Phamaly Theatre Company has chosen “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” as its 25th-anniversary musical, and delivers a well-directed, imaginative production through Aug. 10 at the Space Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex.
Phamaly is made up entirely of performers with a wide variety of physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities, and director Steve Wilson draws some parallels: “This musical offers a poignant story about disenfranchisement. The concept of this staging will highlight a group of downtrodden players who will tell the tale as a means of escaping their spiritual and physical confinement. Like Joseph, the members of our company have also experienced a measure of misfortune …”
Company members present a joyous production, with a live band, directed by Donna Debreceni, which carries the audience along, causing feet to tap throughout.
Limber Daniel Traylor plays the lead role as Joseph, while the excellent Leonard Barrett Jr. returns in the role of the Narrator — popping up at unexpected spots in the theater, high and low, as the story progresses.
The story is a familiar one from the Bible, and very appropriate family fare. Joseph is his father's favorite and the recipient of that gorgeous coat, which results in anger and jealousy among the brothers. They kidnap him and sell him as a slave to traders who take him to Egypt. “One more Angel in Heaven,” with a Western twang, expresses phony sorrow.
Joseph soon meets Potiphar and his randy wife in Egypt, and the Pharaoh, who is an Elvis look-alike — Potiphar and Pharaoh are both parts well played by Trenton Schindele.
Joseph's skill at interpreting dreams brings the Pharoah's favor—especially since he foresees good things in the future of Egypt. The show's message is one of hope.
Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice manage to spoof a range of musical genres is a lively, delightful score. Voices are generally strong and blend well to make this a really strong, remarkable production. Debbie Stark's choreography always amazes me.
If you go:
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” plays through Aug. 10 at the Space Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex. Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Monday, July 28; 2 p.m. Sundays. (Talk-backs follow Sunday performances.) Tickets: $30-$36 adult, 303-893-4100, phamaly.org.