Almost 100 kids will bring to life the Pikes Peak region’s first production of the musical “The Prince of Egypt.” Inspired by the 1998 animated movie of the same name, the show, by Philip LaZebnik and Academy Award-winning “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz, is based on the biblical tal e from Exodus of the journey of Moses, from being a prince of Egypt to hearing and acting on his true calling – leading the Children of Israel out of Egypt. Starz Theater Company, the theater performance division of the Christian-based Turning Pointe School of Dance, will mount the production Friday through Sunday at Ent Center for the Arts. Almost 100 kids will bring to life the Pikes Peak region’s first production of the musical “The Prince of Egypt.” Courtesy Starz Theater Company Starz Theater Company, the theater performance division of the Christian-based Turning Pointe School of Dance, will mount “The Prince of Egypt” Friday through Sunday at Ent Center for the Arts. Courtesy Starz Theater Company “Schwartz used several songs from that and wrote a whole score more of beautiful arrangements to deepen the storytelling of Moses and the journey he goes on to discover who he is,” said director Lauran Bergen, who’s also the artistic director for Starz Theater Company. “It’s a weighted story. There’s so much depth in each scene. Nothing is trivial. It’s impacted the energy of the kids as they step into these roles.” Bergen, who first heard the 2020 London West End production of the show during the pandemic when a recorded version was made available, has waited years for it to become available for licensing. “It’s one of the most breathtaking movie-to-stage adaptations I’d seen,” she said. The soundtrack is cinematic and powerful, she says. Popular songs include “When You Believe,” “Deliver Us,” “All I Ever Wanted,” “The Plagues” and “Through Heaven’s Eyes.” “I don’t know that Starz, especially with the age of these performers, if I’ve heard them sing like this,” she said. “The music is complicated. There’s not one easy part about any of these songs. It’s professional-level material.” The auditioned cast, ages 9 to 19, is mostly made up of Turning Pointe students, though some are from the community. It’s a heavy show with serious themes, which the audience might be surprised to see handled by young performers, Bergen says. “They’re these themes of justice and courage and stepping into a calling you didn’t know you had in your life and don’t feel equipped for,” she said. “The show has given us a lot of moments where we can stop and talk about that and translate that into real life for these kids.” IF YOU GO What: “The Prince of Egypt: The Musical” by Starz Theater Company When: 6 p.m. Friday, 1 and 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; ASL access at 1 p.m. Saturday Where: Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave. Price: $22.75-$29.50; 719-255-8181, starztheater.org, entcenterforthearts.org ...read more read less