Curtains close on Horsham Arts Council's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, preparations begin for next show

The classic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical had a successful run of 10 shows at the Horsham Town Hall over the last two weeks.

The show starred Beau Ladlow as the titular Joseph and Jessica Durrant as the Narrator, and had a cast of over 60 people. More than 150 people worked on the show.

Director Simon Dandy said Joseph appealed to people of all ages.

“Joseph is so much fun – it’s colourful, and has fantastic singing and dancing; it has very wide appeal,” he said.

Horsham Arts Council has already started preparations for its next show, the 2001 satirical comedy musical Urinetown.

Urinetown director Debbie Boutcher said the council wanted to try something a “little different” for its next musical.

“We chose it because it’s different and alternative,” she said.

“I directed Rent last year which was something completely different to what we had done in the past.”

Urinetown has received numerous awards and tackles big themes such as capitalism, social irresponsibility and bureaucracy.

“It depicts a town that’s in drought where the use of private toilets is forbidden, so people are made to pay to go to the bathroom,” she said.

“Essentially, it’s about a big company taking advantage of the poor. It makes fun not just of itself, but of other musicals too.

“There are songs and dances that are similar, but not exactly the same, as numbers from Les Misérables, West Side Story and Chicago.

“I’m really looking forward to getting started; hopefully people will love the show.”

Ms Boutcher said an information session for Urinetown would be held on Sunday, May 27 at 4pm at the Horsham Arts Council shed.

Auditions will be held the following weekend.

“We want to encourage anyone who has ever been interested in participating to come along and audition,” she said. “However, there is an age limit of 15 and over for this show.”

Urinetown will be performed in early October.