by dick kerekes dickkerekes@yahoo.com
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will be on stage at the Times Union Center through Sunday October 22 as part of the FCCJ Artist series. The opening show on Tuesday was an astoundingly entertaining show. This a family friendly, Bible-oriented show with an inspiring and moving story and lots of dancing, singing and fun. Need I say more?
Joseph debuted in l968 when it premiered with a fifteen-minute version. It wasn’t until l982 that the authors Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber added new numbers and made the show into a full two-act production. It opened in New York and played over 700 performances and earned eight Tony Award nominations. It is considered the longest-running touring stage musical of all time and has played to estimated 30 million people.
If you have seen this show at one time or another, believe me you have never seen it like this very modern up to date version. Oh, the story is the same. Joseph is sold as a slave by his 11 jealousy brothers, because he is favored by their father Jacob. He prospers because of his ability to interpret dreams and he becomes the Pharaoh’s number two man and is eventually reunited with his family when they come to Egypt to look for food.
The advances in light and sound technology take this show to new levels of visual and audio enjoyment. Talk about modernizing. In this production you will see, l. A camel on wheels 2. Day glow cactus 3. A singing snake 4. A golf playing head of state, who counts his money on a laptop 5. Street lamps that sprout plants and finally cheerleaders dressed in iridescent day glow fabrics with a big “ J” on the front (stands for Joseph, of course).
One of the most popular characters is the Pharao,h played by Matt O’Brien, as Elvis complete with the white jump suit, except this suit has a plunging neck line, that goes, well you have to see it to believe it.
The songs are bound to include a musical style that you like. Take your choice, from calypso, rock ‘n” roll, pop, country and Broadway, all presented in a campy Vegas show style.
All the voices in this energetic young cast are superb. Guys will fall in love with the Clarissa Grace as the Narrator who has a magnificent voice and a smile that is as wide as the Nile. Gals, will gush over the handsome and charismatic Adam Ryan Tackett as the best Joseph I have ever seen and heard in any production.
There were many children in the audience opening night, apparently seeing Joseph for the first time and they loved it. It is very kid friendly since the entire show with the intermission only runs under two hours.
The final number of the show is called Joseph Megamix, but is really a long curtain call that recaps a lot of the songs with the cast dressed in their street clothes. It is a spectacular light and sound finale that will have you leaving the theatre happy and singing.
To sum it up this is a wonderful production and the message, seemingly hidden by all the razzle-dazzle comes through and is uplifting. It is a show that will please everyone from 8 to 80. (Actually I saw several very delighted four and five year olds.)
If you can only see one show this year with your family, make this the one. Call FCCJ at 632-3373 for reservations or toll free at 1 888 860 BWAY. Visit their website to order tickets www.artistseries.fccj.org.
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