Rosebud’s summer musical: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
By Laureen F. Guenther Times Contributor
Photo Courtesy of Daniel Fong
“You have this beautiful honest story of Joseph and layered on that is this incredible music of Andrew Lloyd Webber,” said Daniel Fong, performing the role of Joseph. This is Fong’s second Rosebud Theatre role, having performed in Skin of our Teeth in 2017.
From boyhood to adulthood, Joseph’s story is told through song. He’s sold into slavery by his brothers, becomes a trustworthy servant, then is unjustly accused and thrown into jail. Amazingly, Joseph then rises to a powerful position, second only to the Pharaoh of Egypt.
“Then one day his brothers, in the wake of plague and famine… come to Egypt seeking help,” Fong said. “They find themselves prostrated before Joseph, begging for help, and Joseph has a decision to make.”
That question of forgiveness is powerful, Fong said. “It does speak a lot to the lengths that people are able to move past and forgive, and eventually love and flourish.”
When Joseph is thrown in jail is another critical moment.
“His dream isn’t coming true and he has nowhere to go. He has no family. He has nothing,” Fong said.
“Many times, during the story, it’s easy to give up for him. It’s easy for him to slide into a negative direction, but at every point he chooses, and is guided and is given the opportunity, to really step into the light. There’s a beautiful story for redemption for both him and his brothers, and that affects all the world around them.”
The play has deep themes, Fong said, and it’s also a lot of fun. “At the end of the day, it’s toe-tapping music. It’s a great ride.”
“There will be something for you in this show. And I can (say with) almost 100 per cent (certainty) everything in the show will be for you,” he said. “It’s one of those shows that will be so good, it’ll plague the back of your memory for weeks after you’ve seen it.”
Fong is excited to be working with the 30 adults and children in this cast.
“Very awesome people, so it’s going to be a magical, magical time,” he said. “We have kids in there, a whole chorus of kids. We have a lot of Rosebud locals, a lot of students, a lot of really great actors who’ve gone through the (Rosebud School of the Arts) program, and then we’ve got some fantastically talented people from Calgary and Edmonton and even as far as Cranbrook, B.C.”
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat runs June 1 to Sept. 1 in Rosebud’s Opera House. Tickets include a meal, though some theatre-only tickets are available. Get tickets at 1-800-267-7553 or rosebudtheatre.com.