North Crawford Playhouse presents ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ November 8, 9, and 14, 15, 16 at 7 p.m. with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on November 9.
Yes, indeed the Playhouse, with a brilliant cast of 70, is whipping up another stage full of foaming frenzy in their Musical production of ‘Joseph.’ This Broadway smash rock opera, written by the great Andrew Lloyd Webber, retells one of the best loved Bible stories of all, that of young Joseph who was sold into slavery by his own brothers. Okay, an odd story for a comedy, but just go with it.
Our story is told by five fabulous narrators (Zoe Peters, Danielle Spiller, Joe Collins, Olevia Kvigne, Willa Dworschack). It begins in the ancient land of Caanan in the tent of that great patriarch, Jacob-(Elan Martin) who has four wives (Alana Day, Anna Villarreal, Madde Chamberlain, Whitney Brown) who have given birth to an enormous family of 12 sons (Tyler Olsen, Nick Gillespie, Tyler Steyer, Casey Spencer, Hunter Fortney, Zack Olson, Jacob Bransky, Jared Smith, Tyler Finnell, Dylan Ghormley and Tristan Peters). Of course, the sons are married to their own wives (Ahmae Varnes-Epstien, Eloise Williamson, Alex Chapman, Lysianne Peacock, Taylor Furo, Jessica Burke, Jeanne Wollschlager, Bruna Rodriguez, Christine Wallen-Sobek, and Jordan Finnell). Okay, yeah, enormous family.
But…..for his mother’s sake, father Jacob loves one son, our hero, young Joseph (Hank Schellhorn) above all the others. Jacob gives Joseph a fabulous coat of many colors, which makes the eleven other brothers envious. Then, Joseph tells the brothers of a series of dreams, which make Joseph appear ambitious to rule over them all. The brothers hate him for it, capture him and sell him to slave traders going to Egypt. Oh no!
But…Joseph is bought by rich Potiphar (Corey Spencer) and his evil wife, the seductive Mrs. Potiphar (Jeanne Wollschlager). Potiphar likes Joseph and makes him ruler over all he has. Good!
But……Potiphar’s wife finds Joseph irresistibly attractive and makes advances at him daily. When Joseph resists, she falsely accuses him of doing to her exactly what she had hoped to do to him! Yikes! Potiphar is outraged and has Joseph thrown into prison where he rots for years. Terrible!
But…..into prison come the butler and the baker of Pharaoh (Nick Gillespie and Tyler Steyer) who have had strange dreams of their own. Joseph interprets the dreams, which come to pass exactly as he says when the butler is released and the baker hanged. Even so, poor Joseph is forgotten. Alas!
But…then Great Pharoah himself (Jared Smith) has a bizarre dream, which nobody can interpret! Joseph is remembered and brought from prison to assist. Pharaoh tells the dream as the whole world watches. Then, all eyes turn on Joseph. The pressure is on and the fate of a nation hangs in the balance. Heavens! Will Egypt starve? Will Joseph get out of jail? What about avenging himself on his rotten brothers? Is there balm in Gilead? Find out for yourself! Don’t miss this fabulously funny, rockin’, reelin’, rock opera!
Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and are on sale by calling the district office at 735-4318 during business hours for reservations. A tremendous thank you to all our loyal patrons of the Playhouse.
