A great performance of a musical takes all the essentials — an orchestra, costumes, song and dance and throws glitter on it all.
The Erie Playhouse’s performance of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” this past weekend was even more colorful than its name suggests.
Richard Davis directed the 56-member cast, which was made up of 34 adults, and 22 of some of Erie’s cutest kids, who definitely had the audience’s hearts by the end of the show.
His take on “Joseph” was based off of the Donny Osmond version, so it was very modern and absolutely hilarious.
It was clear how long and hard each member of the cast had practiced to perfect their roles in the show. It’s not exactly normal to see men over the age of 50 dance like they’re on Saturday Night Fever – and do it well.
The best dancing scene in the show was in the instrumental part of the song “One More Angel in Heaven.” In this number, Joseph’s 11 brothers break the news to their father, Jacob, that Joseph had a fatal encounter with a goat, and they dance with their wives in celebration of his disappearance.
The show ended with an incredible eight-minute long “megamix,” which featured top notch dancing and singing, something a group of volunteer actors can’t always pull off. This cast definitely delivered and showed off their skills.
The songs in the show are catchy, but they definitely require talented singers with senses of humility and humor. It was evident in every single scene how much fun the cast was having on stage, especially Jacob and his 11 sons.
From their outlandish facial expressions to their obvious electric chemistry with each other, it was clear that they totally transformed into their characters and their believability won the audience over.
Aside from the entertaining clan of brothers, Kate Amatuzzo stood out in her role as the narrator. She had a beautiful, strong voice, and gave her character plenty of personality. She interacted with the cast very naturallyand playful, and she had the right amount of confidence to lead the audience and cast from one scene into the next.
The narrator is the biggest role in “Joseph,” and it was clear that Amatuzzo was comfortable singing her heart out and bringing quirky humor to the stage.
She gave the show a brilliant sugar-glaze. She was a mother figure to the kids in the beginning of the show, and then she was fawning like a schoolgirl over Pharaoh’s chiseled body. She even managed to eat a hoho and sing at the same time.
Every cast member was talented, but Amatuzzo’s performance was undoubtedly the best.
A musical would be nothing without the music, and the orchestra of “Joseph” was incredible. It was made up of about 15 musicians who filled the theatre with country, calypso, French and disco numbers, and sounded like a professional recording during the execution of each one them.
Since the whole show is sung, the orchestra members don’t get a break until intermission and they have to go until the end of the show, when the audience has already left the theatre, long after the intense megamix has ended.
The Erie Playhouse’s performance of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is definitely a must-see. Nonstop laughter, amazing dancing, singing, acting and visually stimulating male bodies are a guarantee.
