"Joseph" at Toby's: Where's the Colored Coat?

SHOW INFORMATION: Through June 8.  Contact theatre for performance schedule and details.  www.tobysdinnertheatre.com or 410-995-1969.

 

◊◊◊ out of five.  1 hour, 10 minutes, plus intermission.  Family-friendly.

In Olympic-level figure skating, being technically proficient does not earn you a perfect score.   Some of the overall score is also based on artistic impression.  Unfortunately, sometimes the combination of the two will also garner less than perfect scores, even if the entire performance goes off flawlessly.  Fair or not, a skater's reputation and build up of previous successes plays into that score, whether the judges will admit it or not.  Such is the dilemma facing this "judge" concerning musicals produced by Toby's Dinner Theatres.  You see, Toby and crew have been the long reigning standard setters for regional musical theatre for decades, and deservedly so.  Their Titanic is an unparalleled artistic achievement at this level, and how they could make an old chestnut like The Sound of Music feel like a fresh new musical is testimony that they needn't rely on cutting edge to work wonders, either.  Heck, Footloose proved that you can make art from junk, too.  So it goes that every once in awhile, Toby's is just good, not great – no one is perfect – with their current Columbia offering, the fourth appearance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. 

A crowd-pleasing, cream puff of a show, Joseph has been introducing children to theatre longer than Disney's been on Broadway, and like associations with Kevin Bacon in the movie world, I'd bet there are less than six degrees of Dreamcoat in the theatre world.  It is indeed a rare piece of theatre that can be mutated to fit any current trends, stylized by any director's whim and it still works.  Say what you want about the team, but Andrew Lloyd Webber (in his early days, at least) and Tim Rice sure know their way with a snappy tune and witty lyric.  As tastes have waxed and waned, so too has Joseph…  One can't imagine it more overblown than the early 90's version featuring a children's chorus numbering in the annoying hundreds, more automated scenery than It's a Small World and the world's introduction to the "Megamix," a club beat rehash in 10 minutes what took an hour to tell just minutes before, but with better choreography and special effects.  (I actually know people who went to that version only to watch the megamix – I swear.)  Anyway, as shows shrink these days (I wonder how Joseph would work in a Chicago-esque revival…) it seems very natural that Toby Orenstein and Shawn Kettering (co-directors) have chosen to revive their original version, the one that most closely resembles the original Broadway incarnation of the early 80's.  This version remains truest to the original score, retains a Biblical feel, and has just the right touches modern anomalies.  Gone is the unnecessary children's chorus, and the bone breaking beat of the megamix, though the curtain call does highlight certain numbers and actors.  In short, this version is bringing charming back.

First and foremost, thank you to Drew Dedrick for not blowing out our eardrums and realizing that volume does not increase intensity or passion – that is the actors' job.  Lighting designer Lynn Joslin does her usual magic with lighting, often making up for lack of (or in this case) too much scenery.  Her use of color and pattern lend an often subtle but visually beautiful air to each scene. 

Lynn Sharp Spears' set design, fancied to resemble an archeological dig, certainly makes the most use of the space, though the two sets of stairs leading to higher playing spaces are more worrisome than they are worth.  The steps on both are of various heights and don't come down in a straight line.  To simply look at them, there is much interest, texture and whimsy, but in practice, viewers should be concentrating on the performance, not whether of not the narrator on heeled footwear should have a spotter to catch her in a spill.  Then, too are the multipurpose boulder set pieces that wheel around the set and join together in various combinations.  They are a bit too big, and their realistic, but uneven surface again calls attention to them rather than the performers navigating them.

Janine Gulisano- Sunday's costume designs are completely in keeping with this version of the story, ranging from the expected (overalls with initials for each brother with a rainbow of accent colors for each) to the fun (the money green business suit/Egyptian skirt on Potiphar; the Sphinx-as-poodle skirts).  The accessorizing of each with hats, sunglasses, etc. is to be expected, and she has chosen perfect doodads for each pastiche number.  Tina DeSimone's choreography (with a nod to her predecessors Bobbi Smith and Ilona Kessell) is exactly what I've come to expect from this endlessly talented young woman - sharp, athletic movements, in a kaleidoscope of patterns, executed in precision with high energy by the large cast.  That they can execute with equal aplomb high-stepping country moves, Fosse-esque body contortions and competition level cheerleading gymnastics is a credit to both choreographer and dancers.

My peeves with the set aside, everything about the design elements of this production is perfectly executed and flawlessly designed.  It is all a 10, technically, but most of the time it is a 7, maybe 8 artistically, by Toby's standards.  Something about the whole presentation feels too "by the book" and uninspired.  For example, the dancers execute each move with truly amazing precision, and they are doing some complicated stuff, all 20 or so of them in a space smaller than most area living rooms.  But there is a determined lack of oomph there.  None of them look like they are having much fun, despite plastered on smiles reminiscent of cruise ship entertainers, not Toby's performers.  I remember vividly sitting in exactly the same seat for Thoroughly Modern Millie, green with envy that they would be having that much fun dancing those same numbers 8 times a week for three months.  Not so much here.  Instead, they look almost relieved that they got through it.  Lack of rehearsal?  Too complicated?  I think not.  But boy, do they need to loosen up and have fun. 

The most troubling (ok, one of them, the most comes up next) thing, though, is that with all of the lights, sets, and cast of thousands, the most (ok, one of the most) important thing about the show is all but swallowed up, not once, but three times.  And that, I think is the fault of the entire directorial and design staff.  The show's title references a certain piece of clothing, noted for its amazing Technicolor attributes.  So why, then, are we never given a clear view of it?  It gets handed off folded twice, it is put on Joseph in hunched position, hidden by the cast, and when he stands, so too do his cast mates, and even though he is standing above them, you can't see most of it.  I hope the collar isn't any indication of the rest of the coat, because it is functional, not amazing.  There are even lyrics that demand that everyone gets a peek – "I am a walking work of art," Joseph croons.  Yes, he walks the circle of the stage, but space is such that he can't twirl to show off the colors, and the cast running after him obscures that little bit you might see.  And in the finale, where we might finally get a glimpse?  Nope.  The cast gathers on top of Joseph like an NFL tackle then parts like the Red Sea with rainbow colored streamers that emanate from that collar.  Surely this was meant to be a show-stopping special effect, and the idea is cool, but it makes what we couldn't see before virtually invisible as Joe's final image is that of a May Pole.  If the title were Joseph Wears Colored Cloth, ok…

Another problem, involving perhaps the actual most important two things about this show, centers around Joseph himself, played with scientific precision by David Jennings.  Mr. Jennings has a nice voice that never struggles with the limited demands of the score.  He hits every single note, holds every note the required number of beats, and grins happily or frowns unhappily throughout, depending on what the script says he is to do.  There is nothing wrong with his performance.  But there isn't anything particularly amazing about it either (surely even he realizes that "amazing" applies both to Joseph and the coat…).  The basic problem is that he shows absolutely no connection with any character, which is most noticeable in his reaction to being reunited with his father – Jacob, played by Andrew Horn, who is emoting his ass off, while Joseph smiles with as much charisma as a mannequin.  (To be completely fair, his Egyptian hat is so tight and pushed so far down his forehead, that I honestly think Mr. Jennings cannot physically move his face.  Is this ancient civilization's answer to Botox?  Sign me up!)  Joseph sings about how handsome (Jennings is certainly attractive enough) and smart he is, but Mr. Jennings simply sings these words; there is no trace of ego, not a trace of superiority.  And that lack, which includes the paper thin conflict of this Bible story, renders the story unnecessary.  Otherwise, why would the brothers sell him off?  Remember at the heart of this little tale, there are lessons to be learned about egotism, selfishness and a lack of empathy. In this production, it is nowhere to be found.  Being a tall, large man myself, I am acutely aware of people's size and stature, so I was very pleased to see that for every color in that dreamcoat, there is also an actor of a variety of ages, sizes and ethnicities.  In fact, this production may be breaking barriers in that way and bravo to that!  That said, it still seems odd that this Joseph towers like a linebacker over every one of his adversaries.  One could see this Joseph, with a little moxie, scaring the pants off the Pharaoh, and it is only because there are 11 brothers against one that they can really over power him.  This comment has nothing whatsoever to do with Mr. Jennings particularly, it's just that certain roles require certain types of people – imagine a 6'5" Eliza Doolittle or a skinny Tracy Turnblad or an ugly Glinda.  Of course, none of that would be an issue if Mr. Jennings had shown a lot more of that "charm and winning smile" that is sung of.  The problem is, too, that after seeing most of these actors in other Toby's shows, I could name at least three of the other brothers who could have been Joseph, and spent a good deal of the evening wondering just how the auditions went down. (Note to Mr. Jennings: The last time I so criticized a Toby's lead, he earned a Helen Hayes nomination.  So no worries, pal.)

A weaker Joseph only serves to point up the co-stars who really get the most fun things to do, anyway.  Andrew Horn pulls double-duty as Potiphar, the Trump of ancient Egypt, and really seems to relish the role, high stepping and kicking up a storm.  He wonderfully handles the witty asides, garnering a great laugh with a Justin Timberlake joke.  Dan Sontagg, as Levi, works his dance shoes into near sparks with his rendition of "One More Angel in Heaven", the country western number, which about 12 minutes into the 30 minute first act actually gets things warmed up.  He really seems to enjoy his moment to shine, sings great and dances spectacularly; it is no wonder that the applause for his number nearly stops the show cold.  And it was really fun to see Russell Sunday, as Reuben, work a completely different kind of charm on the audience with "Those Canaan Days," the Parisian number.  Gone are all traces of his Gaston-shtick, thankfully, and he, too, seems to be having fun throughout the evening.  Ray Hatch is back in top form with his fun Calypso number, full of island charm in that number, and adding real character to the background of other numbers (he knowingly understands that you have to be in character even when you aren't the focus, a skill lost on a few of the other brothers).  Finally, Shawn Kettering, who could have a lucrative career in Hollywood as a celebrity impersonator, does right by the King, Elvis that is, as the Pharaoh, dazzling the crowd with Elvis like moves, vocal stylings and allusions to unhealthy eating habits.  He also lets off one hilarious joke that I won't spoil here.

The other brothers, who do yeoman's work as singer-dancer-actors include: Dean Davis, Matthew Schleigh, Gabe Veneziano, Parker Drown, Scean A. Flowers and Joseph Thanner.  Brandon Ambrosino, a highlight in Toby's Grease, is a lot of fun to watch throughout, and even though he doesn't sing a solo, he has all of the charm and winning smiles for any three productions of Joseph.

Finally, Janine Gulisano-Sunday as the Narrator, is emblematic of the entire production.  An actress that I have really come to enjoy and respect, Ms. Sunday is a great choice for the role.  She exudes an educator's authority, a sassy amount of street smarts and generates empathy when the rest of the company is void of it.  In short, she is very good in all aspects of her performance – in fact, I'd go back again just to see her.  But, I couldn't help but feel that she was seriously holding back in act one.  There were very few, if any, flashes of the actress making anything of the role beyond articulating the lines and hitting the notes.  Her smile was empty.  Then, something must have happened during intermission, because the sassy, charismatic actress came bursting through, really letting loose on "Pharoah's Story," well beyond the notes on the vocal score.  And then it was like all of the tension left the room, and everyone involved let go and just had fun.  Joseph is nothing if not fun.  Like the Narrator she plays, Ms. Sunday was truly a leader on that stage in act two.

Despite the fact that this is a pretty much by the book production, with an only decent leading man, and very few surprises (though the use of a GPS and UPS man are hysterical), even good Toby's fare is better than just about anyone around town.  And this show, just like every other offering at either of her dinner theatres, combined with a nice dinner and dessert makes an outstanding value for your shekel, um, dollar.  Best of all, this is one show you can take your entire family to without having to nervously explain anything to your kids on the way home.

PHOTOS: By Kirstine Christiansen.  TOP to BOTTOM: The Company; David Jennings, Andrew Horn as Potiphar (center); Russell Sunday (center) with Matthew Schleigh in "Those Canaan Days"; Brandon Ambrosino and Ray Hatch; and Janine Gulisano-Sunday and The Narrator.

 

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