Reservoir High School will raise the curtain on its first theatrical production tomorrow, kicking off what students and staff hope will be a strong theater tradition for the new school.

The cast and crew of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat consists of freshmen and sophomores in a new building.

But participants say the experience eased barriers among groups of youths and was a rare leadership opportunity for younger students.

Though stereotypes and cliques are common in high school, director Beth Leader said, "the show gave [students] a chance to see past that, to see the people for who they are."

"Theater brings together ... all sorts of people, and everyone has something to share," said Theresa Hubbard, a 10th-grader who is one of the show's narrators. She said students need to identify common ground "to make it believable that you are friends onstage."

Building such connections is important throughout the school, said Principal Adrianne Kaufman. "Every activity creates another opportunity for bonding with Reservoir High School," she said.

Leader did not choose an easy first project for the young actors.

The Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber show uses a variety of musical genres to tell the biblical story of Joseph, whose multicolored coat is a symbol of his father's favoritism. Ostracized by his brothers, he uses his ability to interpret dreams to work his way out of slavery and into Pharaoh's favor before saving his jealous siblings from famine.

The musical, which has no speaking parts - even the narrator sings - has lots of complex choreography.

And Leader, who also directs plays for Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts, said she insists on the same standards for Reservoir that she does for youths with years of experience.

"They have all risen up to those levels," Leader said.

Madalynn Higdon, a sophomore, said that being one of the school's oldest students gave her the confidence to audition.

"Last year, I didn't try out for anything because I was scared," she said. This year, she got the part of Issachar.

Sophomore William Klaczynski had previously worked only behind the scenes until Leader cast him as Joseph for this production.

He called the move from backstage to front-and-center "shocking," but he said it was also gratifying.

"It was surprisingly easy to memorize the songs," he said.

Without upperclassmen to compete against, "kids who might not have had a chance at their old schools got the chance to have lead roles," said Greg Knauf, the school's choral music director.

"I think that will keep their interest in drama down the road," he said. "It really changes their lives. I don't think that's an overstatement."

Working in a school with no juniors or seniors also presents challenges. There were fewer students to draw from. Some girls took male roles, and students have dual roles in the ensemble.

Participants also put in extra time and coached each other after rehearsals were canceled during the sniper scare.

"We don't have any seniors to look up to," said Elise Klatte, a sophomore who is playing one of Joseph's brothers, so that means they have to take the lead - from suggesting material to supporting each other in rehearsals to making new traditions.

William noted that some have worried about Reservoir having enough students for successful varsity sports teams. But, he said, the same issues arise in the arts.

"You need a group to start," Madalynn added. "People join after the group is established."

Leader works part time for the school and plans two more productions and a cabaret, among other projects, for the rest of the school year.

Faculty members are appearing in the production of Joseph, as are schoolchildren from Reservoir's feeder schools.

One of the benefits for the cast and crew is a state-of-the-art auditorium with quality acoustics and comfortable seats. It has services for the hearing-impaired and professional-grade lighting and sound systems.

"It is a lot of fun to deal with the latest technology, even though it took awhile to get things running smoothly," said Knauf, who worked on the technical aspects with a professional lighting designer from Toby's Dinner Theatre and two student crew members.

In theater, Leader said, students are able to leave stress behind and let loose and have fun. "It is important for them to have that outlet in their lives."

With so many different interpretations and acting styles, Klatte said it never gets dull: "You could do drama forever."

Reservoir High School will present "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the school's auditorium, 11550 Scaggsville Road, Fulton. Tickets are $7 for the public and $5 for high school students. Information: 410- 888-8850.