Photo by Amy Pasquantonio

The cast of The Wick Theatre’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat performs on the production’s functional set.

By AARON KRAUSE

The titular garment is hardly the only impressive aspect of The Wick Theatre and Museum Club’s admirable professional production of the unforgettable classic musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

In addition to quality costume design, the Boca Raton theater company’s large cast excels. More specifically, triple-threat performers endear us to their characters. And they relate the well-known Biblical story of Joseph and his brothers with more energy, humor, and believability than your average Sunday School program. The proof is on the Wick Theatre’s stage. There, the roughly two-hour production, which includes an intermission, runs through Dec. 22 under Simon Coulthard’s astute direction.

Without question, The Wick’s mounting will rejuvenate you and leave you humming Andrew Lloyd Weber’s and Tim Rice’s gorgeous score. Indeed, this sung-thru show’s renowned diverse music is the kind that sticks in your mind long after you leave the theater. Chances are, you know these songs so well that if you merely look at the lyrics, you hear the melodies in your head. The performers skillfully sing the songs and dance with mostly adequate accompaniment from recorded tracks.

Of course, a strong actor as the titular character is important to any company’s production of Joseph. And this production boasts a gem of a performer in Stephen Christopher Anthony. But a quality performance by the thespian cast as the narrator is just as crucial. To her credit, Leah Sessa delivers big time as the narrator, who sets the tone from the start and appears in most if not all scenes.

In addition, a children’s choir lends the Wick’s production sweet voices and an endearing innocence. The youngsters, listed alphabetically by last name, are Lia Autumn, Marlana Cay Baker, Sydney Emerson, Taylor Friedel, Ava Raelee Gouldthorpe, Leyah Kesselman, Zoey Madden, Audrey Lopez Menda, Luke Sargent, Ava Scarfone, Maya Scarfone, Daisy Tanner, Margaret Tanner, Venezia Verga, Alexa Vergara, and Olivia Wasser.

The Wick’s production establishes a family friendly aura from the beginning. That is when Sessa begins telling the story as the eager children sit and listen. Of course, hopefully we listen as well.

Sessa, a radiant red-haired star whose matching lipstick accentuates her bright smile, makes eye contact with the individual children and points to us when the opening song’s lyrics refer to the audience. She’s like an enthusiastic tour guide as she leads the children and us through the story.

For those unfamiliar with the Biblical tale of Jacob, Joseph, and his brothers, a refresher might help. Way, way back many centuries ago, not long after the Bible began, Jacob, Joseph, and his 11 brothers and their wives lived in the land of Canaan. This is a region in the Ancient Near East that is now part of modern-day Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Jordan.

Out of all his 12 sons, Jacob favors Joseph the most because he reminds him of his favorite wife, Rachel. Naturally, Jacob’s other sons are jealous of Joseph, and his dreams further alienate him from them.

After Jacob gifts Joseph a coat of many colors and the young man boasts about it, Joseph’s brothers decide it’s time to get rid of him. So, they beat him and sell him into slavery to the Egyptians when slave traders pass through town. In addition, Joseph’s brothers dip his multi-colored coat in a goat’s blood (there’s nothing graphic in The Wick’s production). The young men present the bloodied coat to their father and tell him that someone killed his favorite son.

Meanwhile, at first things don’t go well for Joseph in Egypt. But his talent to interpret dreams eventually gains him a prestigious position in Egypt’s government as the ruler Pharoh’s “Number Two.” When famine strikes the land, Joseph’s brothers seek relief in Egypt – and encounter Joseph. He decides to pay them back. As he sings, “I shall now take them all for a ride. After all, they have tried fratricide.” But ultimately, Joseph and his brothers make up.

Of course, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is about forgiveness, as well as sibling rivalry, adversity, resilience, and personal growth. This is also a show that celebrates storytelling, and we need to celebrate it, especially during times when censorship plagues society.

As is the case with many Biblical stories, Joseph’s tale is timeless and timely, especially with the challenges we face in 2024 and beyond. Certainly, learning how to forgive and get along with others is important, as is perseverance. With its relevant themes, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat holds appeal for adults, but its lessons and irresistible score should also win over youngsters. Naturally, seeing and hearing children their age in the show should also help.

Diversity is part of this show’s draw. Indeed, Lloyd Weber’s and Rice’s score features several different types of musical styles. And you normally wouldn’t expect a show that takes place so long ago to include modern styles and characters (theater companies often portray the ruler Pharoh as an Elvis-like rock star, and that is also the case here). Such anachronisms are also part of the show’s appeal.

In particular, the musical includes parodies of French ballads (“Those Canaan Days”), Elvis-themed rock and roll (“Song of the King”), Country/Western music (“One More Angel in Heaven”), 1920’s Charleston (“Potiphar”), Calypso (“Benjamin Calypso”), jazz (“Joseph’s Dreams”) and 1970s go-go (“Go, Go, Go Joseph”).

You could argue that the score lacks coherence, and that composer Lloyd Weber changes styles suddenly, especially toward the end. That is when the severe “Who’s the Thief” number unexpectedly gives way to the rousing and playful Caribbean flavored song “Benjamin Calypso.” But perhaps the sudden change in styles symbolizes how life can suddenly change. Indeed, life sometimes lacks coherence; one moment you may be celebrating something and the next instant you may be struggling and even mourning somebody.

However, The Wick’s production is a cause for celebration. Therefore, the group hug that happens toward the end makes sense for more than one reason.

With long brown hair, shining, expressive eyes, and a pure sounding voice, Anthony resembles the figure in the portrait we associate with Jesus.

As Joseph, Anthony exudes serenity and contagious joy. Clearly, he is elated that his father adores him and ecstatic that Jacob gifted him a multi-colored coat. Joseph boasts, “I look handsome, I look smart. I am a walking work of art.”  As he sings these lyrics, other performers spread the titular garment out as though it were an umbrella or a wheel and move it in a circle while Joseph admires his coat. This moment represents one of director Coulthard’s most striking stage pictures.

To his credit, even when he boasts, Anthony keeps Joseph from sounding arrogant. In fact, Anthony makes Joseph a loving and charming man; at one point, he blows kisses at others.

One of Anthony’s strongest moments comes when Joseph sings the haunting “Close Every Door.” During the number, the performer makes you sense not only the character’s emotional pain, but resilience. Joseph appears mostly naked during this number. This reinforces his vulnerability.

Altogether, Anthony’s Joseph seamlessly grows into a humble, more mature man who has handled adversity well.

As Joseph’s father, Jacob, Troy Stanley lends the character convincing gravitas. However, the performer could be more emotional, perhaps shedding a tear or two when Jacob learns about Joseph’s “death.” Stanley also plays the wealthy Egyptian Potiphar, lending him an air of self-importance and credible shock when he discovers Joseph with his wife.

Aaron Atkinson also shines as Pharoah. Specifically, the performer nails the character’s confident, sexy moves that cause the ladies to swoon.

Sessa consistently imbues the narrator with energy and always commands the stage while appearing natural. In addition, the performer’s authentic emotions always match the moods of scenes.

In addition to directing the production, Coulthard serves as choreographer while Cat Pagano is the associate choreographer. The dance moves are vibrant and physical when necessary, featuring moves such as spins, somersaults, and kicks. At other times, the choreography is properly sexier. Kudos to the performers for deftly executing the choreography throughout.

Behind the scenes, Jack Golden’s scenic design is functional. The striking set provides the performers with plenty of space to move, although the set doesn’t clearly place us in any one specific locale.

Clifford Spulock’s lighting features different colors to match the titular coat of many colors. Also, Spulock wisely varies the lighting’s intensity according to the needs of different scenes. Parts of the set light up as well, adding further vibrancy to the production.

Ricky Lurie’s costumes are appropriately colorful and the artist’s design features a mix of the modern and the ancient. This is fitting because while the show takes place long ago, it includes modern touches. And its relevance to modern times is obvious.

While this production is mostly strong, it isn’t flawless. For instance, while Brandon Cook’s sound design is solid, there are times when it is hard to understand the performers. Also, the sound cuts in and out at times. In addition, the production contains moments of awkward silence when the only sound is the recorded music.

The production includes projections by Kacey D. Koploff, but they add little to the overall effect. Also, sometimes the accompaniment appears to drown out the performers’ voices. But for the most part, the production’s vitality carries the energizing effect of caffeine and Red Bull combined.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a show that you don’t want to end. Luckily, this production includes a “Megamix” as part of the curtain call, featuring a medley of the musical’s gems. Fortunately, the “Megamix” is just as animated as the regular action.

Photo by Amy Pasquantonio

Joseph (Stephen Christopher Anthony), alone and naked, sings the haunting number “Close Every Door.” 

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

WHEN: Through Dec. 22

WHERE: The Wick Theatre, 7901 N. Federal Highway in Boca Raton

TICKETS: Call (561) 995-2333 or go to https://thewick.org.