BLACKFOOT — To produce an epic production that is “The Prince of Egypt: The Musical” required a collaboration between two local theater groups, the Blackfoot Community Players and the Snake River Theatre Company.

“This is a huge production; there are over 90 cast members,” said Amber Heer, marketing chair for the Blackfoot Community Players. “It was too large of a production for either of us to do alone.”

Of course, an epic production also deserves an epic venue, so “The Prince of Egypt: The Musical,” which opens Thursday, July 9, will be performed at the Blackfoot Performing Arts Center, located at 870 South Fisher Street.

“BPAC is a huge theater that seats about 1,000 people,” Heer said. “We are also doing two discount nights instead of our usual one.”

The Blackfoot Community Players will typically discount its opening night from the usual $12 per seat to $8 per seat for its opening night. For this production, both Thursday performances, July 9 and July 16, will be just $8 per seat.

“This is the best live theater value in the area,” Heer said. “Blackfoot Community Players and Snake River Theatre Company are nonprofits. A similar show like this in Idaho Falls or Pocatello will cost you $35 a ticket. We try to keep it affordable so people can enjoy live theater.”

“The Prince of Egypt: The Musical” is based on the 1998 DreamWorks animated film, “The Prince of Egypt,” which features five main vocal songs. For the musical version, 10 additional original songs were written. Heer said the production is so popular among performers that they were overwhelmed with the number who wanted to be part of it.

“We had over 160 people audition from all over the area,” she said. “Most of the talent in the production is from here in Blackfoot.”

In fact, so popular is the production that Heer actually asked to be part of it.

“I don’t often get a chance to do that because I am so busy with marketing, but I just love the musical numbers in this so much that I asked to be part of the ensemble,” she said.

“The Prince of Egypt” and its musical counterpart are adaptations of the Bible’s Book of Exodus, telling the story of the bond between Moses and Ramesses, as one ascends to the throne of Egypt while the other discovers his true Hebrew heritage and is called on to lead his people out of bondage. Because of the slavery aspect of the story, Heer said there can be some dark undertones, but said the production is still a family-friendly one, and all ages should enjoy the story.

“It’s not so dark that kids can’t handle it,” she said. “We tried to keep some of the realism so that people get the feel for it.”

For her personally, Heer said she was in high school when the original film came out, and she has always had a respect for the job done in producing a Biblical adaptation while remaining true to the story.

“Hollywood isn’t often kind to people of faith,” she said. “It was surreal to me as a young person to see a story of faith played out so respectfully.”

As a true collaboration between two theater companies, there are multiple people involved in heading up the production, including co-directors Jana McBride and Jonathan Williams. The musical director is Tiniel Williams, and the assistant musical director is Kimberli Williams. Heer joked that not all the Williamses are related.

While the two groups have worked together in the past in a much smaller way, Heer said this is the first time the Blackfoot Community Players and the Snake River Theatre Company have collaborated on this level.

“Prince of Egypt: The Musical” will play at the Blackfoot Performing Arts Center July 9-11, 13, 16-18 and 20. Performances start at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $12 for each show except July 9 and 16, when they are discounted to $8.

For more information, check the Blackfoot Community Players website at blackfootcommunityplayers.com.