IT'S JUST A DREAM NOW...THIS JOSEPH AND HIS COAT

It's Just A Dream Now...This Joseph and His Coat   by Barbara Biddison

Four performances featuring this one of twelve brothers and his amazing colorful coat.  A stage in Straughn able to adequately display the backdrops created by local artist Tim Crane.  The twelve brothers, and an equal number of women. and a dozen children all dancing and singing as they move confidently across the stage.  All this to create a visual and musical delight, with the help of musicians in the pit.  And costumes, most of them created  (stitched) by local seamstress Peggi Yaccovissi with the help of Elaine O'Neil and others.  This local creation is not just   "puttin' on a show."  It has the feel of professional theatre with the addition of local talent "giving it their
all."

I saw it twice in performance, Opening Friday night and Saturday matinee.  There were good receptive crowds.  And that cast just kept going.  I hear that the final show, Sunday matinee was outstanding. I've been in shows in my younger life and I know what it's like to keep going and feed off the audience.  I hear that the final show was
so good that a person could cry (that's a good kind of cry.)  There is a certain kind of show that will take you there....as actor, as audience. It is impossible to name all the 40-some cast members, but they were all "there" all the time.  Thanks, Thomas.  The director pulls it all together and inspires the cast, and crew, and costume-makers.  And they work really hard to create the dream.

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