Family Affair: Clarksville Little Theatre musical features family ties

Sep. 1—CLARKSVILLE — Clarksville Little Theatre actors are practing for their next show, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," with 10 families represented in the musical.

"Joesph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" is a musical, originally created by Tim Rice with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors.

Much like in the Bible, Joseph in the musical overcomes all the hardships and challenges that come his way.

"There's a different genre for every song," said Cathy Ryan, the director of the musical. "There's a calypso, there's a big ballad. It's just everything you would want to see in a musical theater."

Working with 10 families has been a great experience for Ryan. The adults who play the wives and brothers help direct their children for the musical.

"They're showing them what to do and they're bringing them on to be the next generation here at Clarksville Little Theatre," Ryan said. "We just celebrated 75 years and we're just going to continue and keep going with things like this."

Earlier this year, the theater celebrated its 75th anniversary with a gala at The Magnolia. The theater has had shows in each of its 75 seasons.

Christa Thompson plays one of the wives in the musical. She has two kids in the musical that are in the children's choir, Georgia and Joel Thompson.

"I have done theater since middle school," Christa said. "Georgia did her very first show here doing 'Lion King Jr.' This is Joel's very first show ever."

With her two children being in the show, Christa has been able to see them learn and work together while on the stage. Theater is a family affair for the Thompsons.

Since her first time being on stage, Georgia has been in other plays and musicals. She has a big interest in the arts and wants to continue pursuing them.

"Usually I just hangout and draw," Georgia said. "I also do plays a lot, and that's all I want to do. One day I want to be a voice actor."

Jason Lindsey, who plays Levi, one of Joseph's brothers in the musical, has his daughter, Madi Lindsey, in the children's choir as well.

"It's been really fun because I get to be with some of my friends and I get help with some of the littler kids," Madi said. "I love to sing and I love to just be on stage because it's really fun. I feel comfortable on stage and I love it."

Madi has been in five shows so far and was in "A Christmas Carol" with her father last winter.

"Being able to make those kinds of memories with her that we'll always remember, it's really neat," Jason said. "But seeing so many other families too, I think that's great because you don't get many opportunities to do that where you're both at the perfect age to be in the same kind of show."