Spotlight Showcase at the Orpheum Theatre

The most fun I ever had in high school was when I played the clarinet in the pit orchestra for a couple of musicals. Even then I loved musicals, and to sit in the pit for every dress rehearsal and performance, and to be a part of it, was something kind of magical for me. And even though I didn't end up making a career of it, I consider my involvement in the arts (which also included concert band, marching band, and various other band-related activities) to be an invaluable part of my education that helped to make me a well-rounded person. Hennepin Theatre Trust's Spotlight Musical Theatre Program sponsors such involvement in the arts, specifically musical theater, through various programs throughout the year culminating in the Spotlight Showcase. I attended the 8th such Showcase last night and was quite impressed by the talent of the young people of Minnesota. It was a little like attending a show choir competition on Glee, but this wasn't so much as a competition as a celebration of achievement. Over a dozen high schools performed selections from a show that they did this year, as well as group numbers by individuals deemed "outstanding." With very funny emcee Greta Grosch, music director extraordinaire Denise Prosek, and choreographer Julianne Mundale (a fantastic Chanhassen dancer), the kids got to work with some top professional talent. In a town with such a strong professional theater community, it's great to see them giving back and fostering Minnesota's own young talent.

Apparently the high school musical theater canon hasn't changed too much in twenty years; both of the shows that I participated in were represented at the Showcase - The Sound of Music (by Wayzata High School, with a stirring rendition of "Climb Every Moment," a song that never fails to give me chills) and Anything Goes (by White Bear Lake High School, with a fantastic tap number). Along with other classics such as Guys and Dolls and Hello, Dolly!, it was nice to see some of the newer musicals represented too, like 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Moorhead High School's performance was my favorite of the night, perhaps because a middle school spelling bee is an appropriate subject for kids, and also because these kids seemed to be having a great time playing the quirky kids of the Bee), Urinetown (performed by Maple Grove High School and Washburn High School, a fun preview of the show opening at the Jungle this weekend), and Aida (Minnetonka High School's performance of "The Gods Love Nubia" to end Act I was the showstopping moment of the night).

The "outstanding" orchestra members also got to perform, although both selections were non-musical theater songs (a medley from the Queen jukebox musical We Will Rock You, coming to the Orpheum this fall, and "Thank You for the Music" from the Abba jukebox musical Mama Mia). If only Spotlight had existed when I was in high school, how I would have loved to perform on the Orpheum stage!

Finally, the twelve "Triple Threat Award" finalists performed a medley of musical theater songs, and somehow the evaluators chose two of these talented kids to win a theater trip to NYC.

This was my first time attending the Showcase, and I really enjoyed seeing the amazing talent that exists in Minnesota's young people. I hope to see some of them on professional stages in the future! Although the show was too long and a bit draggy in parts (as high school awards events usually are), I recognize that it's important to give as many kids as possible the chance to shine on the big stage. And boy did they! For more information on the Spotlight Musical Theatre Program and how to get your school involved, check out their website.

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres

celebrating 45 years at the Chanhassen
(can you name the actor who appears
three times, and the actor currently
starring in a Broadway musical?)

On last week's episode of A Prairie Home Companion from Town Hall in New York City, Garrison Keillor said a good musical can "pick you up and throw you up in the air." The Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' new production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is just such a show. While I was a little disappointed that they chose to do this show for the third time in the last seven years, I can see why they picked this one to repeat. In addition to being a big commercial success for them, it's a fun, light, happy show - just what you want to see in the summertime (that is hopefully coming). With a super high energy cast, great performances in lead and featured roles, fantastically performed music, and a colorful set and costumes, it's fun for all ages. You will leave the theater feeling a little lighter. And hopefully the success of this five-month run will give them the freedom to choose something a little bit risky and interesting for their next show.

Written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Weber in the late 1960s, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is based on the biblical story of Joseph, youngest and favored son of Jacob.  He was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, but because of his talent for reading dreams, he rose to power as the Pharaoh's second in command.  He led the country through bounty and famine, and forgave his brothers when they unknowingly came to him for help. In other words, it's just a fun romp about slavery and famine. This is an entirely sung-through musical, with no spoken dialogue. It's pretty intense musically, and the almost thirty-person cast and nine-piece onstage orchestra (under the musical direction of Andrew Cooke) sounds full and fantastic.

Some highlights of the show:

• The show may be named after Joseph, but the main character is nameless. Jodi Carmeli reprises her role as the Narrator and is completely comfortable in the role, vocally and from a character standpoint. She carries the show and is a wonderful friendly guide for the audience (and the two lucky children picked to join the actors on stage*) as she leads us through the story with a winking, knowing look (you'll be OK Joseph, we've been outside and seen the marquee).
• In a completely different role from the last time I saw him (Theater Latte Da's Aida), Jared Oxborough is a delightful Joseph - childlike and almost goofy (my friend compared him to Keanu Reeves in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure). His voice sounds fantastic as always. "Close Every Door" is the one somber moment in the show, a bit of a tonal disconnect with the rest of the show, which is almost giddy. This is an angsty song, but there's zero angst in this show, so it doesn't quite fit. Still, it's a nice vocal moment for Jared.

the Pharaoh (Keith Rice) with his many admirers
(photo by Rick Spaulding)

• Keith Rice may have let his hair go gray, but he's still got it! He steals the show as the Elvis-like Pharaoh, making the women faint by flexing his jewel-nippled pecs, doing the splits, thrusting his hips, curling his lip, and singing in that great baritone voice of his. He really hams it up in the best way.
• Joseph's eleven brothers sing in full and beautiful harmony in a variety of styles - the twangy "One More Angel in Heaven," the mock-mournful French "Those Canaan Days," and the tropical "Benjamin Calypso." In the latter song, the brothers are pleading for mercy for Benjamin (Tyler Michaels, with his usual expressive physicality), who has been wrongly accused of stealing. As Benjamin tries to escape the accusation, Tyler non-chalantly whistles "Bye Bye Birdie," a nice nod to the last show at the Chan, in which he also appeared.
• The choreography by Tamara Kangas Erickson is fun and fast, and very ably performed by the energetic young ensemble. Julianne Mundale, one of the best dancers to ever grace the Chanhassen stage, gets her fantastic dance scene (in which I swear she almost kicks herself in the face).
• In a show with the phrase "technicolor dreamcoat" in the title, you expect color. And costume designer Rich Hamson delivers. The coat is indeed technicolor, and everyone from the Egyptian slaves to the brothers to Joseph in his sparkly gold loincloth are well-clad (almost making one forgive the bad wigs and fake beards). The set (by Nayna Ramey) is dominated by huge letters on rollers spelling out "JOSEPH" that are cleverly used as various set pieces.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a safe choice for the Chanhassen, but they really deliver. Director Michael Brindisi says in a note in the playbill, "I think we'll just do it and have fun." Light, fun, happy, and highly entertaining - sometimes that's all you need from a musical. The show continues through August so you have plenty of time to make your way out to the Southwest suburbs and check it out. (I only hope it's not snowing when you see it, like it was when I did.)

Joseph (Jared Oxborough) with his pleading brothers
(photo by Rick Spaulding)

*If you have a little one with a yen for the theatrical, you can enter them into a drawing before the show in the lobby. Two lucky kids are chosen each night to join the cast on stage and take part in the show. You might also want to consider the Chanhassen's summer musical theater camps.

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at the Ordway

I walked into the Ordway Center in St. Paul last night and saw a sight I've never seen there before - children playing on stage.  Dressed in colorful clothing, they were skipping rope, tossing balls, doing cartwheels, dancing, and goofing around.  It turns out they weren't a school group run amuck, they were part of the production.  41 local school children, chosen out of over 300, were on stage most of the night - singing, dancing, or just sitting on the side of the stage, watching the action.  I had a hard time taking my eyes off of them (I saw a few little Rachels and Kurts in their midst), it was so fun to watch their reactions to the main action.  But the main action was well worth watching too.

Written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber in the late 1960s, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is based on the biblical story of Joseph, youngest and favored son of Jacob.  He was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, and because of his talent for reading dreams, he rose to power as the Pharaoh's 2nd in command.  He led the country through bounty and famine, and forgave his brothers when they unknowingly came to him for help.  The most famous of Josephs is Donny Osmond, who played the role in Canada and the US in the 1990s.  There was a Q&A with some of the cast and crew after the show last night, and several people brought up the Donny Osmond version of the show.  I don't think anyone who does Joseph will be able to escape comparison, at least for the next decade or two!

Instead of Donny Osmond, our Joseph is Anthony Fedorov (who has come a long way since his Idol days).  I saw a preview of him singing "Close Every Door to Me" at Sample Night Live a few weeks ago; I was impressed then, and it's even better in context.  He has a strong voice, and looks and acts the part of the young innocent Joseph who grows to become the powerful assistant to the Pharaoh.  The part of the narrator may be the most difficult and largest role, and Jennifer Paz does a great job leading the audience through the story as well as corralling the children at times. 

Most of the remainder of the cast is local.  The talented T. Mychael Rambo plays Joseph's father Jacob and several other roles, and the hilarious troupe of brothers is filled with local talent.  Their numbers include the country-style "One More Angel in Heaven," "Benjamin Calypso," and my favorite, "Those Canaan Days."  Jered Tanner really hams it up as Napthali.  The dancing is wonderful (the show was choreographed by director James Rocco, who is also Artistic Director of the Ordway), and the cast includes Chanhassen regulars and fine dancers John R. Sloan, Tony Vierling, and Julianne Mundale.  For the closing number of the first act, the rousing "Go, Go, Go Joseph," the cast is dressed in psychedelic 60s outfits and wigs that make the show look like an episode of Laugh-In.  There's even a disco ball hanging from the ceiling of the theater.  The curtain call includes a "Megamix" of songs from the show with everyone dressed in white, and colorful streamers spray out at the end of the show (see the blue and gold streamers on the playbill above).

With a run time of less than two hours including intermission, the Ordway's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a fast, fun, colorful, energetic show full of great performances from the large cast of professionals and children.  It's playing through January 2; check it out if you're looking for a light-hearted, entertaining night at the theater.