The BHS drama club staged the spring musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat from April 18-20.
The play brought Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s beloved biblical retelling to life with colorful sets, powerful vocals and an energetic cast.
The musical follows Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, whose gift for interpreting dreams leads to his betrayal by his jealous brothers and his enslavement in Egypt. The trouble begins when Jacob gifts Joseph a multicolored coat, sparking envy that eventually leads his brothers to sell him into slavery. Despite this, Joseph rises to power in Egypt and ultimately chooses to forgive the brothers who wronged him.
The production opened with a striking choice, where three narrators in white dresses emerged from the back of the auditorium and walked down through the audience to the stage, drawing the crowd into the show before it had even fully begun.
Sophomore Aura Turner, freshman Annika Molloy and freshman Bianca Nicolaewsky Kayat Bittencourt, who played the narrators, delivered some of the strongest vocals of the night, and their later costume changes into black dresses with orange and yellow ruffles was a visually satisfying transition that reflected the play’s striking fashion choices.
Joseph was played by sophomore Eli Ward, who brought charisma and passion to the role. His enunciation was notably clear, making the lyrics easy to follow and understand even with the loud backtrack and continuous action.
Ward’s emotional range was on full display in Act I during a scene when he slowly walked onto a darkened set after becoming enslaved, establishing a sudden, somber mood.
The supporting cast was also impressive.
The show features a large ensemble with many cast members playing multiple roles. Switching between characters required not just quick costume changes but entirely different attitudes, and the cast pulled this off consistently.
Eighth grader Sage Julka handled multiple roles with ease, including Jacob and Potiphar, and junior Maya Katz, who played Asher and a guard, also rose to the challenge of pulling off quick costume and character changes as demanded by the show.
Senior Vega Craig as Judah and sophomore JD Henz as Simeon led standout moments in “Benjamin Calypso” and “Those Canaan Days” respectively, with the latter effectively conveying the brothers’ despair.
Freshman Parker Borland brought energy and presence to the role of Pharaoh.
The staging showed thoughtful use of the auditorium space. Having small groups of brothers gather in different corners of the stage pulled audience attention across the room and gave the play more energy.
A circle formation during one of the brothers’ numbers was visually appealing, though the positioning caused some voices to get muffled.
The choreography added life to the play, with flourishes like cartwheels and acrobatic touches keeping the audience engaged.
The set portrayed the show’s ancient Egyptian theme with walls adorned with Egyptian figures, and the cast kept props moving efficiently on and off stage.
Moreover, the rainbow spotlights that accompanied the introduction of the multicolored dreamcoat were a highlight of Act I.
Director Taylor Mortenson’s personal investment in the production was also visible in the details, most notably the technicolor dreamcoat itself, a brilliantly colorful and striking costume she spent months hand-sewing.
Act II matched the same energy throughout. The younger actresses in the cast sang with great volume and clarity when surrounding Joseph.
The robbery scene moved at a satisfying pace. A particular smooth and well-executed moment came when all twelve brothers turned around one by one to reveal their bags as Joseph searched for the stolen golden cup.
Notably, the cast’s control of dynamics, building from soft to loud vocals, effectively displayed emotion and added texture to the performance.
The show closed with the full cast and stage crew taking the stage together to bow, a fitting conclusion to a production grounded in a theme of forgiveness. Joseph’s story, betrayed by his own family yet choosing to embrace them in the end, landed with sincerity thanks to a cast that truly embodied the roles they were performing.
Overall, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was clearly a challenging production requiring vocal strength, energy and precise technical executions. Beachwood’s drama club delivered all three.
