Casey Scott and ensemble members in Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Sibling rivalry, sequins, sphinxes … . Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has it all, and then some. At Quad City Music Guild's Prospect Park Auditorium, director Karen LeFebvre delivers a revival of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber’s and book writer/lyricist Tim Rice's beloved musical, charting the journey of the biblical Joseph from favorite son to Pharaoh’s right-hand man. Betrayed by his envious brothers and sold into slavery, Joseph uses his gift for interpreting dreams to rise to power in Egypt, eventually reuniting with his family in a tale as colorful as his wardrobe. We went to the Saturday, June 7 performance.
Kitty: It was red and yellow and green and brown …
Mischa: So we saw Joseph –
K: … and ruby and olive and violet and fawn …
M: … and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat …
K: … such a dazzling coat of many colors!
M: We can’t do the whole review like this.
K: Sorry. I’m focused.
M: Well, let’s focus on reviewing it, not reliving it … .
K: Okay, then! What did you think?
M: It’s a real crowd-pleaser! With its familiar storyline, a lot of talent on and off stage, and a full helping of over-the-top silliness, it really hits most of the right notes.
K: You know who was hitting all the right notes?
M: Could you possibly mean Lauren VanSpeybroeck and Casey Scott?
K: I could! They were both perfect in their respective roles as the Narrator and Joseph. The Narrator is a challenging role that requires a wide vocal range, and VanSpeybroeck was equally adept with her soaring soprano and lower register.
M: I totally agree. Scott’s effortless-sounding but always clear and piercing tenor also fit Joseph’s character to a tee.
K: Plus, there was some strong ensemble work in this cast. Joseph’s brothers really shone, especially in their vocal harmonies, during “Those Canaan Days.”
M: That number was very well done, and it exemplified one important principle in performing campy material: the necessity of leaning into the ridiculousness as much as possible. The beret-wearing brothers really did that here, led by Joseph Urbaitis' Reuben. The country song “One More Angel in Heaven,” sung in cowboy hats and led by Evan Gagliardo's Zebulon, was another great example of confidently and shamelessly pushing the envelope.
K: Okay, yes. I agree. And this is an excellent point to bring up, because Joseph, as a show, is peak camp – and pulling that off can be challenging, because you need the audience to know that the absurdity is intentional. If you don’t go all out and make big choices, you fall into a kind of Uncanny Valley of camp where the audience isn’t sure if the choice was deliberate for the sake of humor or if it’s just lame. Here’s an example: Potiphar (Bruce Duling) had a bad wig. I think it was supposed to be bad. It was black, which clearly didn’t match the actor’s facial hair, and it was poorly fitted. But it didn’t go far enough. It wasn’t styled any particular way; it was just kind of messy. So the choice was kind of funny, but also didn’t specifically accent the character in any way, which made me second-guess its purpose.
M: Good point. “Poor, Poor Pharaoh” was an example of getting that excess – in this case, gold and glitz everywhere, with a Vegas-style “Welcome to Egypt” sign – spot on, and Kirsten Myers’ strong voice as Pharaoh helped it along.
K: Great number! In the interest of bold choices, though, I thought that Myers could've done more with the Elvis persona in his physicality. More hips! Vocally, though, he delivered.
M: We should mention some first-rate technical aspects, too. Designer Jacob Laufenberg's lighting enhanced the show tremendously. I especially liked the colored lights, echoing Joseph’s coat, along the back of the stage, which then shifted in “Those Canaan Days” to a blue, white, and red pattern, heightening the number's French leanings.
K: The costumes were also quite good. Linda Kozelichki had a huge challenge, because the songs are all aesthetically different, but she did a fantastic job. There was the “church pageant biblical shepherd” vibe in Canaan, which transitioned to Vegas glam in Egypt, plus all the little touches in-between, including the straw beach hats for “Benjamin Calypso.” Some choices I liked more than others: I was a little puzzled by the sprinkling of ’70s-themed costumes for “Go, Go, Go Joseph.” Maybe it was meant to coordinate – as in “go-go dancers”? Either way, the choice wasn't clear.
M: I will say, though, that everything sounded good throughout. There were no technical issues with mics, and the self-assured pit orchestra perfectly complemented the confident singing. Sound designer Brian Phipps and music director Amy Trimble have set the audience a feast for the ears.
K: And speaking of confident singing, I do want to mention the children’s chorus, because they were wonderful! They sounded fabulous together and were individually passionate. I loved watching their expressive faces.
M: I enjoyed how their colored outfits were sometimes deployed to match the colors mentioned in the music, as the children stepped into place one by one in time with the lyrics. There were other really fun visual elements too, not least of which being some big floor-to-ceiling panels of Egyptian art that brought us into the land of the Pharaohs.
K: Along those lines, I also liked the way they staged the “pit” that Joseph’s brothers throw him into. It was a clever visual gag – short but very effective.
M: Actually, the whole show was short and very effective!
Quad City Music Guild's Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat runs at the Prospect Park Auditorium (1584 34th Avenue, Moline IL) through June 15, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)762-6610 and visiting QCMusicGuild.com.
