In a possible world first, three Catholic priests starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's timeless musical JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT which opened last night Thursday 20th December at the Seymour Centre, Chippendale.

Fr Mark De Battista, the Assistant Priest of Camden played the lead role as Joseph, Fr Liem Duong, a Vietnamese priest serving at St Mary's Cathedral played the role of the Baker & Fr Bill Milstedy, the Parish Priest of Surry Hills played the Cupbearer.

JOSEPH THE MUSICAL is being staged as part of the national TOWARDS 2008 campaign leading up to World Youth Day 2008 and the production will be raising money for young people from drought stricken regions of Australia to travel to Sydney for the international event next July.  

"We had only ever envisaged priests playing minor roles in the production but during the auditions, the question emerged as to whether we could cast Fr Mark in the lead role," commented Anthony McCarthy the Artistic Director of JOSEPH THE MUSICAL.  "Fr Mark took the idea to his Parish Priest in Camden and to Bishop Ingham in Wollongong and both were very supportive.  We've been rehearsing ever since."

Starring alongside the priests is a cast of 70 Catholic students and young adults from universities and parishes across Sydney including Joseph Gatehau, a 2006 finalist from Australian Idol who is playing the role of Pharaoh.  

With World Youth Day Sydney less than 210 days away, the spectacular production has also taken on an Australian theme with the cast working together to collect 40 drizabones.  The drizabones will help to highlight the drought of Egypt where the land is left 'as dry as a bone'.  Joseph's dream-coat has been developed into a 'technicolour drizabone'.

JOSEPH THE MUSICAL will run from December 20-22 at the Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre and over 1,500 people are expected to attend.  Already large groups have booked from schools, universities & parishes across Sydney as well as groups of priests and religious.  Cardinal George Pell will be in attendance at the matinee performance on Saturday December 22.    

"The account of Joseph is one of the most powerful Old Testament stories of faithfulness and prayer and in many ways Joseph's life also mirrors the life of Christ himself," commented Fr Mark De Battista before the first performance.  "It is a joy to be able to play this role and to participate in the  TOWARDS 2008 campaign leading up to World Youth Day 2008."

JOSEPH THE MUSICAL is being presented by Artes Christi and Towards 2008 in association with Campion College Australia.  The full scale production will be accompanied by a 10 piece live band and will include the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber anthems Any Dream Will Do, One More Angel in Heaven, and Close Every Door. JOSEPH THE MUSICAL is being produced by arrangement with Origin Theatrical on behalf of The Really Useful Group Limited.  

Show times;

THU 20 Dec, 8pm
FRI 21 Dec, 8pm
SAT 22 Dec, 2pm Matinee
SAT 22 Dec, 8pm

For further information and comment:

Performance Details: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Venue: Seymour Centre, Sydney Dates: Thursday 20-22 December 2007 Prices: Individual Tickets from $30, Group Tickets from $25 each