them family. It was my first taste of cast becoming family in a show. Which was the first and happily wasn't the last for me. 

The weekend of the show I was so excited! I was going to proudly present a show that we all worked hard on and were happy about. I remember my costume so vividly. For the first act, a white blouse and leggings and the second act had me in leggings and a vibrant neon green shirt. My hair was in pigtails which I had never done before but I kept them straight and school girl like! 

As I watched the show unfold from the wings of the stage I saw the happiness unfold in the eyes of my cast mates and my music director and directors. I saw the happiness and joy they got from performing and singing and creating the bond we had. And I realized that i had that happiness in me too. The months of singing in rehearsal rooms and watching the set being built and the long but fun (for me at least) tech week and finally to performance weekend. I realized that I wanted to do this until the day I die. I wanted to do musicals and plays and theatre as my career. I wanted this to be my life. 

When the show ended we watched as the set was taken down and the amazing Coat of many colors was taken back to the costume closet. And I could feel the start of post-show depression hit. It was the first time it ever hit me. A crash of drums, a flash of light, the golden coat now out of sight yet I was left with the amazing memories and I regretted none of it. And I never will because what I got out of those months are irreplaceable. 

Now I am a nineteen-year-old college kid going to school in New York for theatre. 

To the directors and cast of that amazing show, thank you all for giving me these amazing memories and I miss you all! 

Any dream will do, indeed!