Forget stuffy sermons and fire-and-brimstone lectures. There’s no law of silence or servitude at the Civic Center this weekend as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat hits the stage, as only Andrew Lloyd Webber can make it happen.

Even though Joseph tells the story of Joseph, his seven jealous brothers and his beautiful, multicolored coat, this ain’t a lesson from Bible school. “It’s not a religious show by any means,” said Kristine Fraelich, who plays the part of the Narrator. “It’s colorful and really modern. … It’s a lot of energy and glamour.” She did say that the stage show follows the biblical story pretty closely.

This particular tour, which also features “Star Search” sensation Sam Harris as Joseph, has been cruising the country since January, and “no one knows when it’ll end,” Fraelich said. The native of Philadelphia has seen and performed in her share of stage shows, from Evita to A Chorus Line, so she’s no stranger to the rigors and pleasures of live performance. “I’ve been doing theater all my life, really,” she said. “It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. It’s in my blood.”

Fraelich’s part enables her to both remove and involve herself in the story. While she narrates the action, she can also throw herself into the action on stage. “Sometimes I stand back and just tell the story,” she explained, “and other times I’ll get involved in the singing and dancing. I’m a real chameleon.”

This production of Joseph also gets the local communities involved in the show: two children’s choirs, from Southeast Polk Junior High and St. Augustin’s School, will contribute their singing and dancing talents on stage The Center held a “sing-off” to narrow down the eight competitors over a month ago. “They had to duke it out in a choir challenge,” said Brenda Mickle, publicity and public relations director of the Civic Center.

Bigwigs (producers, choreographers) from the actual show judged the aspiring stars, and two local schools, with singers aged nine to 14, ended up big winners, Mickle said. Not only will they appear on stage to sing and dance, but “we [also] tell the story through the eyes of the children,” Fraelich added.

She also feels that Joseph’s appeal knows no age barriers. “The show is really geared toward anybody, from a child to an elderly person,” Fraelich said. “It suits everyone’s needs; it’s real high-energy.”

An added incentive for college students are $15 tickets. Ticket prices range are $15 to $42 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets. For more information, call 243-1109.

Century Cinemas, 7:10 & 9:20