Theater Review: ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’
Produced by: Theatre Three – Port Jefferson
Reviewed by: Jeb Ladouceur
It’s perhaps fair to say that most of us have, at one time or another, heard at least a passing reference to the Old Testament Biblical story of a boy named Joseph (no … not Mary’s husband … a much earlier Joseph). Furthermore, we might recall a few things that are said to have made this boy special: first, he was one of Jacob’s twelve sons … second, Joseph’s brothers were so envious of him that they sold him to a Gypsy-like group, and he wound up a slave in Egypt … and thirdly, the issue triggering this nasty treatment by the jealous brothers was Joseph’s ‘coat of many colors,’ symbolic of Jacob’s preference for the visionary youngster.Also, it is probably sufficient for this review to point out that matters in Egypt ultimately became complicated for Joseph (who was an interpreter of dreams) and when his master’s wife made a pass at the fetching lad, things really hit the fan!
‘Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ was the earliest Andrew Lloyd Webber - Tim Rice show ever performed on Broadway (it opened at the Royale Theatre in 1982) but it seemed, for a while, that the ‘big leagues’ dramatic debut would never take place at all. The musical, which failed to win a backer in 1966, had been staged in London, Brooklyn, Philadelphia … even Connecticut … and during that time, it was billed as a sort of follow-up, though not an actual sequel, to ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ which had been written by Lloyd Webber and Rice while they waited for lightning to strike with ‘Joseph.’
But strike it finally did, and subsequently ‘Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ garnered a slew of Tony nominations before closing in September, 1983 after boasting a respectable 747 performances. Of course, we all know what happened then. Following boffo productions of ‘Cats,’ ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ ‘Evita,’ etc. The New York Timesappropriately saw fit to label Lloyd Webber, “…the most commercially successful composer in history”.
I have never considered it the drama critic’s proper function to spell out a play’s plot in detail; to do so, it seems to me, deprives actors and audiences alike of their respective right to surprise, and be surprised. Suffice it to say that Theatre Three, under the direction of Maestro Jeffrey Sanzel, has brought to the venerable 160-year-old mainstage in Port Jefferson, a cast so huge and worthy of the mesmerizing ‘Joseph’ account that collectively they simply take one’s breath away. Numbers alone don’t begin to tell the story, but I counted more than twenty featured players … and almost as many members of the impressive children’s choir!
Kudos to them all, but a special note of congratulations goes to C.J. Russo in the title role. There are some actors who seem born to lead their thespian colleagues by the sheer power of their surefooted onstage presense and projection. One such is Russo. He is well cast as ‘Joseph.’ Another sublimely blessed actor is the wonderful ‘Narrator,’ Sari Feldman. It is the Narrator, after all, who controls the pace of any live stage show where such a performer is required, as in ‘Our Town,’-(Stage Manager); ‘Henry V,’-(Chorus); ‘The Glass Menagerie’-(Tom Wingfield)…etc. Feldman handles this assignment about as well as any dramatic chronicler I’ve seen.
In the final analysis, it is the interpretation and rendering of the music that makes or breaks an ambitious lyrical production like this one. Accordingly, one would be remiss if failing to recognize Theatre Three Musical Director, Gregory Franz, and Choreographer, Jean P. Sorbera. From first to last they are in full command of ‘Joseph’s’ diverse, harmonious song styles that range from Country to Calypso. The toe-tapping score makes for pleasant listening, and all the numbers are equally easy on the eyes.
‘Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ is a colorful extravaganza not to be missed, so call the box office at 631 928-9100. This super-show runs thru March 21st.
Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of a dozen novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. His recent hit, THE GHOSTWRITERS, explores the bizarre relationship between the late Harper Lee and Truman Capote. Ladouceur’s topical thriller, THE SOUTHWICK INCIDENT, was introduced at the Smithtown Library on May 21st. The book involves a radicalized Yale student and his CIA pursuers. Mr. Ladouceur’s revealing website is www.JebsBooks.com