What musical theater company portrays a once in a lifetime classic biblical tale with an old western twist? Sundance Summer Theatre presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with breathtaking musical numbers, over-the-top choreography, intricate scenery and a modern twist on an award-winning musical.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is about the prophet Jacob’s youngest son Joseph from the Bible. Jacob has 12 sons, and Joseph is his favorite. The musical follows the story of Joseph and how his brothers, who despise him, sell him into slavery in Egypt. Joseph becomes a servant, is thrown in jail and is then released because of his ability to interpret dreams. The story comes full circle when Joseph saves the Egyptian people and his brothers come begging for food during a time of famine. After messing with them for a little while, Joseph forgives his brothers, and they mend their relationship.
D. Terry Petrie, theater professor at UVU and director of Sundance Summer Theatre’s rendition of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, took the original script of the musical and put a western twist on it. The choreography was country dancing; the cast wore cowboy hats and boots and various original characters adapted to fit the theme. For example, the character Potiphar was an expert in pyramid schemes, not Egyptian pyramids like in the original script. Despite the cast and crew’s best efforts to make this adaption as clear as possible, there were still some moments when the music did not match the western setting because the cast would often sing about Egypt. This would get a little confusing since the musical was supposed to be taking place in the wild west. Other than that small detail, the adaptation from biblical times to the wild west was smooth.
There were a few actors who really carried the show among the amazingly talented cast. The narrator, played by Emily Rose Lyons, had an extraordinary voice. Never once did her voice fall flat or miss a note during the night’s performance. Preston Taylor, who played Joseph, was born to play that character. He portrayed Joseph almost effortlessly to the point that he seemed like he wasn’t acting at all. This made the role of Joseph more believable and fun to watch. Petrie chose two strong leads who never ceased to amaze. Despite the talents of the leading actors, the real show stoppers were the children’s chorus from Noorda Theatre Center for Children and Youth. They continuously melted hearts across the audience and completely stole the show.
With the intricate set, choreography, costumes, talent and modern-day twist, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a must-see.
