‘When you believe’: Musical Theatre Southwest delivers premiere performance of ‘The Prince of Egypt’

Justin Salada has long dreamt of bringing “The Prince of Egypt” to the stage.

The animated film — which tells the biblical story of Moses — influenced Salada when he was growing up in a Roman Catholic family. He learned about faith — his own and others.

“That movie was a very pivotal learning experience for me as a child,” Salada said.

He credits the film with helping forge his desire to pursue music.

“That’s why I’ve always wanted to work with it.”

Now, Salada will direct “The Prince of Egypt: The Musical” in its premiere performance in New Mexico.

The Musical Theatre Southwest production will open Thursday, March 12, and run through Sunday, March 29, at the African American Performing Arts Center at Expo New Mexico.

The stage adaptation “focuses a lot more on the relationship between brothers and families,” Salada said.

“It turns into more of family dynamics, like having a father that’s not just trying to look out for his own children, but an entire nation,” he said.

“The Prince of Egypt,” he said, follows Moses as he goes from Moses the second son of the pharaoh, to the Moses who frees the Hebrews.

Salada said the music makes it easy for the audience to remember the biblical story.

“(DreamWorks) did so much research about culturally relevant music and the wording of the different songs ...,” Salada said, “whether it’s biblical wording, or from some of the other faiths that also follow the story of Moses.”

He said the music from “The Prince of Egypt” spans the gap between the narrative of the story and Moses’ inner thoughts, while also building a connection with the audience.

“It’s also a bridge from your mental thought space into the physical world around you, so that music becomes the bridge of the emotion between the people and for the audience,” Salada said.