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Photo by Shawn McHugh

A member of the pit orchestra puts some color into the music of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” during a rehearsal Tuesday night at the Moffat County High School auditorium. The fall musical features a live orchestra, a chorus of elementary students and 70 songs from a wide variety of genres.

Backstage in the Moffat Coun­ty High School auditorium, the make-up lights radiated heat while cast members of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” milled around in the chaos of the dressing room.

One student put his head through the armhole of his tunic, while another girl couldn’t get her microphone taped to her blouse.

Then the houselights went down, the pit orchestra broke into an easy swing and Kyra McClellan took the stage under a spotlight.

In her sparkling black dress, McClellan’s narrator character could have been starting the show on opening night.

But director Dan Mullens said there still was room for improvement.

“I think there is a good amount of healthy panic right now,” he said. “We still have to stop and start over, and we have to stop and do this and that, but I think they’re starting to get that we really need to get it together.”

Tuesday’s musical rehearsal showed how close the cast and crew are getting to Nov. 19, the opening night.

Mullens said he was impressed with where the show was at this point in time and was excited about the talent level he saw in his performers.

He said there always is a wealthy talent pool at MCHS but that this year is exceptional.

To accommodate the budding stars, Mullens double cast three of the lead parts, meaning one person will play the part two nights, and the other person will take the part the other nights. On their off nights, the leads play parts in the chorus.

James Hebert, a senior, was cast as one of the Josephs, but he is no newcomer to a lead role.

He’s had a main part since his freshman year, and said he loves the spotlight.

“It’s a lot of responsibility,” he said. “It’s my last year, and I got the biggest lead. It’s a little hard to share it. But I love it.”

Hebert wasn’t rehearsing Monday, but he sat in the audience and sang along with his counterpart, Daniel McClellan.

“Mr. Mullens has always pushed us,” Hebert said. “More than he did last year. He also prepared us earlier this year.”

Gesturing at the group practicing the opening number behind him, he said last year’s show, “Crazy For You,” was at a similar stage only days before opening night.

This year, he said, there is time to polish the rough edges and make the show sparkle.

“We can get it perfect,” he said. “This is going to be another ‘Beauty and the Beast.’”

Hebert was a freshman and had his first lead role in the popular fairy tale, which he said packed the house each night.

With the wide variety of songs, he said “Joseph” could be another hit with audience members of all ages.

“It’s just so fun,” he said. “There are 70 songs. Western, calypso, even an Elvis song. So even Elvis fans should come. We want them to be dancing in the aisles.”

On stage, Mullens was reworking blocking for one of the opening numbers with a chorus of about 30 elementary students, who circled around Joseph as he flashed his brightly colored coat.

Hebert looked on, reflecting on his experience with Mullens, who, at 23 is directing at MCHS for his second year.

“He’s very professional and I think he takes on a lot of stress,” Herbert said. “But he’s doing really well. Every once in a while when kids are messing around, he can get really mean. But he mostly blends in with us. He understands us.”

One thing Mullens didn’t understand was why Joseph, or McClellan, missed his opening cue to walk down the aisle.

Mullens’ voice boomed through the auditorium, calling for his lead.

“Where are you Daniel McClellan,” he yelled.

Within about 10 seconds, he asked Hebert to fill in for the part until McClellan was found.

Mullens said he is still honing his directing style, despite what students say about his professional and sometimes strict demeanor.

“I’m still trying to find what my style is,” he said. “But I’ve been on the other side of it, both in the pit and on stage. I’m really just trying to see what works and what doesn’t. I’m figuring out when to be mean and when to be nice.”