Come and see a full production of a much-loved family-friendly musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber – “Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.
The Chatswood Musical Society production features a talented cast (including 20+ children’s ensemble!) and a full orchestra. What is more, Filipino kababayans would grace the production in some of the coveted roles.
But the backstage stories for the Pinoy cast in this musical are also as engaging as the play they’re in:
Two years ago, Ani Luzung, a lawyer, enrolled in a music course called the Tone Deaf Clinic for his young son Benjamin. Ani felt inadequate that while his son’s mums constantly sing for Ben, he himself could not sing, or at least thought he couldn’t. Ani’s music teacher at the Tone Deaf Clinic told the class that tone deafness is a rare condition and that anyone who can speak can sing. Ani discovered that his teacher was right and that he can, in fact, sing. He subsequently took short music courses, including at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Open Academy. To ensure he regularly practices singing, Ani takes weekly music lessons; he became a member of a small choir at work, and joined a singing group called the Fabulous Jazz Babies which holds concerts several times a year for homeless young people. In a recent trip to the Philippines, he and Ben, who is now 4 years old, had a concert for their family members.
Ani auditioned for this musical at the instigation of an officemate and his music coach. He auditioned, for the first time ever in his life, hoping to get into the ensemble but was instead
offered, to his great surprise, the principal role of Potiphar.
Ani hopes to give up his law career and shift to music in the near future, perhaps as a recording artist and music teacher both in Australia and in his country of birth, the Philippines.
He finds music an effective way of managing way and a great source of happiness. Ani continues to sing for Ben but more often than not these days, it is Ben who sings for him.
Alex Acosta‘s interest in performing began at an early age. At the age of 10 he began taking piano lessons from his uncle and later violin at the age of 14. Alex has performed at martial arts demonstrations for his school the Eye of the Eagle Martial Arts Academy, where he continues to train to this day. His interests and hobbies are diverse: from acting, singing, dancing, martial arts and fitness. He has studied and earned degrees in Bachelor of Health Science (PDHPE) and Master of Teaching (Primary) from the University of Western Sydney. Alex he has acted and continues to act in several shorts and feature films over the years. These include small roles in the Khoa Do directed feature film Mother fish and the Indian action film produced Newtons Third Law. He has also appeared as Simon the Zealot for the World Youth Day 2008 (stations of the cross) aired on television. As well as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, he has also appeared in A Night on the West end and Miss Saigon for Chatswood Musical Society.
Edwin Estanislao is very ecstatic to be singing the Benjamin Calypso song. This is his first solo with CMS since his debut in 2007 playing Indio in West Side Story. He has been in other shows including Jesus Christ Superstar, Miss Saigon, High School Musical 2, Back to the 80’s, RENT, Dusty and many more. He has lived in Hornsby for more than 10 years.
Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Venue: Zenith Theatre, Chatswood
When: 10- 18 May 2013
For tickets, go to the Zenith Theatre website.