"I think a lot of times people get bogged down by the fact that it's a Bible story, but if you actually read the script, you’d know it never mentions God at all," says director Bryan Bell. "Yes, it is a Bible story, but it's more about family, dreaming and living your truth."
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a musical comedy that opened on Broadway in 1982 and combines the Bible with disco, an Elvis-inspired Pharaoh and a coat so colorful it would make a rainbow jealous. It charts the tale of Joseph, the guy with the dazzling coat; his jealous brothers may have sold him into slavery, but thanks to his sick dream-interpretation skills, he becomes the pharaoh's right-hand man.
Along the way, the cast members sing their hearts out in a variety of musical styles, from country to calypso. Think of it as Webber's way of saying, "Why use words when you can dazzle with a showstopper?"
"Joseph is just musically so diverse; it's so fast and moves so quickly through all these different styles," Bell says. "It's fun to do as a performer, and it's even more fun to watch as an audience member. I've never had a bad time doing Joseph. The cast always gets close, and it's just been a really great experience every time I've done it."
This marks Bell's tenth production of Joseph; the bug first bit him back in 1994, when he was cast in the Arvada Center's staging of the musical. "I would act, choreograph, direct and produce it all over, but I've actually taken the last thirteen years off," he admits. "I kind of retired from theater to become a flight attendant, but then Candlelight's production kind of dropped into my lap and pulled me back into theater again."
The musical was chosen for Candlelight's sixteenth-season holiday show by the company's director of operations, Cathy Salaymeh; sales and marketing director Jalyn Courtenay Webb; artistic director Kate Vallee; and owner Dave Clark. Not only was Joseph a staff favorite, but patrons frequently requested it.
"We go directly to our customers in our surveys that we put on every table to ask if there are specific shows that they would be interested in, and we take that very much into account when we're making decisions going forward," Vallee says. "After having gone through so many things recently as a society, I think it's really important to listen to your audience in terms of what they're looking for, and Joseph is a well-known, popular entity. We also loved the idea of not doing something completely Christmas-themed but something that still centered around a biblical character in a way that appealed to a broad-scope audience."
Candlelight Dinner Playhouse is a for-profit, 300-seat dinner theater located 45 miles north of Denver in Johnstown and draws visitors from all around the region.
Courtesy of The Creative Agency
"Candlelight is more than just a regular theater experience, because we provide more than just a show. In addition to the kitchen and drinks, we are also always exploring the environment we want to create per production. For The Little Mermaid [on stage in summer 2023], that show was directed toward our younger audiences, so we created this beautiful seascape in our lobby for the kids to walk into. It's those little touches that help create the overall experience," Vallee explains. "For Joseph, we will be selling colored wands, so the kids will be able to have some light-up wands during the show to play into that dreamer aspect."
In addition to the glowing wands that can be used during the dance numbers at the end of each act, this production of Joseph finds ways to cleverly blend the old with the new. According to Bell, this version of the musical incorporates elements from the 1999 film version starring Donny Osmond, resulting in a fresh take on a beloved classic that appeals to both new and longtime fans.
"There are 800 versions of Joseph, but in this one, they added a bunch of stuff from the film version — like 'Those Canaan Days' and a longer hoedown during 'One More Angel in Heaven' — into the show." Bell says. "In past productions, they didn't have those in there, but we're doing them now. It's challenging to not have any spoken dialogue; a lot of times in musicals, we'll do a big splashy number, then we'll explain it all and then we'll go to the next number. In Joseph, you just have to do song after song after song and make sure we are clear about the story for the audience to keep following us."
The crew has spared no expense to bring this visually stunning production to life. Its elaborate set, designed by Mike Curtis Grittner, applies large, multi-tiered platforms to create the Egyptian pyramids and the Sphinx, adding grandeur to the performance. Similarly, the myriad costumes designed by Deb Faber give the production a globetrotting feel as the cast changes from outfits inspired by everything from cowboys to disco dancers to the French.
Ironically, honesty was something the cast found crucial when it came to making their over-the-top biblical retelling. "I know it sounds weird, but keeping the situation grounded is essential," says Patric Case, who plays the pharaoh and one of Joseph's brothers. "There is this scene where Benjamin is being accused of stealing, and it was great to look around, because everyone is reacting honestly; even though it's a heightened, crazy, disco-Bible scene, we're able to find the authenticity.
"I'd encourage Gen Z to come out and face the cringe, man. ... Andrew Lloyd Webber is a bit passé nowadays, but it's okay to enjoy yourself for the sheer enjoyment of musical theater," he adds.
"It is really hard not to at least tap your toe to this music," says Sarah Forman, Candlelight's food service manager and performer, who alternates the role of Narrator with Webb. "Caleb [Wenger] is a very relatable Joseph who ends up where he is at the end by total happenstance. It’s inspiring to see a story about someone who was once hated for being himself find his place in the world. That’s what I hope audiences take away from this: strength and knowledge to realize that everyone has their own purpose in life. Though it may be a difficult and long journey to find what that is, perseverance is key."
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat runs through January 28 at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown. Get tickets at coloradocandlelight.com.
