“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” will return to Bloomington on its national tour for the first time in more than 30 years.
The family musical is based on the biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers and his coat of many colors.
It will take the IU Auditorium stage for one night only, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The Oct. 14 performance has been canceled to make preparations for Secretary of State John Kerry’s appearance Oct. 15.
“‘Joseph is warm, whimsical and perfect for audiences of all ages,” IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher said in a press release. “It will be a pleasure to witness our audiences’ delight as this classic tale springs to life on our stage.”
Joe Ventricelli, who plays the part of Pharaoh in this production, said the show appeals to any generation. He said all of the elements of the show, including lights, projections, costumes, sound, choreography and music, are brimming with energy that carries this show.
He said the energy is essential to the show and pushes it as much as it can be pushed without falling down.
“This show is a testament to Newton’s third law,” Ventricelli said in an email. “It radiates so much energy and life, which is reciprocated by the audience. It’s so exciting to look out during the finale and seeing grandparents to grandkids clapping and dancing along with us.”
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” was conceived in 1968 as a student project of composer Lloyd Webber, according to an IU Auditorium press release. The show, created by Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, premiered on Broadway at the Royale Theatre in 1982. It has since become one of the most produced musicals of all time, according to the release.
There have been more than 40,000 amateur and professional productions of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” around the world to date.
Ventricelli said this touring production brings with it the opportunity to share the piece with so many different kinds of people.
“Each city has it’s own demographic which brings it’s own unique energy,” he said. “Having that fresh audience, a new ‘scene partner’ if you will, excites and invigorates the show every night.”
The show follows the biblical story of Joseph, abandoned by his 11 brothers and accidentally sent to Egypt where he becomes an interpreter of dreams in a colored coat.
Although the story comes from biblical traditions, Ventricelli said the show still carries a universal message.
"This show is not so much about the religious aspects of the story but the general message of the story itself,” he said. “It’s all about following your dreams, overcoming hardships, forgiveness and family. Biblical or not, these are universal themes that strike a cord in all of us in some way.”
Tickets for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” start at $21 for students with a valid student ID and $39 for the general public.
Bridget Murray
