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Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the second British musical theatre show written by the team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Its predecessor, The Likes of Us, was not performed until 2005. Based on the "coat of many colours" story of Joseph from the Bible, this light-hearted show was first presented as a fifteen-minute pop cantata at Colet Court School in London on 1 March 1968. It was adapted as a musical film (starring Donny Osmond) in 1999.
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Being told we're also-rans does not make us Joseph fans.
Joseph's mother, she was quite my favorite wife; I never really loved another all my life. Joseph was my joy, because he reminded me of her.
There's one more angel in heaven, there's one more star in the sky. Joseph, the things that you stood for like truth and life, never die.
Way, way back, many centuries ago, not long after the Bible began, Jacob lived in the land of Canaan, a fine example of a family man.
Encyclopedia
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the second British musical theatre show written by the team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Its predecessor, The Likes of Us, was not performed until 2005. Based on the "coat of many colours" story of Joseph from the Bible, this light-hearted show was first presented as a fifteen-minute pop cantata at Colet Court School in London on 1 March 1968. It was adapted as a musical film (starring Donny Osmond) in 1999. Joseph was particularly recognized as one of the only major British musical theatre shows without spoken dialogue, being sung-through completely.
History
Alan Doggett, head of the Colet Court's music department, commissioned the piece for their first musical and conducted the performance with an orchestra and singers from Colet Court, the preparatory school for St Paul's School. This first performance was given on 1 March 1968.
Lloyd Webber's father, William, felt the show had the seeds of greatness. He encouraged and arranged for a second performance – at his church, Westminster Central Hall – with a revised and expanded format. The boys of Colet Court sang at this performance on 12 May 1968, which also included a rock group. It received positive reviews: London's Sunday Times said it was a new pop oratorio. Novello agreed to publish the work and Decca Records recorded it. By its third performance at St Paul's Cathedral on 9 November 1968, it had been expanded to 35 minutes and included the first appearance of several songs, including "Potiphar". David Daltrey (front man of British psychedelic band Tales of Justine) played the role of Joseph.
In 1970, Lloyd Webber and Rice used the popularity of their second rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, to promote Joseph – which was advertised in America as a "sequel" to Superstar. Riding on Jesus' coattails proved profitable for this "Technicolor coat" and the US Decca recording topped America's charts for three months.
In September 1972, Joseph was presented at the Edinburgh International Festival, directed by Frank Dunlop and starring Gary Bond in the title role. A month later the production played at London's Young Vic and Roundhouse theatres. It was preceded by an act of medieval mystery plays that led to the story of the "Coat of Many Colours".
On 17 February 1973, theatre producer Michael White and impresario Robert Stigwood mounted another Edinburgh production at the Albery Theatre. It was accompanied by a piece called Jacob's Journey, with music and lyrics by Lloyd Webber and Rice and a book by television comedy writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. Jacob's Journey, which contained a great deal of spoken dialogue, was eventually phased out in favour of the sung-through score of Joseph. The first production of the show in its modern, final form was at the Haymarket Theatre (Leicester).
The first American production was in May 1970, at Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in Douglaston, New York. Colleges and amateur groups expressed great interest in the show and there were two professional productions in New York. It was not until 27 January 1982 that it reached Broadway at the Royale Theatre where it ran for 749 performances.
Its family-friendly storyline, universal themes, and catchy music have made Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat one of the most dependably profitable titles in musical theatre, particularly when producers cast a headlining star – and, according to the Really Useful Group, more than 20,000 schools and amateur theatre groups have successfully put on productions.
With Neighbours soap opera star Jason Donovan in the lead, the (expanded) show was restaged in 1991 at the London Palladium with Steven Pimlott as director, winning the 1992 Laurence Olivier Awards for set design and costume design. When Donovan left, former children's TV presenter Phillip Schofield portrayed Joseph. A "far more modest" production starring former Boyzone singer "rather diminutive" Stephen Gateley "with cartoon cut-out sets and props and naff panto choreography" previewed in Oxford in December 2002 before moving to Liverpool over Christmas 2002 and finishing up in the West End at the New London Theatre in March 2003.
In 1999, a video version directed by David Mallet and Stephen Pimlott was released with Donny Osmond in the title role. Osmond had toured North America in the role and in 1992 had recorded a soundtrack CD. Maria Friedman appeared as herself who is known as The Narrator. Richard Attenborough and Joan Collins also appeared in the video.
A revival of the 1991 Palladium production would be the subject of BBC One's second search for a West End star, channel controller Peter Fincham announced",
after the success of 2006's BBC/Lloyd Webber Saturday evening prime-time talent show series, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?. That show's viewers had voted for Connie Fisher as a new West End leading musical theatre actor to play the part of Maria von Trapp in Lloyd Webber's London Palladium revival that year of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, a format adapted for US television as NBC's 2007 series Grease: You're the One that I Want!.
Introduced by Graham Norton and with the participation of Lloyd Webber, Doctor Who, Torchwood and musical theatre star John Barrowman, West End and Broadway lead Denise Van Outen and impresario Bill Kenwright, the prime-time Saturday evening series Any Dream Will Do!, sought a new leading man to play Joseph. More than 3 million viewers cast telephone votes during the 9 June 2007 series final and, said Norton on air, they made 25-year-old West End understudy Lee Mead "officially the people's Joseph". Lee left the show in January 2009, and was replaced by Gareth Gates on 9 February 2009.
West End Josephs
Synopsis
Act I
The story is based on the Biblical story of Joseph, found in the book of Genesis. It is set in a frame in which a narrator is telling a story to children, encouraging them to dream. She then tells the story of Joseph, another dreamer ("Prologue," "Any Dream Will Do"). In the beginning of the main story Jacob and his 12 sons are introduced ("Jacob and Sons"). Joseph's brothers are jealous of him for his coat, a symbol of their father's preference for him ("Joseph's Coat"). It is clear from Joseph's dreams that he is destined to rule over them ("Joseph's Dreams"). To get rid of him and prevent the dreams from coming true, they sell Joseph as a slave to some passing Ishmaelites ("Poor, Poor Joseph"), who take him to Egypt.
Back home, his brothers, accompanied by their wives, break the news to Jacob that Joseph has been killed. They show his tattered coat smeared with his blood – really goat blood – as proof that what they say is true ("One More Angel in Heaven"). In most productions, one brother, Reuben or Levi, usually sings the solo; the song often segues into a celebratory hoedown after the bereft Jacob has tottered off the stage.
In Egypt, Joseph is the slave of Egyptian millionaire Potiphar. He rises through the ranks of slaves and servants until he is running Potiphar's house. When his master's wife makes advances, Joseph spurns her. Potiphar overhears, barges in, sees the two together – and jumps to conclusions. He jails Joseph ("Potiphar"). Depressed, Joseph sings Close Every Door – but his spirits rise when he helps two prisoners put in his cell. Both are former servants of the Pharaoh and both have had bizarre dreams. Joseph interprets them. One cellmate, the Baker, will be executed, but the other, the Butler, will be returned to service ("Go, Go, Go Joseph").
Act II
The Narrator talks about impending changes in Joseph's fortunes ("A Pharaoh Story") because the Pharaoh is having dreams that no-one can interpret. Now freed, the Butler tells Pharaoh (acted in the style of Elvis Presley) of Joseph and his dream interpretation skills ("Poor, Poor Pharaoh"). Pharaoh orders Joseph to be brought in and the king tells him his dream involving seven fat cows, seven skinny cows, seven healthy ears of corn, and seven dead ears of corn ("Song of the King"). Joseph interprets the dream as seven plentiful years of crops followed by seven years of famine ("Pharaoh's Dreams Explained"). An astonished Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge of carrying out the preparations needed to endure the impending famine, and Joseph becomes the most powerful man in Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh ("Stone the Crows"). In the 2007 London revival, Pharaoh has a new song (King of my Heart).
Back home, the famine had caught up with Joseph's brothers, who – led by the brother Simeon, or Nepthali in some versions – express regret at selling him and deceiving their father ("Those Canaan Days"). They hear Egypt still had food and decide to go there to beg for mercy and to be fed, not realising that they will be dealing with Joseph ("The Brothers Come to Egypt"). He gives them food and sends them on their way, but plants a golden cup in the sack of his brother Benjamin ("Grovel, Grovel"). When the brothers try to leave, Joseph stops them, asking about the "stolen cup". Each brother empties his sack, and it is revealed that Benjamin has the cup. Joseph then accuses Benjamin of robbery ("Who's the Thief?"). The other brothers, though, beg for mercy for Benjamin, imploring that Joseph take them prisoner and set Benjamin free ("Benjamin Calypso").
Seeing their unselfishness and penitence, Joseph reveals himself ("Joseph All the Time") and sends for his father. The two are reunited ("Jacob in Egypt") for a happy conclusion. The show ends with two songs ("Finale: Any Dream Will Do (Reprise)/Give Me My Coloured Coat"), and for curtain call in some big productions, a rock/disco medley of most of the musical's major numbers ("Joseph Megamix").
Commentary
The entire show runs under two hours and is occasionally performed without intermission.
The show's "book" is "a light sending-up of the Bible story on which it relies", according to Nicholas de Jongh, theatre critic of London's Evening Standard. In fact, the show makes no mention of God, and does not necessarily come across as religious in nature.
Musical numbers
Act I
- Prologue - Narrator
- Any Dream Will Do - Joseph & Children
- Jacob and Sons - Narrator, Brothers, Wives, Children, & Ensemble
- Joseph's Coat - Jacob, Narrator, Brothers, Wives, Children, & Ensemble
- Joseph's Dreams - Narrator, Brothers, & Joseph
- Poor, Poor Joseph - Narrator, Brothers, Children, & Ensemble
- One More Angel in Heaven - Reuben, Brothers, Jacob, Napthali, & Wives.
- Potiphar - Narrator, Potiphar, Mrs. Potiphar, Joseph, Children, & Ensemble
- Close Every Door - Joseph, Children, & Ensemble
- Go, Go, Go Joseph - Narrator, Baker, Butler, Joseph, & Ensemble
Act II
- Pharaoh's Story - Narrator, Children, & Ensemble
- Poor, Poor Pharaoh - Narrator, Butler, Pharaoh, Joseph, & Ensemble
- Song of the King (Seven Fat Cows) - Pharaoh & Ensemble
- Pharaoh's Dreams Explained - Joseph, Children, & Ensemble
- Stone the Crows - Narrator, Pharaoh, Joseph, & Ensemble
- Those Canaan Days - Simeon, Jacob, & Brothers
- The Brothers Come To Egypt - Narrator, Reuben, Brothers, & Joseph
- Grovel, Grovel - Joseph, Narrator, Brothers, Children, & Ensemble
- Who's the Thief? - Joseph, Narrator, Brothers, & Children
- Benjamin Calypso - Brothers, Judah, & Ensemble
- Joseph All the Time - Narrator, Joseph, & Children
- Jacob in Egypt - Full Company
- Finale: Any Dream Will Do / Give Me My Coloured Coat - Full Company
- Joseph Megamix (curtain call) - Full Company
Notable in the composition of the music is the variety of styles used by Lloyd Webber, including parodies of French ballads ("Those Canaan Days"), Elvis-inspired rock and roll ("Song of the King"), western ("One More Angel In Heaven"), 1920s Charleston ("Potiphar"), Caribbean style ("Benjamin Calypso") and disco ("Go, Go, Go Joseph").
"Prologue" is a late addition to the show, not included in any recordings produced before the 1981 Broadway production starring Laurie Beechman and Bill Hutton; the use of "Any Dream Will Do" at the start of the show (and the renaming of the closing version as per the above list) dates from the 1991 revival.
The UK touring production circa 1983-1987 (produced by Bill Kenwright), included an additional song "I Don't Think I'm Wanted Back At Home", which was originally part of Jacob's Journey. Sung by the title character, the brothers jokingly throw Joseph out of the family home, throwing a number of props at the lone Joseph who is seen in a spotlight – first a suitcase, then a cane and top hat, leaving our hero to tap-dance his way to the end of the number. The tune has been recycled into numbers in By Jeeves and The Likes of Us.
2007 production
On 9 June 2007 Lee Mead, who had given up his ensemble role in Phantom of the Opera (where he also understudied Raoul) to appear on BBC One's Any Dream Will Do!, was voted by viewers to star in the revival of the show's 1991 London Palladium production by Steven Pimlott, with Bombay Dreams lead Preeya Kalidas cast traditionally as female lead in the role of Narrator. The new production has been running at the Adelphi Theatre since 6 July 2007.
Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group donated all receipts from two special performances of the revived West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to the BBC's Children in Need charity appeal. Cast members, the Really Useful Group added, would not get the usual first night gifts on 17 July — the money would, instead, go to Children in Need.
Tickets for the show's originally-planned six-month run sold so fast that Mead's home town newspaper, The Echo, reported on 30 June that in three weeks all tickets for the first three months were sold out, and the producers had extended the show's run — and Mead's contract — until 7 June 2008. The Really Useful Group confirmed that on 3 July 2007, adding that Mead, who had already foregone a week of holiday to which he was contractually entitled, would be taking off four weeks — in January, March and May 2008. Before opening night, the producers had banked £10 million in receipts from advance ticket sales, the Daily Telegraph's Arts Correspondent Nigel Reynolds reported.
"Mead delivers...[He] is contracted for at least a year," David Benedict in his review for Variety, "For as long as Mead chooses to continue in it, Joseph is, commercially speaking, the safest of bets."
In popular culture
- In the Seinfeld episode "The Wig Master," Kramer is seen wearing the coat, which he borrowed from the Broadway production's wig master.
- The Reduced Shakespeare Company has been known to mock the show during their performances, on one occasion suggesting that murdering an audience as they watched a performance of Dreamcoat would be an act of mercy killing.
- In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Ford Prefect, who had been posing as an out-of-work actor whilst on earth, throws away a copy of the script of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as the Vogons approach Earth, knowing that he won't be needing it any more. He had been keeping the script in his satchel as part of his disguise, and as a deterrent to anyone poking around and discovering his inter-galactic hitchhiking devices.
External links
- at Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group website
- - Plot summary and character descriptions on StageAgent.com
- - 2007 London revival website
- - BBC show website
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