Civic Theatre produces dreamy 'Joseph'
Talented high-energy cast offers polished take on Lloyd Webber musical
by Jenn McKee
Ann Arbor News Arts Writer
January 7, 2004
Remember that scene in "Pulp Fiction" where John Travolta thrusts an adrenaline
shot into Uma Thurman's heart?
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat" is the Broadway musical version of that shot--for at the end, a
high-energy, abridged reprise of the show's catchy songs whips the audience into a
clapping frenzy, so that you leave feeling as thou you've just taken part in some kind of
show-tune revival.
Not that that's bad. It's downright wonderful, actually, as is the Ann Arbor Civic
Theatre's production of "Joseph." Although I've only been watching A2CT
shows for eight months, this is the strongest production I've seen from the company.
The musical re-tells--by way of a narrator (Amanda Brown)--the biblical story of Joseph
(Reynaldo Arceno Jr.), the favorite son of Jacob (Michael A. LaFlamme), who interprets
dreams. When Jacob gives Joseph a multicolored coat, Joseph's 11 jealous brothers conspire
to sell him into slavery.
And once in Egypt, Joseph lands in jail. Word of his dreamreading abilities reaches
Pharoah (Eric Beitchman), however, and after Joseph demonstrates his skills, Pharoah makes
him an advisor. When Joseph's brothers later arrive in Egypt, hungry and seeking
help, they don't recognize him, so he decides to test them.
The show's enormous cast--including nearly 30 kids--works together marvelously, and much
credit goes to the two leads. Both Arceno and Brown have gorgeous voices, and they
exude a confidence that translates into powerful charisma on stage.
Also noteworthy is the fabulous newcomer Beitchman, who, as Pharoah, sports a ludicrously
gigantic pompadour and needs only to swivel his hips and snarl to make his slave girls
swoon. (Let's just say he's the king in more ways than one.)
Vocally, the men's chorus sounds fantastic, including featured standouts Dann Smallwood
("Those Canaan Days") and Zachary Ryan ("Benjamin Calypso"). And
the combination of an impressively solid orchestra, led by Debra Thomas, and Bob Skon's
effective sound design allows nearly all the lyrics to be heard clearly, even in the
acoustically tricky Mendelssohn Theatre.
"Joseph," of course, features songs in numerous genres, and director Wendy
Sielaff has put her own stamp on the show, giving the brothers' "Poor Poor
Joseph" a hip-hop sensibility and providing "Go, Go, Go Joseph" with the
caged go-go dancers it always begged for. (There's a surprise for one audience
member, too, but giving it away would be un-pharoah.)
In addition, the costumes, by Cheryl Berteel and Barb Wells, are clever, colorful and
evocative--especially the Technicolor coat and Potiphar's wife's ensemble--and Tawna
Dabney's intricate choreography has a lot of fun with the different music styles.
Featured dancer January Provenzola is a particular pleasure to watch.
Of course, I'll also confess to some minor qualms--the tango portion of "Canaan
Days" didn't look as polished as other numbers on opening night, and Arceno's
performance of "Close Every Door," while technically sound, didn't fully
capitalize on the song's emotional heft--but overall, Sielaff and her talented cast have
pulled off an amazing Technicolor feat by way of this irresistible production.
Go, go, go see it.