Charisma in color

COEUR d'ALENE - Hand-painted wooden buttons, acrylics and several different fabrics have been crafted together to create a charismatic cloak for the Christian Youth Theater-North Idaho's upcoming production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."

Tweed, satin, rayon and creative liberty have been used liberally by Coeur d'Alene artist Shannon Erwin to make a dreamcoat audiences won't see elsewhere.

"We didn't want it to look like every other coat that is out there," said director Brook Wood of Coeur d'Alene. "If you Google it, most of them look so similar."

Erwin said she worked off and on for about a week to create the perfect fit for the character of Joseph. The coat is long, with different-colored panels from waist to floor.

"My idea was to paint it so all the different panels would fade into each other," she said.

Opening the coat reveals a golden lining, to go along with how the coat is described in the script. Wood said she wanted it to be kind of like a painting, which accompanies the colorful theme of CYT's production, where one scene is "blue, gold and Elvis," she said. The play borrows from several theatrical eras and styles, and plays up the color schemes through each act.

"If you like musical theater, you'll love it, because it's got a little bit of everything in it," said choreographer Trigger Weddle.

Show times are:

7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from Feb. 28 through March 8.

3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from March 1 through March 9.

Ticket prices range from $8-$14.

The 3 p.m. performance on March 1 is a Family Discount Matinee with all tickets priced at $8.

Discounted group rates are also available.

Tickets are now on sale at the CYT-North Idaho website: cytnorthidaho.org or by calling (208) 277-5727.