By Kathryn Olsen
Cedar City‘s Utah Shakespeare Festival always includes at least one production that is not exactly like the Bard”s work and this year’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoatat the Randall L. Jones Theatre is a supremely entertaining choice. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, the creative minds behind Jesus Christ, Superstar,collaborated on a 15-minute “pop cantata” for schools in 1968 that was then expanded into a musical that incorporated styles ranging from French ballads to Elvis. It has been professionally produced eight times, but is a community theater favorite as well. I have performed in several such community theater productions as well as seeing the 1991 revival in London, but welcome any chance to spend a couple of hours with Jacob and Sons.
The story is the familiar “coat of many colors” tale from the book of Genesis. Joseph (Aaron Young), the favorite son of Jacob, is lavished with praise and attention, to the dismay of his eleven brothers. Things reach a breaking point when father Jacob (Michael A. Harding) presents him with the titular dreamcoat and the other sons decide to do what’s only natural; they fake his death and sell him into slavery. Joseph distinguishes himself in service to Potiphar (also played by Harding) before being unjustly jailed. He exercises his gift of dream interpretation for fellow prisoners (Mitch Shira and Andre Spathelf-Sanders), which later pays off when the Pharaoh (Russ Benton) is troubled by prophetic dreams of his own. When famine strikes Joseph’s homeland, however, the reunion of the family is fraught with drama.
Narrator Samae Allred carries the show with a combination of spunk and sardonic humor. Acting as a bridge between “in the beginning” and “in our day,” Allred’s energy is unflagging and her vocals stellar. Even more impressive are the touches of humanity that she adds; she places Joseph’s manacles on him herself and joins hands with him for the finale. She may be the storyteller, but is relating it as someone who has profound empathy for her protagonist.
Young takes the audience on an equally unforgettable journey.
When he, as a young man, preens and struts in front of his brothers,
the audience can’t help but sympathize with the brothers, who are
“great guys, but no one seems to notice.” The turning point is
both in his soulful rendition of “Close Every Door” and the
upbeat “Go, Go, Go, Joseph” that encourages him to find purpose
in his trials. Young impressively portrays a youth who gains a
tremendous perspective through unimaginable suffering and by the time
he explains this new understanding to the father who thought him dead
for twenty years, it is an awe-inspiring experience.
The eleven remaining sons of Jacob are an ensemble of comedic gold. Ben Cano, the diminutive youngest brother, reveals a basso profundo voice that belies his stature. Levi (Tyson Baker) leads his family in a country-western sob story about his brother’s tragic death before breaking down in a hoedown that includes line-dancing and Judah (Tristan Turner) manages to make an impassioned plea for Benjamin’s release while engaging the members of the Egyptian court in a limbo contest.
Harding’s Jacob plays a relatively small part, since the action of the story happens to him and Joseph’s journey is marked by his family’s absence. He still is the doting father who plays ball with his favorite child at the beginning and hobbles towards him at an advanced age twenty-five years later. His subsequent portrayal of Joseph’s slave master, Potiphar, is hilarious because of the indifference and entitlement that drip from every word.
Mrs. Potiphar (Claudia Buffo) is likewise played as someone who gets whatever she wants and doesn’t care about the ethics involved. Her infamous seduction scene is one that explores harassment rather than sexuality, but is unnerving all the same.
Benton is a show-stopper as Pharaoh with each gyration and split in his Elvis-inspired number. This is Benton’s second portrayal of the role for the Festival and his humorous references to his age and “Where’s Donny Osmond when you need him?” are wonderful additions.
The most remarkable feature of this stage is the result of collaboration between Scenic Designer Jason Lajka and Lighting Designer William C. Kirkham, in which they turn the entire stage into a light box that is reminiscent of stained glass. The bridge at the back allows for various levels of interaction, which Choreographer Christine Kellogg exploits for the mesmerizing large-ensemble numbers as well as solos. Fight Director Benjamin Reigel is no less important in seeing that strife is well-staged. K.L. Alberts’ costumes are as effective in understatement (Jacob’s sons wearing technicolor Converse) as well as grandiosity (the coat of many colors). Music Director Jeremy Mann hones the skills of all actors involved so that they are wonderful in ensembles as well as outstanding when separate from the rest, while Sound Designer Joe Payne ensures that the spectacular is an immersive experience. Director Brad Carroll has a long and storied history of directing this musical, but his creation is fresh and brilliant.
Those Canaan Days last all summer long, so put on your dreamcoat and join Utah Shakespeare Festival for a story from “not long after the Bible began.” Audiences of all ages will enjoy it and you will find yourself humming the tunes for days afterwards.
Utah Shakespeare Festival Presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Lyrics by Tim Rice, Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Randall L. Jones Theater, Shakespeare Ln, Cedar City, UT 84720
Jun 27- Oct 12, 2019, 2 and 8 PM
Tickets: $32-77
Contact: 800-752-984
Utah Shakespeare Festival Facebook Page
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Facebook Event
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