Yvonne Filius in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat." Photos by Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin

As a pre-teen she admits to "fanatically cleaning my room all the time."

"I would take everything out, line it up in the hallway while I swept, vacuumed and scrubbed," said Filius, who performs as "The Narrator" in Diamond Head Theatre's "Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat."

And she would sing while she worked. One day that caught her mother's attention.

By the weekend nine-year-old Yvonne was entered into and won the Omaha (Neb.) Park and Recreation's Show Wagon Contest. A professional singing career was under way and Filius, a self described "wall flower," was coming out of her shell.

"I loved the notoriety, the attention," she said.

Filius
Four years later, the family moved to southern California strictly to promote the youngster's singing career. Soon Filius was hired by a record producer to do the concept album, "Ulysses, the Greek Suite," with several other singers, including Ted Neeley who went on to fame in "Jesus Christ Superstar." Filius toured nationwide and appeared on several television shows.

Mom was always there.

"I couldn't go to the bathroom in a nightclub without her outside the stall," Filius said. Music had defined her life, shaped her identity and by 19 Filius was burned out.

"All I had was my singing and it wasn't enough," she said.

When offered a multi-year contract by a major record company Filius decided to spend a week in Hawaii to contemplate her future.

A blind date led her to marriage and two children. She went home to tell Mom that her singing career was going on hold for a while.

"One day we were having lunch and out of the blue Mom said 'Yvonne if you love him that much you better go to be with him.' I'll never forget that moment. All this responsibility was lifted off my shoulders."

Filius took on the roles of wife, mother, 9-to-5-er.

"I decided to go out and get a real job. I needed to prove myself, and I did, selling advertising, then working for (developer) Tom Gentry as his assistant for 3 years."

By the time she was 30, Filius knew "the 9-to-5 thing" wasn't for her. And during her 10th anniversary vacation to California two years ago she decided to return to music, teaching voice at first.

"I was really enjoying music again; I could actually listen to music and cry again," she said.

Then the stage beckoned, with a new twist.

"Now, when I perform, I get totally lost in it - even forget the audience is there."

The facts:

What: "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"
When: April 26 to May 19. Evening performances 8 p.m., Sundays at 4
Where: Diamond Head Theatre
Tickets: $10-$40
Call: 734-0274

"The Narrator" in Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash production "Joseph" presents Filius with one of her biggest roles. She has never seen the original show.

"That's good because I can turn it into more of who I am than of those who came before me," she said. "I want to maximize my talents in this show."

What is hard is staying in the narrator character to the onstage children and not entering the vignettes she's describing.

"I want to be a part of the show without looking like Vanna White."

(The story of "Joseph" is found in Chapters 37-46 of Genesis and tells the story of Joseph being cast out by his brothers, his subsequent sale into slavery and how he eventually acquires power in Pharaoh's court through his interpretation of dreams.)

Having her life more in balance than most people can even imagine, Filius is considering returning to full-time performing. She'll visit some mainland venues and explore the possibilities of recording an album.

"I am overwhelmed with where I am at right now. Vocally I feel like I'm at my best. I think the circle of my life is almost complete."