There are some basic rules that, if followed, will make nearly any musical a success:
First, don’t take yourself too seriously, and don’t be afraid to have your actors act goofy.
Second, have a large cast, and every now and then have them all onstage at once, dancing together.
Third, have lots of colorful costumes and neat set pieces.
Put ’em all together, and pow! You got yourself a show.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” being performed at Payson High School this weekend by the Payson Community Theatre, follows all these guidelines and the result is an astoundingly entertaining show. It’s a Bible story at its heart, and it stays pretty close to the Genesis account of Joseph and his coat of many colors — but piled on top of that inspiring and moving story is a show full of singing, dancing and light-hearted fun.
Much of the credit should rightfully go to the show’s authors. The lyrics are by Tim Rice (“Evita,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Chess”), the music by Andrew Lloyd Webber (“Cats,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” etc., etc., ad nauseum), and Webber, in particular, has never done better work. “Joseph” is one of his earlier musicals (it’s from 1969), and much of his music since then has been unimaginative and derivative, albeit catchy. The music in “Joseph” is fun just in its variety, featuring as it does about a half-dozen distinctly different genres. You can tell he and Rice had a blast writing it, with Rice tossing off rhymes like “All these things you saw in your pajamas/Are a long-range forecast for your farmers” (it rhymes better with an English accent).
There is no dialogue in this show; everything is sung, with two fantastic vocalists (Kristi Frei and Suanne Bowcut) narrating as necessary. In addition to the large cast of characters, there is a 40-member children’s choir that joins in often, adding more activity to the already-busy stage scene. Things fall from the sky, the whole cast dances, set pieces come on and off, the costumes change to match whatever the musical genre is — it’s a fast-moving, jolly show that rarely slows down.
And at 90 minutes, plus intermission, the show is short enough to keep the attention of most children, making it a great family activity. (I’ve seen shows that didn’t even get to intermission until 90 minutes had passed, let alone be finished in that time.)
There are a few minor gripes about the show — the dancing is at times unpolished, the potentially heart-warming reunion scene is handled superficially, and Joseph looks too much older than most of his brothers — but these are generally forgiven due to the sheer enthusiasm that flows from the cast. The faults strike your attention at first, but then you forget about them because of all the fun you’re having.
It is worth mentioning, though, that the skirts worn by both men and women are sometimes too short, with not enough underneath them. This is particularly the case with Joseph, who at times shows more of himself than perhaps he’d like to, and certainly more than those of us in the first few rows care to see. It’s embarrassing to mention, but it really is unsettling and should be fixed.
But altogether it’s a wonderful production. The message, hidden underneath all the unadulterated giddiness, is uplifting (it came from the Bible, after all), and the play is emotionally involving. If you find yourself in Payson this Labor Day weekend, stop in and see “Joseph.”