Joseph and Us: Together Again for the First Time

My Mom visited us this weekend. While here, she told us about the beginning of Dad and her infatuation with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat:

When [Dad] was on WXPN, the original Joseph record came across his desk; he played it and loved it, and at the time he only knew it as this record. In 1973, when he was in Philadelphia for IRS training, he called me all excited that there was going to be a performance of Joseph in a park in Philadelphia. He went and saw it by himself and called me up extremely excited; I went back down to see it with him days later, and that started the tradition... We saw it at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the whole love affaair had begun.

Those showings inclusive, Mom and Dad have seen almost 50 productions of Joseph apiece. Randi and I were not excluded from this addiction, as each of us has seen around 15 different productions of the show, ranging from high school musicals to community theaters to Broadway. The attachment does not cease at nuclear-family boundaries, either, as Aunt Charlotte and the rest of the Spectors—especially my cousin Lynn—share in our love of Joseph

Thus, it was only natural that with Mom in town for the weekend, with Lynn Spector in her senior year at Brandeis and her brother Dan living almost directly above Crossroads, the five of us would rendezvous Saturday night at the Colonial Theater during the two-week run of Joseph in Boston.

The production was excellent. As several reviews observe, American Idol contestant Amy Adams belts out the narrator's role with a beautifully powerful voice while Patrick Cassidy continues the family tradition of capturing the essence of Joseph's pretty-boy character. But with the level of exposure (some might say obsession) my family has to Joseph, we lay claim to a slightly deeper understanding of the subtleties of this particular musical. And as regards such subtleties, this production is among the best I've ever seen. So without ado, I present the compiled wisdom of the Feigenbaum-Spector families to any future director of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat:

• The show is fun. Given the choice between a somber portrayal of dramatic events and a carefree display of ebullience, go with the latter. Sure Joseph may languish in prison having just finished a soul-searching rendition of "Close Every Door", but that's no reason to skimp on the comedic nature of the butler and baker or the festivities of "Go, Go, Go Joseph." Cheerleaders and pom-poms? Sure, why not?
• Play up the genres. From country hoedown ("One More Angel In Heaven") to Elvis ("Song of the King") to French ballad ("Those Canaan Days") to Calypso ("Benjamin Calypso"), these numbers are all meant to emphasize—even caricature—the parody. This production got them all right until skimping on the Calypso. At least they threw in a quick game of limbo.
• Get the small details right. OK, so this category is more subjective than others, but as I said I claim my right to be subjective in this arena. Some small details are key to my enjoyment of a Joseph production;
  • Hide Pharoah's front until he begins his song. Check
  • The chorus repeats the word "stupid" after both of the first two lines at the end of the first verse of "Song of the King":

    Well you know that kings ain't stupid (stupid)
    But I don't have a clue (stupid)
    ...

    Bzzzt
  • Pharoah speaks rather than sings the first lines of "Stone the Crows". Check
  • Give Joseph his coat at the appropriate time in "Any Dream Will Do". Check

Other minor details like actually giving Jacob a dozen sons (this production didn't) and inventing an overture and entreact (this production did) can be overlooked. All in all, an excellent show.

I think that we were all somewhat apprehensive to see Joseph for the first time since Dad died. As my Mom¹ said, Dad started this entire tradition over thirty years ago, so naturally everything Joseph related is inextricably linked with Dad in all of our minds. Yet, except for Randi and Scott not being present, we managed to band together to face this small piece of a much larger loss together. I find it of utmost importance to stare down challenges in the face of tragedy and to live life without ignoring, avoiding, or neglecting those areas of life in which Dad shone most brightly. Consider something like this a baby step in the right direction.

I'm glad to finally have sated the appetite of everyone who reads my writings here and has been eagerly awaiting an entry all about Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Next on my agenda is a foolhardy attempt to codify the ever-perplexing rules that govern what Lee Feigenbaum roots for (and against) in the world of sports. Stay tuned.

¹ I know that I'm not suppoed to capitalize "Mom" or "Dad" after a possessive pronoun, but for a long time now I've chosen to ignore that rule. Just for the record.