Christine Wild Theatre School and Rachel Wild Performers’ Studio are preparing to bring the iconic production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to the Gaiety stage.

The curtain rises on Sunday afternoon (September 8) for what Rachel Wild promises will be an ‘uplifting audience experience’.

Joseph, with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, was their first musical to be performed in public.

There are more than 150 students, from age five to adults, taking part in each performance, with the younger children performing in teams.

Josh Riordan takes on the lead role of Joseph. Having recently moved to the UK, he has been rehearsing online and by returning for visits.

Mike Bonner is returning to the school to play the roles of Jacob and Potiphar. Meanwhile, Iain Dixon is joining the school for the first time to play Pharaoh.

Rachel said: ‘It’s great to have such reliable, enthusiastic, experienced performers working with the students.’

Due to the make up of the theatre school, the brothers are all played by females, ranging in age from 16 to 48.

Rachel said: ‘It’s great for our children to work with adults and vice versa for a multi-age performance experience.’

Asked what the audience can expect, Rachel said: ‘The show is great fun, lighthearted and joyous, great music and dance numbers throughout.

‘It will be an uplifting audience experience.

‘It has been lovely to work on something fun and all the cast have had such a laugh rehearsing it.

She said rehearsals were ‘going great’ but that they had been ‘struggling with Covid again’.

For their last Gaiety show, they ended up having to reschedule five times due to Covid lockdowns.

‘We were really hoping it wouldn’t still be having an effect on us two years on,’ she said.

The theatre run starts with a 2.30pm matinee on Sunday.

Evening performances take place from Monday, October 9 to October 14, starting at 7.30pm.

There will also be a matinee performance on October 14.

Tickets are available online at www.villagaiety.com or from the Villa Gaiety box office on 600555.