The 2024 Farmington High School spring musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” was a community hit, seen by over 5,000 audience members and selling out all performances. The show was also a critical success, as results of the Spotlight Education program were shared last week. Spotlight, a division of Hennepin Theater Trust, serves schools throughout Minnesota with production assessments, workshops, arts journalism, and scholarship programs.
One of the core components of the Spotlight program is a series of production assessments, in which theater professionals attend dress rehearsals and performances of school musicals. Results of these evaluations are shared with directors and students following the completion of each production. In addition to extensive written feedback, the shows are also adjudicated in 11 different categories. Evaluators assign ratings to aspects of a production including the student orchestra, stage crew, and the cast’s acting, dancing, and singing performance.
Farmington’s production of “Joseph” swept the honors, receiving marks of Outstanding (the highest possible rating) in all 11 categories. The show was recognized as an Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theater and the show has been selected to take part in the prestigious Spotlight Showcase at the State Theater in Minneapolis on Tuesday, June 11 at 7:30pm.
Four theater professionals attended “Joseph” on four separate occasions to evaluate the various aspects of the show. One of the evaluators wrote: “This was one of the best productions I have seen of Joseph in my lifetime. I was incredibly impressed by the technical elements and the performance aspects. Everyone had very clear intentions in their characters, excellent vocals, and great energy. There are very few times I see high school students performing basically at a professional level.”
“Joseph” was directed by FHS Band Director Bradley Mariska. The last FHS musical to be selected for the Spotlight Showcase was the 2014 production of “Urinetown.”
Tickets for Tuesday, June 11 Spotlight Showcase can be purchased online: https://hennepintheatretrust.org/events/spotlight-showcase-2024/