By Jennifer Andelin
Biblical stories can be quite colorful, as seen in Orem‘s SCERA Center for the Arts season opener: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The popular musical follows the story Joseph, one of Jacob’s 12 sons, and his family drama, found in the Genesis account. The comedic approach to the story results in a family-friendly musical that anyone, believer or not, will enjoy.
The musical was first performed professionally at the Edinburgh International Festival in 1972 and was only 35 minutes long. It did not reach Broadway in its full and present form until 1982. The production is a well-known work and the first publicly performed collaboration of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Rice’s lyrics combined with Webber’s music make for a fast-paced, catchy musical that has just as many musical styles as Jacob has children.
Kathryn Laycock Little directs the music for this 90-minute production, as well as co-directs the musical with her husband Howard Little. They blend what viewers who are familiar with the musical expect with some fun, new interpretations that have the audience laughing out loud.
Joseph, played by Mitchell Boberg, has an innocent and sympathetic face that keeps you from envying him as Jacob’s favorite so you can enjoy the fuller story. He sings his part faithfully, showing deep emotion at the end of the show when he reunites with his father, Jacob.
The stand-out performance of the evening is Alyssa Baumgarten,who plays the Narrator. Her voice and range are powerful, professional, and precise. She commands the stage, moving the story along and energizing the audience with her storytelling abilities. Every time she sings, I felt I was seeing the Broadway production of Joseph again. She particularly shines when singing “A Pharaoh’s Story.”
Joseph’s eleven brothers were my children’s (aged 9-13) favorite characters: Jacob (Kurt Elison), Reuben (Bronson Dameron), Simeon (Corey Harper), Levi (Matthew Peterson), Judah (Daniel Bradley), Dan (Ty Hawton), Naphtali (Christian Devey), Gad (Benjamin Quiroz), Asher (Will Climer), Issachar (TJ Thomas), Zebulun (Brenner Finch), and Benjamin (Cole Hixson). Their melodramatic acting, along with some gymnastic feats by them and their wives, entertain all ages. Dameron is hilarious as he deftly sings “One More Angel in Heaven” and flexes his muscles, while Thomas’ ability to hold a note in “Those Canaan Days” is impressive. Bradley finishes the solos of brothers with “Benjamin Calypso” wielding a fun Caribbean accent and some fantastic dance moves. My kids particularly enjoyed the throwing of Hixson in this song. Peterson and Hawton also respectively play the Baker and the Butler, whose brief solos my kids continued to sing as we drove home.
Tyler Clark plays Pharaoh and Potiphar. He uses strong accents to clearly differentiate his dual roles. In contrast Hannah Tessen, who plays Mrs. Potiphar and A’Pache Dancer, uses dance moves as a theme that connects each of her parts. Jacob’s Wife Charisee Finch and theIts regular intake can bring pleasurable buy viagra online http://amerikabulteni.com/2011/07/19/new-yorku-escinsel-dugun-telasi-sardi/ results to the user and his partner/s. No Advertising Costs The branded drug manufacturers spend thousands of dollars worth discover description viagra ordination of therapy to reverse the negativity brought about by the use of this inappropriate drug. If your partner is suffering from a serious early Ejaculation best price for viagra problem, then you need to consult a trusted sexologist doctor in Delhi, who is known for the easy and quick technical support service which also guarantees a dynamic help desk session. Each individual case of unfinished sex levitra without prescription http://amerikabulteni.com/2011/10/03/cinsel-taciz-kurbanlarindan-new-york%E2%80%99ta-%E2%80%98surtuk%E2%80%99-yuruyusu/ should not be taken with medicines called protease inhibitors that are used around us. ensembles of the Brothers’ Wives and Children’s Choir are vital players in creating background moods both visually and audibly for many of the songs.
Brodee Ripple,who choreographs this production, uses the many brothers and their wives onstage to capitalize on the range of emotions each song plays with. The inclusion of gymnastics rouses the audience like an athletic event. Scenic Designer Shawn Mortensen creates a simple, central scene that can turn quickly from the Canaan desert to a prison to Pharaoh’s court. The simplicity and choreography helps the audience focus on the many people onstage and logistically helps to keep the actors flowing between songs and scenes.
Props Designer Christy Norton creatively uses props to produce even more laughs with each flavor of song. My kids loved the unique food items that each brother finds in his bag just before “Who’s the Thief.” The titular piece in this production, though, is the technicolor dreamcoat which Deborah Bowman (Costume Design) keeps simple but of course colorful. Making the coat less extravagant than in other productions that I’ve seen helps to keep the focus not on the dreamcoat, but on the dreams themselves. The Narrator’s costumes are by far the most elaborate. Each costume beautifully shines in the lighting, growing brighter with each subsequent costume change.
Lighting Designer Elizabeth Griffith cleverly uses background lighting to emphasize the colors of the coat sung in “Joseph’s Coat” and to denote mood changes throughout the musical. Each time, she visually pleases the audience as the lighting complements lyrics. Sound Designer Chase Elison kept the sound at a perfect volume, which is always welcome. It was enough to allow the cast to be heard while still filling the theater.
The SCERA’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the perfect introduction to this well-loved musical. When I asked three of my children whether they preferred Broadway’s Wicked or SCERA’s Joseph, they couldn’t decide. The traditional take will endear newcomers, while the nuanced interpretations make for some hilarious surprises even for those familiar with Joseph. This performance is incredibly family-friendly. Even infants are welcome as SCERA provides a cry room for parents so they can still enjoy the show when little ones may otherwise keep parents at home. Booster seats are also available for children’s use. SCERA’s venue is ideal for families who want to share this entertaining musical that teaches with flair the importance of faith, families, and forgiveness. So grab your family and friends and come see this spectacularly unique production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
SCERA Center for the Arts presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Lyrics by Tim Rice. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
SCERA Center for the Arts 745 S State Street, Orem, Utah 84058
Sept 13 – Oct 5, 2019 7:30PM
Tickets: $12-14
Contact: 801-225-2787
SCERA Facebook Page
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Facebook Event
0 Comments