By Ande Jacobson

Peninsula Youth Theatre’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will rock the Mountain View CPA this May. This family-friendly favorite opens on 12 May 2018 and runs through the 20th. This Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice collaboration has the distinction of being their first musical to be performed publicly. The show started its evolution as a school concert piece in 1968. A Decca Records release followed in 1969, and then in 1970, the first stage production appeared. The first West End production debuted in 1973, and it finally hit the Broadway stage in 1982. Since then, the show has been revived multiple times though it’s still a very tight rock opera telling the biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. The show runs just under 90s minutes (including intermission).

Director/choreographer Marcie Shapiro and music/vocal director Steve Shapiro have shaped two very enthusiastic casts to bring their vision to life. The Shapiros have been heavily involved in community theatre and youth theatre in the area. They have a great affinity for inspiring these young actors (aged 8-18) to tell the story with confidence and verve and to execute some very challenging choreography with energy and precision. Some big messages in this show are the importance of community, believing in one’s self, and making one’s dreams come true.

The Shapiros have some powerful experience with the messages in this story, and they have incorporated an adoring tribute to Eric Sun in this PYT production. Eric brought a vast community together last fall as he fulfilled a final life dream in a recent local production of Fiddler on the Roof. The Shapiros collaborated on that show as well, and although it was not specifically a youth theatre production, several Joseph cast members were also in the Fiddler cast. The story in Joseph begins in a schoolroom. The Shapiros have named the school SunDream Elementary in loving memory of this inspiring man and all that he brought to the community.

While most of the music from Joseph isn’t particularly well-known outside of the show, it is catchy and uplifting. It’s a combination of pop and rock with a little jazz thrown in for good measure.

There will be no A Good Reed Review review of this one as yours truly will be in the pit playing in band. The musicians include:

• Bass: Andrew Lawrence;
• Cello: Rob Gloster;
• Drums: Jeff Baker;
• Horn: Jerry Simon;
• Keyboards: Steve Shapiro (keyboard/conductor), Doug Forsythe;
• Percussion: Bob Wylie;
• Trumpet: Ken Thomas;
• Woodwinds (two per performance): Ande Jacobson, Asa Stern, Ron Bowman.

This is a lively and touching show that is appropriate for all ages, so don’t miss it. Get your tickets now before they are all gone.

 What: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Where: Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA.

When: 12-20 May 2018, see: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at PYT for more information.

Additional references:

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Cast Recording)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (DVD)

A Good Reed Review also gratefully accepts donations via PayPal to help defray the costs of maintaining this site without creating paywalls.