| Potiphar’s wife tries to disrobe Joseph and cause trouble for him. |
The Emery County Community Theatre has done it again. They have delighted audiences and brought the caliber of their entertaining musicals up another notch. They staged “Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the Emery High Auditorium this past week.
The narrators for the play were Ann Murdoch and Natalie Blackwell. They kept the story moving along with songs and explanations of the events in the main character, Joseph’s life. Joseph was played by Ren Hatt. Hatt was an entertaining and very believable Joseph. The story begins as Joseph is coddled and favored by his father Jacob played by Barton Gundersen. This brings down the wrath of his 11 brothers and they conspire to get rid of Joseph.
Joseph has a habit of having annoying dreams where the older brothers are servants to him and Joseph doesn’t hesitate to let the brothers know of these dreams. Through song and dance the brothers end up throwing Joseph into a pit, luckily about that time some scooter riding Ishmaelites come by to save Joseph by carrying him off to Egypt as a slave. Joseph begins his new life in Egypt as a slave to Potiphar played by Michael Gibbons. Potiphar’s wife was played by Linda Daley. Potiphar’s wife has designs for Joseph and is constantly vying for his affections. Joseph protests that he does not believe in “free love,” and is not receptive to Potiphar’s wife and her attention. Potiphar catches his wife and Joseph in what he believes to be a compromising position. Potiphar’s wife chased poor Joseph around the stage and disrobed the poor boy until only his Sponge Bob boxers stood between him and the world.
Joseph was sent off to prison where his ability to interpret dreams was recognized. Soon he was brought before The King of Egypt played by Shaun Tomsich. The King was the spitting imagine of Elvis and behaved as such. He had the lady Egyptian dancers swooning with his every move and song. Joseph interpreted the dreams of the Pharoah with great visual images from the children of dancing cows and corn.
The 11 brothers back in Canaan aren’t having such happy days without Joseph and a famine on the land. They sing their way through songs of self pity and soon find themselves on the road to Egypt to beg for food. Little did they know but they go to their long lost brother for help. Joseph overcomes a bit of an attitude towards his brothers and finally allows them to take home some food compliments of Hometown Market in Huntington.
| The brothers remember better days. |
Soon Joseph and the brothers were all reunited in peace and harmony and Jacob is brought to be reunited with Joseph where he presents Joseph with a new coat of many colors to replace the one torn up years ago.
This very entertaining spoof on this old bible story was brought to life with fun and pizazz by the players of the community theatre as they played to receptive audiences all four nights of the production.
The 11 brothers were: Paul Jensen, Brandon Singleton, Kipp Huffaker, Shannon Erickson, R. Eric Sanders, Brandt Peacock, Val Jenkins, Larry Saling, Lance Wright, Con Anderson Kendall Gundersen: butler, Collin Jensen, baker, Kenny Larsen, Wives: Mara Sanders, Shala Pitchforth, Gina Sitterud, Vickie Kinder, Floree Jenkins, Karla Gundersen, Nancy Jensen, Tiffany Nielson, Mandi Weihing, Jessica Malone, children’s choir: Taran White, Ashlin White, Courtney Sitterud, Lance Sitterud, Laycee Murdoch, Brittnee Murdoch, Kaijsa Saling, Kaitlyn Saling, Kylan Erickson, Seth Erickson, Adriane Weihing, Ann Bawden, Cori Gundersen, Trevor Rowley, Tyler Rowley, Aubree Rowley, Adrienne Carter, Nikki Rogers, Hailee Rogers, Rachel Rogers, Whitney Roper, Naomi Snow, Jessica Labrum, Molly Jensen, Morgan McCourt, Charlotte Withers, Whitney Withers, Kaysea Dudley, Kerri Dudley and Kolby Dudley.
Directors: Natalie Blackwell, Shannon Erickson, Paul Jensen, choreographer, Shannon Erickson, musical director, Natalie Blackwell, children’s choir, Ann Murdoch, technical director, Tyrell Jewkes, technical crew, Todd Leeflang, Kameron Perkins, light design, Tyrell Jewkes, scenery projection, Natalie Blackwell, set construction, Val Jenkins, sound recording, Rob Lasater, costumes, Floree Jenkins, stage manager, Karen Truman, stage crew, Blake Jensen, Brady Jensen, Collin Jensen, Kenny Larsen, advertising Val and Floree Jenkins and Ann Murdoch, programs, Loyette Holdaway and Annell Jackson.