Musical based off religious story poses questions

Ahh, musical season again. Everyone involved is getting excited for auditions and cannot wait until the show starts, but not everyone thinks that this year’s musical is necessarily a very good show to be putting on.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is based on the biblical story of Joseph and his twelve brothers who get jealous over the fact that Joseph is his father, Jacob’s favorite son.

The fact that this story comes from a religious book has raised speculation on whether it’s appropriate for our school by both religious and non-religious people. The religious, of course, finding it sacrilegious or insulting to their beliefs, and the non-religious finding it to be a conversion effort.

I have grown up listening to this musical, I’ve seen it live, I know the music. And I can say that this musical is not meant to be offensive to either side.

If this musical were meant to try to convert people to Christianity, it would be a major failure. It is not some church pageant or skit, is a musical that has been professionally performed for over a decade. It also never directly mentions God.

I don’t think anyone should take it offensively just because the musical was based off of a story that came out of a religious book that one may or may not believe in.

On the other hand, for those who are religious that find this musical to be offensive, it shouldn’t be considered to be ridiculing Christianity. Andrew Lloyd Webber, the one who wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as well as some of the world’s best known musicals such as Cats, Evita and Phantom of the Opera, was raised in a Christian home.

As far as I see it, this musical isn’t making a story from the bible look stupid, but rather, to illustrate the story in a fun, exciting new way with unique and upbeat music.

I encourage everyone to go see the musical when shows start in November. Our school always does a good job, don’t let the fact that the story came from a religious book give you negative thoughts about the production whether or not you believe this story to be true.

16bmathias@usd489.com