Triune Leisure’s musical ‘The Prince of Egypt’ has ingenious surprise

Triune Leisure’s manufacturing of DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt delivers an emotional retelling of the Exodus story, balancing spectacle with honest storytelling. Whereas the musical carries the load of its animated predecessor, the stage adaptation proves that the fabric can reach a theatrical setting when approached with reverence and creativeness. Composer Stephen Schwartz (Depraved, Godspell, Pippin) reunited with ebook author Philip LaZebnik to transform the award-winning movie right into a two-act construction for the stage. Triune Leisure is the primary within the Washington, DC, area to supply the newly tailored manufacturing. 

Audiences are doubtless already conversant in a minimum of one depiction of Moses, whether or not it’s Charlton Heston from the movie The Ten Commandments, Larry the Cucumber from VeggieTales, or DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt. Moses is a major instance of God calling unlikely individuals to turn out to be leaders, as Moses was known as being “gradual of speech and gradual of tongue” (Exodus 4:10), and he usually struggled along with his calling and steadily argued with God. Nonetheless, God used Moses to guide the Hebrews out of their enslavement in Egypt.

From the opening moments, the staging makes use of theatrical creativity to evoke places somewhat than overwhelm with literal realism. Scenic transitions are fluid, permitting the narrative to maneuver briskly from palace intrigue to religious awakening. Costume design by Amber Kiffney additionally performs a powerful position in shaping the present’s ambiance, shifting from the opulence of Egypt’s courtroom to the nice and cozy earth tones as Moses begins to confront his identification and future.

On the coronary heart of the story is the connection between Moses and Ramses. The actors painting their brotherhood with heat and camaraderie, which makes their eventual ideological divide much more tragic. Andreas Moffett as Moses instructions the stage along with his spectacular vocals and heat. The position requires each vulnerability and authority, and his efficiency navigates the steadiness successfully. Luke Tessier as Ramses demonstrates a full vary of appearing along with his character arc from loving brother to conflicted Pharoah. Somewhat than presenting the characters as a easy protagonist and antagonist, the staging exhibits them to be sympathetic figures caught in circumstances bigger than themselves.

The musical’s rating stays its biggest energy and the gifted forged rises to the monumental activity. The standouts of the night time for me have been “Ship Us” led by Katy Benko Miner as Yocheved and “By means of Heaven’s Eyes” led by Paul Correll as Jethro, each supported by an ensemble that understands the ability of collective storytelling. The perfect-known track of the present is the inspirational “When You Consider” led by Jessica Foy Lengthy as Miriam and Jennalee Allen as Tzipporah. Lengthy and Allen’s performances are constantly transferring all through the story, however their highly effective voices are on full show on this quantity. The choral sections specifically are expertly carried out, with credit score to music director Catie Moore and vocal part leaders Mandy Viles, Katy Benko Miner, Paul Correll, and Doug White.

The massive ensemble is utilized to nice impact, each as giant crowds and as smaller troupes all through the piece. Massive crowd sequences are choreographed with readability and goal, serving to preserve narrative focus even through the musical’s most visually busy moments. As an alternative of changing into chaotic, these scenes reinforce the story’s scale whereas nonetheless directing consideration to the characters driving the motion. My favourite side of this manufacturing is the moments designed by choreographer Christie Dubnansky that includes the dance corps of Ava Botros (dance captain), Katya Colebank, Lilly Glass, Simone Beth’el Hume, Hilary Pierce, Tj-Yuxin Tune, Gabrielle Tessier, and Eric Alexander Wolpert. The troupe created a number of stunning visible storytelling moments, together with the chariot race by the market, the burning bush, and the parting of the Crimson Sea. 

Probably the most difficult parts of staging The Prince of Egypt is portraying its biblical miracles. With out revealing any spoilers, Triune approaches these moments with ingenuity, and the end result may be very efficient, serving to protect a way of surprise with out breaking the viewers’s suspension of disbelief. 

Triune Leisure’s The Prince of Egypt succeeds as a result of it treats its supply materials with sincerity somewhat than spectacle. Director Matt Moore proves that the story’s energy lies not simply in its miracles, however in its exploration of identification, religion, management, and brotherhood. The result’s an formidable community-driven manufacturing that captures the guts of a narrative that continues to resonate for generations to come back.

The Prince of Egypt performs by March 22, 2026, offered by Triune Leisure, acting at Journey Theater, 4175 Bludau Dr, Warrenton, VA. Tickets ($25 for adults, $22 for college kids and seniors) might be bought on-line. 

Forged and artistic credit are on-line right here (scroll down).

The Prince of Egypt
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Guide by Philip LaZebnik