Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Postcard Review by Caroline Russell-King

Show – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Playwright/composer – Lyrics by Tim Rice, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, adapted from the Bible written by various.

Production Company/Theatre space – Chai (rhymes with high and means life in Hebrew) Life Productions, (community) Temple B’Nai Tikvah

Length – 1 Act, 1 hour 45 minutes (no intermission)

Genre/s – Sung Through Musical (operetta)

Premise – A boy who can “read dreams” is exiled by his brothers, jailed, then commanded to help the Pharoh interpret his dream, is released, gains status, and gets revenge on his brothers.

Why this play? Why now? – It’s a well known musical with content important to the new theatre and venue (it’s performed in the sanctuary of the temple).

Curiosities – Some of the lyrics take on a different or deeper meaning in these times and I wondered if anyone else was thinking the same thing.

Notable moment – Elvis Pharoh

Notable writing – This show has been produced over 20,00 times including The West End and Broadway and garnered 7 Tony nominations.

Notable performances – Sometimes the show isn’t the sum of its parts, it’s the sum of its hearts. This cast of 29 combined with the 18 crew, 6 musicians, and 37 volunteers equals 90 people getting together to have fun and perform for an adoring crowd of supporters. This is the inaugural show of Calgary’s only Jewish theatre company. As someone said it is the phoenix rising. Beth Isreal Players was the first Jewish theatre company in Calgary that produced dozens of shows and closed in 1986. Here, a mix of the old guard and the novices come together to continue the ancient tradition of theatre. Shows like this bring us together, in laughter and tears, to reflect on what it means to be human.

Notable design/Production – Mazel tov to the producers Tracy Smith, Laura Shuler, and Ari Cohen for successfully completing the herculean task of starting a new company and putting on a production of this scale.

Notable direction – Morpheus Theatre’s AD Sean Anderson was brought into direct, and he does a fine job. It’s always smart to include members of other successful community productions when starting a new one. Anderson utilizes all of his resources to the max and has the challenge of storytelling by moving twenty-nine actors around the stage and down into the house. And he succeeds. Choreographer Krista Willott lends her talents to some spoof filled dance numbers.

One reason to see this show – Be a part of Calgary’s theatre history and catch the first show of what promises to be the first of many. To Life!