Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor

Dreamcoat is a Dream Come True

by Pat Lindsey

The Muny is closing its 104th season this week in a blaze of dazzling color with its production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, this high-energy pop opera has been an audience favorite since 1968. It teaches us that we can solve the world’s problems if we can dream.

Jason Gotay, who plays Joseph, is truly a dream. Besides being dreamily handsome, he has a mellow voice that is perfect for “Any Dream Will Do” and many other songs in this show. Mykal Kilgore, who plays Pharaoh, has a more explosive voice that allows him to show off his pipes when he sings, “Song of the King” and “Stone the Crows.” Soprano Jessica Vosk uses her beautiful, well-trained voice to narrate the entire story. Multi-talented Eric Jordan Young rounds out the cast of soloists with his powerful voice in duel roles as Jacob and Potiphar. These actors, together with a fantastic ensemble, choir, and 53 Muny Kids/Teens vibrantly light up the Muny stage in song and dance.

The Old Testament story begins when Jacob gives his son, Joseph, a coat of many colors and his 11 brothers become jealous and angry about it. The brothers decide to do away with Joseph by selling him into slavery. They return the multi-colored coat to their father and tell him that Joseph died while wrestling a goat. Jacob believes them. We then see all of the terrible things that happen to Joseph the dreamer in servitude and prison until the day he is summoned by Pharaoh.

The Pharaoh of Egypt has a huge problem that he cannot solve. He is worried about famine and his people starving. Pharaoh is told that there is man named Joseph in prison who is a dreamer with amazing abilities who might be able to help him solve his problems. Given the opportunity to be released from prison, Joseph puts his imagination to work and promises Pharaoh seven years of bumper crops. Of course, the dream comes true and Pharaoh makes Joseph his right-hand man.

At the same time Pharaoh’s people are thriving, Joseph’s father and 11 brothers are starving back home. They’ve had nothing but back luck since Joseph has been gone. They’re down to eating their last sheep when they decide to go to Pharaoh to beg for food. They see Joseph in Pharaoh’s palace, but they don’t recognize him. Joseph gets his chance to teach them a lesson before he reveals his identity and returns home with them in his gold chariot–a shiny new convertible. Jacob is ecstatic that his son is still alive. He gives Joseph his coat of many colors so that he may continue to dream.

The storyline is a bit far-fetched, but then this show was originally written for children. Its ability to thrill the young and old alike is one of the qualities that has made it successful for more than 50 years. The music and dancing also has something for everyone. There’s jazz, tap, and square dancing, in addition to modern dances and favorite songs, “Go, Go, Go Joseph,” “Close Every Door,” and “Any Dream Will Do.” The choreography by Director Josh Rhodes is phenomenal. And the set design (scenic, lighting, video, costume, wigs) is the amazing result of what can be achieved when several dreamers dream together.

The flamboyant finale was met with the most enthusiastic audience of the season. They clearly loved this wacky show and went home feeling good, as if they had been on a magical ride.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is being performed nightly through Aug. 18 on The Muny stage in Forest Park. For tickets, go to muny.org or call 314-534-1111.

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