|
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Christian Community Theater Any residents of Mt. Helix who have their window open at night over the next couple weeks may find themselves kept awake by the rousing, electric production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat performing at the Mt. Helix Amphitheater. If they can't hear the music, they'll surely be able to hear the applause as the Christian Community Theater performers brought the audience to their feet with a standing ovation on the first Friday night production. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Joseph is perhaps not as well known as Cats, Evita, Phantom of the Opera, and Jesus Christ Superstar, but it may be better than all of them and is certainly the most humorous of the Webber musicals. It tells the Biblical story of Joseph, the second to last of twelve sons of Jacob. Joseph (played by Carlos Mendoza) is Jacob's favorite son, and so naturally his eleven brothers resent him a little. But then Joseph begins telling them about dreams he's been having where his eleven brothers are bowing down before him, and their resentment grows considerably. When Jacob (Jody Morgan) gives him the "technicolor dreamcoat" and Joseph shows it off to his brothers, that's the last straw! They sell him as a slave to a passing caravan, rip up his pretty coat, douse it in goat's blood, and tell their father that Joseph was killed. Of course, they put it to him gently in the hilarious song "One More Angel in Heaven" where the brothers express their deep sorrow at Joseph's "passing." As brother Reuben (James Wigdahl) sings, "Joseph, we'll never forget you. It's tough, but we're gonna get by." Meanwhile, Joseph is sold to an Egyptian named Potiphar (Joey Minnich) where he is well loved, especially by Potiphar's alluring wife (Shelley Smith). She takes a very special interest in Joseph, and after her advances are repeatedly rejected by the loyal Joseph, she tells her husband that Joseph has tried to seduce her. Due to Potiphar's affection for Joseph, he does not have him killed. Yet he does have him sent to prison where Carlos Mendoza gives a powerful soliloquy in the dramatic song "Close Every Door." But as they say, God never closes a door without opening a window. The Narrator (Jenn Grinels) tries to prop up his spirits with the words, "Don't give up Joseph, fight till you drop. We've read the book, and you come out on top." While in prison, Joseph gains a reputation for being able to interpret dreams. Enter Pharaoh (Nathan Lacy), the King of Egypt, in the guise of Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll. With a Southern drawl and swivel hips, Pharaoh describes his dreams to Joseph. So impressed with Joseph's interpretations, he makes the prisoner the highest-ranking official in Egypt (besides himself, of course). Several years later, back in Canaan, Jacob's family is starving in a famine-ridden land, but still able to sing about it in "Those Canaan Days." The brothers go to Egypt, which had been saved from the famine by Joseph's wise counsel. They "Grovel, Grovel" to the Egyptian court for food, not recognizing that the man they are groveling to is none other than their long-lost brother. Joseph's early dreams are fulfilled; his brothers are bowing to him. Joseph agrees to help them, but first he wants to give them a little scare. He gives them all bags of food, but hides a silver goblet in Benjamin's (Reid Wise) bag. Before they leave, Joseph pretends to have discovered that the goblet has been stolen and accuses one of the brothers of having stolen it. All the bags are gone through, and it is discovered in Benjamin's bag. The brothers come to Benjamin's defense in one of the highlights of the play, the "Benjamin Calypso," performed masterfully by brother Levi (Matt Davis) who is donned in dreds. In the end, Joseph reveals his identity and forgives his brothers of their treachery. Throughout the play, Jenn Grinels as the Narrator was captivating. She was central to nearly every scene, making her performance critical to the success of the play. Her phenomenal voice handles a soft, lilting verse just as beautifully as when she has to belt out a score. But her hand and body movements as well as her facial expressions were just as impressive. This was her first performance in the San Diego area. A senior at U.C. Irvine, Jenn had to commute two hours to and from rehearsals to perform in La Mesa. Here's hoping gas prices drop and she decides to drive down to San Diego more often! Carlos Mendoza (Joseph) is another great talent living in the L. A. area, and is a graduate from USIU. Coming from a family of five children, all boys, Carlos is almost a real-life Joseph. Apparently the part he was born to play! He will be seen in the upcoming film Blow co-starring his twin brother and Johnny Depp. Carlos has also done a great deal of choreography and directing. He recently directed the Golden Eagle Awards, sort of the "Golden Globe" of the Hispanic community. Nathan Lacy, who played the Elvis-like Pharaoh, stole the scenes he was in. Although he has enjoyed acting since junior high, it was not until the last few years, since retiring from the Navy after 22 years of service, that he has been able to act on a more regular basis. He has become a CCT regular, a great talent for the theatre group to have. All of Joseph's brothers and their wives put on a terrific performance with difficult choreography that they handled flawlessly and with flare. A few of them really had a chance to shine, such as Matt Davis (Levi) in the "Benjamin Calypso", Mick Bonde (Zebulun) in "Those Canaan Days", and James Wigdahl (Reuben) in "One More Angel in Heaven." As always, Joey Minnich (Potiphar) had the audience rolling with his signature comedic style. You can catch him later this summer in Starlight's Peter Pan where he will be playing Smee. If you haven't seen him yet, try to see him this summer. In the Fall he leaves San Diego to attend the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California. Morgan Carberry, one of the brother's wives who also played the fiddle on the stage, is a wellspring of talent. In addition to playing the violin, she also plays the flute, pipe organ, and the piano professionally. She plays the organ at two local churches and was the principal flutist in the Disney Young Musician Symphony, which aired nationally a few months ago. Morgan can also act, sing, and dance. But wait, that's not all. Morgan is the San Diego Junior Miss 2000 and was the valedictorian at Mt. Everest Academy where she just graduated. Not a bad resume! Of course, somebody had to pull this all together. This was Travis Russell's, the son of CCT founder Paul Russell, directing debut. In addition to bringing together a number of talented actors and actresses, the backstage work was fantastic. His brother, Jason Russell, developed exciting and challenging dance routines as the choreographer. The sets (Henry Loughman), costumes (Tamara Myers), and lighting (Mike Harvey) brought the entire stage to life like few plays I have ever seen. All this and a view from Mt. Helix at night? You can't go wrong. I encourage everyone to try to see this play. If I were a resident of Mt. Helix (which, unfortunately, I am not), I would leave my windows open at night and enjoy! Rob Hopper San Diego Playbill ~ Cast ~
Narrator: Jenn Grinels Joseph: Carlos Mendoza Jacob: Jody Morgan Pharaoh: Nathan Lacy Potiphar: Joey Minnich Mrs. Potiphar: Shelley Smith Baker Sergio: Sergio Garcia-Godoy Butler: Russell Holcomb - Brothers - Reuben: James Wigdahl Simeon: Corey Keane Levi: Matt Davis Naphtali: Steven Pappas Isaachar: Stephen Knoll-Gentry Asher: Peter Hansen Dan: Ryan Hansen Zebulun: Mick Bonde Gad: Brad Davis Judah: Bryan Briney Benjamin: Reid Wise - Wives - Stephanie Bartak Morgan Carberry Sarah Dailey Katie Davey Anika Dominguez Heather Harnish Danica Jones Jayme Lake Renee Rebold Janie Russell Kathy Sanchez Director: Travis Russell Producer: Paul Russell Musical Director: Janie d'Avignon Choreographer: Jason Russell Accompanist: Rachel Newhall Conductor: Harvey Tellinghuisen Costume Designer: Tamara Myers Lighting Designer: Mike Harvey Master Electrician: Tristan Gates Rehearsal Secretary: Nancy Skinner Stage Manager: David Atkinson Sound Designer: Larry Esau Production Coordinator: Henry Loughman |