ASL Cast Shines in JOSEPH at the Ziegfeld Theater

OGDEN — Colors burst onstage for the Ziegfeld Theater’s ASL production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat directed by Morgan Parry with ASL direction by Kimm McConnachie. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, this eclectic musical follows the biblical story of Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams. Ziegfeld’s vibrant production had a phenomenal cast of Deaf and hearing actors who sang and signed together to create a fun and inclusive musical enjoyable by audiences of all ages.

Cache Miller shined with a range of subtle but clear facial expressions and body movement that gave a beautiful insight into the emotions of Joseph as he went through his journey from a favored son, to slave, and eventually a ruler of Egypt. Miller signed throughout his performance with Dylan Floyd Panter providing excellent vocals for his role. The duo’s performance was especially effective during Act 2 as they presented a cold and stern Joseph confronting his brothers melting into pure joy as he was reunited with his family. Stephanie Morgan, Alexa Thomas, and Aspen Larkin starred as the Narrator with Morgan signing and Thomas and Larkin singing throughout the production. Next to Thomas’ and Larkin’s engaging acting, Morgan’s acting unfortunately felt stiff in comparison. Kimm McConnachie and Liesel Dewalt were incredibly in sync as McConnachie signed and DeWalt sang for the role of the Pharaoh. They made for a wonderful duo as they fed into one another’s energy, creating a larger than life persona onstage.

Though Sam Farley had a 30 year hiatus from the stage, his experience as an interpreter and fluid signing lent well to his performance as Jacob and Potiphor. Ash McKnight stood out with their expressiveness in both their singing and signing while playing one of the wives and later garnered sympathy as the Butler lamenting to Joseph. A truly impressive feat of this production was the strength of both the vocals and signing onstage by the ensemble, a testament to the work of Music Director Maggie Gadd and Choreographer Kacee Neff. The children’s chorus was an endearing addition to the musical that added a sweetness to each scene they were in.

The set design by Erica Choffel and projection design by Troy Martell was well crafted to establish the setting while also accommodating for a large cast onstage. While some furniture pieces were brought onstage, the set primarily consisted of large risers/platforms that the actors were able to arrange themselves on in different configurations thus creating a dynamic, moving picture in each scene. The projections on the proscenium and backdrop allowed for seamless transitions that quickly established the setting for the audience. This contemporary technical element paired well with the various anachronistic parody vignettes in the show.

Director Morgan Parry and ASL Director Kimmy McConnachie had their work cut out for them in directing and staging such a large cast in a venue of this size. The musical had a strong beginning with the entire cast slowly joining the narrator onstage for a beautiful performance of “Any Dream Will Do”. The scene with Joseph’s coat was especially enjoyable as everyone gathered to the edge of the stage excitedly signing and singing all the colors in Joseph’s coat. The colors flashed onstage with the words appearing onscreen in sync with the actors as they sang/signed. It made for an intimate and electrifying sequence that quickly set a high bar for the rest of the evening. Unfortunately these expectations were not always met as the action became muddled due to the layering of lyrics and the sheer number of performers onstage. At times it was difficult to keep track of who to pay attention to, especially in the case of the double cast characters with an ASL actor and a vocalist. Although the ASL performers appeared to be the primary of their characters, as signified by their elaborate costumes with their singing counterpoint wearing a simplified version of the costume, there was sometimes uncertainty of who was meant to be the central focus. Despite this challenge with the staging, it was admirable to see the effort of blending together sign language and song into one performance.

Parry and McConnachie’s work shone in the pared down sequences of the musical. The simplistic staging of the “Any Dream Will Do” reprise at the conclusion of the production was a welcome respite from the sensory explosion that occurred previously. Miller and Morgan stood down center stage with their singing counterparts standing on the platforms upstage. The rest of the cast sat in a large semi circle around the edges of the stage, allowing the focus to be on the ASL performers while also enjoying the vocals and music.

Overall, this heartfelt production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was a fun, accessible experience that will leave you entertained with a catchy tune stuck in your head.