Review: 'Technicolor Dreamcoat' Brightens Up Honeywell Center
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
WABASH – Having seen “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” several times before, I knew what to expect storywise going to the touring production of the musical Friday night at the Ford Theater at the Honeywell Center. But this production offered something that no other staging of the musical I’ve seen has offered before – a lighting and projection feast for the eyes. Curtains and costumes were used as projection screens for backgrounds and designs. A dream bubble appeared above a character’s head at the onset of the show by means of a projection onto a translucent curtain. Sometimes the light was so bright it was almost blinding, but visually it brought the show into the 21st century. The musical – with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber – is about Joseph from the Biblical story found in Genesis. He was one of 12 sons of Jacob, but the favorite son. Joseph also can interpret dreams, and his own dreams are about how he will rule over his brothers. After Jacob (Marc Ciemiewicz) gives Joseph (JC McCann) a coat of many colors – detailed in the song “Joseph’s Coat” – the other brothers have enough. Initially, they decide to kill him, but end up selling him as a slave to Ishmaelites traveling to Egypt. The 11 brothers tell Jacob that Joseph was killed, and as proof show him the blood-stained coat. The song “One More Angel in Heaven” is done country-western style, done slowly while the brothers are talking to Jacob but faster when he’s not in the scene. It’s always one of my favorites and one of the most fun numbers in the show. Potiphar (also played by Ciemiewicz with more flair), a rich and powerful man in Egypt, acquires Joseph as a slave for his home. Potiphar takes a liking to Joseph until he catches Joseph with his wife (Britnee Byers), though Joseph is innocent. But Joseph is sent to prison anyway. In prison is when Joseph first sings the Broadway classic “Close Every Door.” It’s a very moving song and one that you can easily enjoy without seeing the full show. McCann did a superb job Friday night in the show. In the slammer, Joseph helps out two of the Pharaoh’s servants, a butler (Tyler Jimenez) and the baker (Tim Welsh), with their dreams. The butler later tells Pharaoh (Joe Ventricelli) about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams, so Joseph is called to the Pharaoh’s palace to help with his dream. Pharaoh tells Joseph his dream in the songs “Poor, Poor Pharaoh”/”Song of the King.” It’s done like Elvis Presley, with hips gyrating just like the King. Ventricelli really got the art of Presley’s moves down in his performance. So impressed with Joseph’s interpretation, Pharaoh appoints Joseph to a post in the government to help with the impending famine. Once the famine hits, Joseph’s family back in Canaan is ill prepared so the 11 brothers travel to Egypt for help (“The Brothers Came to Egypt”/“Grovel, Grovel”). The brothers are brought before Joseph but they don’t recognize him, though he immediately knows who they are. He tests them by planting a golden cup in the sack of the youngest brother, Benjamin (Matthew J. Varvar), to see how they will react. The brothers maintain Ben’s innocence and offer to let themselves be taken prisoner instead. That part of the story is told through the songs “Who’s the Thief?” and “Benjamin Calyposo.” Seeing that his brothers have changed for the better, Joseph reveals his identity and Jacob is sent for so that the whole family can be reunited at last. The last song of the show – not counting the “Joseph Megamix” which is a big dance version of all the songs combined into one – is another Broadway modern classic, “Any Dream Will Do.” McCann impresses when he belts that number out, too. A lot of the story and song is told with the help of the narrator, which was performed by one of the two understudies Friday night. You couldn’t tell Alyssa McAnany was an understudy, however, as she did so well. Overall, despite having seen “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” before, the show was so well done I was entertained from start to finish again. The projections and lighting were done in such a remarkable way that they were like another character in themselves, and I enjoyed trying to catch it all. Everyone at the Honeywell Center Friday night really enjoyed the whole thing, and it was a pleasure to have been a part of the audience. My rating (out of four): 4.
