MANCHESTER, NH – I was a church kid in the 1970s – a Presbyterian church kid to be more precise, which means I was running with a wild and creative bunch of teenagers who discovered God around the same time we also discovered sex, drugs and rock’n’roll.
All I can say is “judge not,” because we all grew up to be amazing cool people.
And the soundtrack to our youth included the Biblically-based actual soundtracks to two important back-to-back productions – “Jesus Christ Superstar” and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” While nothing ever came close to topping “Superstar” in terms of drama and emotion, “Joseph” delivered something much more upbeat and relatable. Seeing it on the Palace stage last weekend brought back all the feels from my teenage years with an added wisdom of the ages.
From the opening number, “Any Dream Will Do,” until the grand finale party atmosphere, it’s clear that the cast understood the assignment. The musical numbers are filled with emotion but also the right touch of levity – even with a storyline about jealousy, deceit, slavery, adultery, deception, love, loyalty and ultimately forgiveness and redemption.
Jake Goz is well-cast in the role of Joseph, a commanding stage presence who hits all the right theatrical notes. He brings Joseph to life and carries the narrative from beginning to end. However, the star of the show in many ways is narrator Michelle Rajotte, whose vocals soar as the thread that weaves the story together.
The colorful costuming and staging and fluid choreography make for a joyful noise – whether you are there for the biblical retelling of one of the most prolific stories of the Old Testament or are just a fan of seventies-inspired musical theater.
Special props to Chris Carranza as Pharoah channeling Elvis, all of Joseph’s “brothers” who nailed every group dance number.
It’s hard to believe the show is more than half a century old. It feels relevant and timeless, delivering a feel-good message that will lift you up and float you out the door.
Tickets are available by calling the Palace box office at 603-668-5588 or by clicking here .
