Ten years ago, Corner Canyon High was starting its second year when theatre director Phaidra Atkinson decided “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” would be a great show for her students.

This year, Atkinson decided to produce the 10-year anniversary of the show.

“We have the right kids for it,” she said. “We have almost 50 students wanting to play in the orchestra pit, so we have to have auditions for the first time. There are so many kids who are so excited to do ‘Joseph.’ We had 120 kids audition, which was awesome.”

The show also excited alumni, including the cast from 10 years ago.

“We’re going to have an alumni night on the Saturday we perform with a meet and greet before the show and a 10-year anniversary pin and tickets to watch the show,” she said, adding alumni will perform “Any Dream Will Do” on stage with the cast after the current cast’s bows. “Both casts are excited to put it together and the alumni are especially excited to bring back all their friends to be a part of it.”

Also returning to pay his original role will be Cosmo, the camel. Joining the cast, pit orchestra and camel will be 38 dancers and 50 fifth- through seventh-grade students in the children’s chorus. Eighth graders were included in the main show ensemble or in supporting roles for the leads, she said.

Corner Canyon High students won several theatre contests at the Shakespeare festival in Cedar City, including three in the Tech Olympics. (Photo courtesy of Candice Wilson)

“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” will be performed at 7 p.m., Nov. 14-16 and again on Nov. 18 on the school stage, 12943 S. 700 East. Tickets are available at CornerCanyonTheatre.com. It will be directed by both Atkinson and colleague Case Spaulding.

Their performance follows a Shakespeare Showcase, which featured Draper Middle School students as well as the 90-member Corner Canyon’s Shakespeare team that won sweepstakes at the 48th annual Utah Shakespeare high school competition.

At the competition, the thespians also took first place for their ensemble piece from “King John.”

“I love all those kids are included and get good feedback as they learn about Shakespeare. When we do our ensemble piece, they read the play. They study characters in the play. They analyze everything. They understand the text. They prepare and rehearse. They collaborate and problem solve, which are good life skills they’ll use if they do theatre or not. It’s just a really great way for them to connect and learn awesome things about Shakespeare,” she said.

Other top awards include first places for makeup, props and carpentry and second place for their scene. Student Aubrey Boman was awarded the Larry Lott Award, the highest acting award at the competition. In addition, Madrigals placed first, choir took second in sweepstakes, and Canzonetta and third in minstrel.

Following their fall musical, the thespians raise money for the school charity, Utah Foster Care, through “Broadway Backwards,” which will be performed at 7 p.m., Dec. 19 in the Little Theatre.

“We call it ‘Broadway Backwards’ because kids pick to do something they wouldn’t normally be cast in. It ends up being something different and fun and all done for a good cause,” she said.

In the spring, the Chargers will perform “The Drowning Girls.”

“It’s a dramatic show based on a true story of a man who, in the 1900s, married these women and then drowned them in a bathtub to take their money,” Atkinson said. “We have amazing, strong female actresses so it’s going to showcase them showing what they can do. It’s also a cool technical show with the actresses in wedding dresses and having bathtubs with water on stage with different lighting on stage.”

The show will be performed by 28 students on March 8-10, 2025 in the auditorium. It also will be their competition one-act for region, which Corner Canyon will host on March 13. Individual events will be March 20. State will be in April.

The thespians’ season finale will be the Tony Award-winning musical farce, “The Drowsy Chaperone” on May 8-10.

“It’s going to be really fun,” Atkinson said. “Our season really gives our students and audiences a good contrast of shows.”