Boise Tuesday Show
by Josephconnoisseur on 5/6/16Morrison Center for the Performing Arts - BoiseRating: 4 out of 5Set - 4.8
Sound - 4.4 - The Tues show had a stoppage right after the opening song following intermission. It was clear something was wrong with the sound system and they worked furiously on it for 20 min and saved the 2nd half of the show, for which we were grateful. I wondered afterward if what I felt was missing in the lead voices during the first half of the show was due to a gliche in the sound system.
Dancers - 5
Reuben and Canan Days scene - 5
Benjamin Calypso - 4.9
Staging - 4.7
Pharoah - 4.8 - Wanted to see Pharoah come in on a motorcycle or make some other totally outrageous entry.
Close every Door to Me - 4.2 - did not have the power it should have had. At that point the show needs to tap into the power of Israel's Covenant with God and it missed. It did not acknowledge that Joseph's staying power while in prison came from his heritage. This is where the slapstick, stereotyped nonesensical fun needed to stop and become something more profound (than it did) for a moment.
Jacob - 3.5 Jacob doesn't work as a skinny short guy who teeters. And none of his wives were young enough to look like his daughters. The show made him look like a tottering Hugh Hefner.
Joseph - 4.5 - Needed a stronger voice with better range and needed a broader set of physical actions/reactions onstage - Great physical specimen, but the voice and acting became predictable.
Narrator - 4.7 - Needed a stronger, richer voice - hers is beautiful, but topped out and thinned out in the powerful places
Potiphar - 4.5 - I think this Potiphar could have been great, but was staged and directed poorly. He has the persona to do the part justice, but I don't think his talents were optimized. Was disappointed to see Joseph get into Potiphar's bed. Not necessary. P's wife could have just pulled off his vest, as in the story text. That said, the actual come-on dance and costuming with Potiphar's wife and Joseph was very well done.
The recap production number at the end was awesome.