An epic journey into the Promised Land arrives in cinemas nationwide on Friday, October 30, with the theatrical release of “JOSHUA-Live!” from Sight & Sound Theatres and Roadside Attractions.
“JOSHUA-Live!” features Sight & Sound Theatres’ new stage production of JOSHUA, which was recorded in front of a live audience. With cameras rolling on the theatre’s 300-foot wraparound stage, each scene was captured up-close to give audiences an immersive movie theater experience.
Actor Carl Anderson, who brings the titular character of Joshua to life in both the film and stage productions, shared the story begins with the children of Israel navigating between their new-found freedom in an unforgiving wilderness as they travel to the Promised Land.
“Moses struggles with these people, because of their complaints consistently; even though the Lord is providing for them. And they go through the journey through the wilderness.” Anderson said. “In the midst of it, Joshua is there as a faithful servant; having a family, trusting the Lord and depending on the Lord for everything; and in the midst of the chaos, in the midst of what the children of Israelites are going through he chooses to trust the Lord. And it’s through his trust in the Lord, that God sees it fit for him to become their next leader.”
While many elements of this show will be familiar to those who know the story of Moses, Anderson said audiences will experience the story through Joshua’s eyes; but also discover what happens as the story of Moses ends and Joshua’s truly begins.
“You get to see the leadership that Moses has in this story and what he’s going through, but you also get to see how Joshua responds to those things. We definitely home in on his response to Moses, his response to the people and his surroundings, his response to hardships, his response into the uncertainties of what God is doing and his choices that he makes based on those things,” Anderson said. “We get to see his process of how he grows from just a loyal, committed guy with his family, following a leader, an amazing leader, surrounded by people that are constantly struggling with where they are, to being their next leader, and being strong and courageous, as the Bible puts it, and leads this children of Israel to where they’re supposed to be.”
Anderson has been performing with Sight & Sound for 12 years and has appeared in 11 company productions. As they were recording his performance as Joshua for the film, Anderson explained what it was like to have cameras join him on stage.
“My goal, I think, as a performer was to make sure everything that I did was honest and truthful,” Anderson said. “So that when it comes out onto the big screen, people can relate to it and they can see like, ‘Wow, he’s really thinking about these things. He’s really believing these things that he’s saying. Oh, he’s really struggling with this moment,’ with everything that was captured. My goal was to make sure it was honest and authentic so that it picked that up on the on the camera so that would be related to the big screen.”
While Sight & Sight shows often provide audiences with an immersive experience, Anderson said “JOSHUA-Live!” audiences will feel as if they’re on stage with the actors watching the show.
“It’s like they’re coming out of their seats and following us everywhere we go on that stage. And it’s a more intimate, I think, experience when you see it on screen, because you get to really see expressions and emotions and little things that you might not see if you were to see it in a live theater at Sight & Sound,” Anderson said. “Now you get to see close ups. Now you get to see how Joshua or Moses respond visually up close. And I think that they’re going to have a really cool opportunity to watch the journey and the process and the change and the evolution of Joshua through the screen.”
As one of the Bible’s most redemptive stories, Anderson said he believes this film will bless, encourage and inspire everybody who goes out to see it.
“It will leave a mark on each and every person that will go out and see the show, because there’s something for everyone…I feel like there’s so many different elements of the show that will have an impact on so many different people’s lives,” Anderson said. “It’ll make you think about your own life and where you are. If you believe or you don’t believe in the Lord. It will make you think and ponder on your life, and I think that’s the goal to see where you’re at and invite the Lord into wherever that is. Because he wants our hearts and he loves us so much and he wants us so badly to submit and to surrender to him.”
Like all Sight & Sound productions, “JOSHUA-Live!” features an original gospel-infused soundtrack, state-of-the-art technology and special effects, and a cast of live animal actors including camels, horses, donkeys, llamas, pigs, sheep, goats.
Locally, “JOSHUA-Live!” is now playing at the Branson Meadows Cinema 11 and at the Golden Ticket Cinemas Harrison 8. For additional information on this film or for tickets and showtimes visit joshualivemovie.com.
