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JC McCann and the company of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat perform "Joseph's Coat" in the 2014 national tour.

Ohio University Homecoming to include musical theater with 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will kick off the "performing arts" part of the Ohio University Performing Arts and Concert Series on Thursday night.

With his coat of many colors, Joseph is ready to “go, go, go.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is kicking off the “performing arts” part of the Ohio University Performing Arts and Concert Series with a show Thursday at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

“It’s a classic — something that most people, our students and community members, are kind of familiar with,” Andrew Holzaepfel, senior associate director of the Campus Involvement Center, said. “I think it’s a strong title to kick off with. … I’ve already had some patrons threatening to be singing along.”

Based on a biblical story, the musical is the story of Joseph and his 11 brothers who are jealous of him for being their father Jacob’s favorite. Jacob bestows upon Joseph a “coat of many colors.” Envious, Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery and believe him to be dead, however what ensues is Joseph’s journey of interpreting dreams and meeting a rich Egyptian and the Pharaoh.

The original Tony-nominated musical opened on Broadway in 1982.

In the survey the series sends out to students and subscribers, Holzaepfel said Webber’s musical ranked in the top three that were available. Holzaepfel saw the tour last year, and he said the audience’s positive reaction is what sealed the deal on booking the show.

“It was a crowd pleaser,” Holzaepfel said. “If I can make it to see production in another city, my eyes are half on stage and half looking around the auditorium. … The people were singing along in their seats.”

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Seeing the good in people, having forgiveness and pursuing dreams are some of the key themes of the musical, Joe Ventricelli, who plays Pharaoh and Levi, said.

“It’s very bright, loud and fast,” Ventricelli said. “It’s a rock opera, so the music literally never stops. Everything is sung. … There’s always dancing. … One of the great things about this musical is the music and the words are so many different genres. There’s a sort of Elvis-y bluesy type, a vaudeville number … it’s all over the place, but it’s cohesive and pretty brilliant.”

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was one of the first musicals Ventricelli ever performed.

The Pharaoh in the story isn’t exactly the character one would find written in the Bible. He’s a little more like Elvis.

“I mean, what a cool part to play,” Ventricelli said. “I think any actor would be excited to have to put something on that’s obviously so outside of themselves. … It’s a blast.”

Though Holzaepfel expects the musical will do well, he said it isn’t ideal that it falls during Homecoming Week, especially with the Yell Like Hell Pep Rally occurring at a similar time.

“There’s just a lot going on,” he said. “We booked it long before Homecoming was set. … We’ve been pushing it hard because of it being such a busy week, but in the end, it’s still going to be a great night for Broadway musical theater.”

@buzzlightmeryl

mg986611@ohio.edu

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