Proceeds from ‘Joseph’ will benefit Judevine Center

Lola Wade, English and theater instructor for McCauley High School, will be directing the play Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, which will be presented at Missouri Southern.

“Part of the proceeds will go to Judevine; it’s an autism awareness center here in Joplin,” Wade said. The production will also benefit the Joplin Area Catholic Schools, who are producing the play.

Wade arranged to have the play presented at Taylor Performing Arts Center by contacting Terri Spencer, theater department secretary, who reserved the facility for the production.

Wade said that there was another reason that the Judevine Center was chosen to benefit from the production.

“We had some people that were alumni of McCauley,” she said, “Who had autistic children.”

Wade also said part of the mission of the Joplin Area Catholic Schools is “to give back to the community.” All students at McCauley High School are required to complete some community service before they graduate.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat is based upon the Old Testament story of Joseph and the “coat of many colors.” According to the story, a boy named Joseph was the favorite son of his father, Jacob, who gave Joseph the coat as a gift.

Joseph’s other brothers became jealous and sold Joseph into slavery.

“The whole story is supposed to be seen through the eyes of children,” Wade said.

In the play, which was written during the 1960s, the Pharaoh is depicted as an Elvis-type character, Wade said. It was written this way so that children can better understand and identify with the story and its characters.

She chose this play to be presented because “it’s got a good message.”

University President Bruce Speck has one of the major roles. Speck will be playing the character of Jacob, Joseph’s father.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat will have a pre-show at 7:30 p.m. and the play will begin at 8:00 p.m. It will be presented April 3 and 4.