New Bedford Festival Theatre to bring this Bible story to life. Here's all the details.

NEW BEDFORD — New Bedford Festival Theatre is bringing to life the biblical story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis in the Bible, July 21 - 30, with its final musical of the season.

“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is a musical comedy with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The musical centers around Joseph's ability to interpret dreams, his brothers' envy of Joseph and their jealousy of Joseph's privileged status within the family.

“It's just such a Sunday School story,” said Elizabeth Bettencourt, the director of the production. “It’s really a story about forgiveness, and redemption.”

Bettencourt is living a full circle moment with the musical as it was her first production with New Bedford Festival Theater in 1997. Wendy Hall, executive producer of NBFT, served as the choreographer.

“It just felt like my perfect first show to direct because it's like coming back home,” she said.

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The musical recounts the story of Joseph and his brothers, chronicles his ascent from prisoner to ruler of Egypt and features themes of loyalty, jealousy and forgiveness. With an upbeat and often humorous score, the musical has entertained audiences since its Broadway debut in 1982.

Featuring a children’s choir, and several NBFT alums

Bettencourt, who was recently named the new artistic director for the company, said they are designing the sets and costumes in house.

“A lot of people know the show, and a lot of people do the show. It gives you a lot of leeway into interpretation and concept,” she said. For example, the ensemble features all different ages and ethnicities, including its children’s choir featuring 13 local children.

“We really didn't want anything to look cookie cutter,’ she said.

“Joseph has these beautiful colored panels in his technicolor dreamcoat that Sydney Hawes, our costume designer designed and then Trevor [Elliott] for the projections came in, took pictures of all the panels, and he's actually projecting those images up with the set. It’s going to be really cool.”

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According to Bettencourt, all but five cast members are NBFT alums with a majority of them returning after being in shows this past season.

Bringing the famous Bible story to life

Jesse Luttrell, who played Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast” last summer, is playing the role of the Pharoah for the second time.

“I had so much fun last year working for Liz and Wendy. They were so great. I sung their praises when I went back to New York,” he said.

“This show is a constant high energy. There's no slow moments in the show. It just keeps going, and it gets faster and faster and faster.”

Luttell said the music is a genre journey featuring songs that are thematically like calypso and Elvis.

“It seems like it's an easy show. But those guys are on stage the whole time and they're dancing the whole time. 90 minutes, they don't get a break,” he said.

Lawrence Flowers, who recently stepped off the NBFT stage as The Scarecrow in “The Wiz,” said he heard they were doing the musical around the time he was cast in "The Wiz" and expressed interest in the role.

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“Joseph is a story of a dreamer. I think we all have dreams. I've definitely had some growing up,” he said. “But you get distracted by telling people your dreams and paying too much attention to their response, more than paying attention to the specifics of the dream and working to make those things come to pass.”

Flowers said the difference between the two roles is that The Scarecrow needed to rely on the insight that he had within himself despite the pressure he felt from his peers and other influences around him. Joseph was gifted, but lacked trust in those gifts until his family's circumstances compelled him to go places he never thought he could.

Although the Scarecrow and Joseph may have started in different places, in the end they both were able to trust their inner gifts.

“I feel like dreams are something that worldwide everyone has, it's an aspiration or a goal or a passion.” he said. “So that's what this story means to me. It's about being a dreamer, and unapologetically allowing those dreams to come into fruition.”

More NBFT alums return to bring “Joseph” to life

Kelsey Seaman, who plays The Narrator, appeared in NBFT’S “The Last Five Years.”

“She sort of leads everyone. I sing the whole show, which is exciting; challenging, but really good. It's a role I've wanted to play for a long time,” she said.

Seaman said she was in a production when she was 14 years old, and always wanted to the play The Narrator. Now, at 27 years old, she has a completely different interpretation of the story.

“It calls on your inner child because it feels very playful. So it's almost like I've grown up, but it's almost reminding me that it’s still special as it’s always been,” she added.

“And the way that everyone is embodying their characters, it is just so playful and exciting. It's really inspiring.”

Neil Jeronimo, the theater instructor at Joseph Case High School in Swansea, is returning to the stage as Naphtaili after being in NBFT’s “Mary Poppins” in 2015.

“I saw that some of my students were auditioning and some of my alumni were as well. So I thought it'd be a really cool experience,” he said. “And I'm so glad I got to do it because I have a former student, a current student and a future student in the show with me.”

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“It really is like one big homecoming,” said Allyson Lynch, who played The Wardrobe in “Beauty and the Beast” last summer.

“When I wrapped the show last summer, we knew it was ‘Joseph’ for the summer. So I was keeping my fingers crossed all year that this would be where I was at. So just very happy.”

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Lynch said the show is about chasing dreams and going after what you want.

The cast also includes LJ Brodie as Judah, Joey Birchier as Reuben, Carly Caviglia as Mrs. Potiphar, Peter-Henry DaSilva as Potiphar, Alex Leblanc as Benjamin, Jymil Littles as Issachar, Derek Rivera as Zebulun, Nino Ruggeri as Baker, Rick Sherburne as Jacob, Shawn Simmons as God and Richard Yarrell III as Simeon.

Wendy Hall, who played the role of Mrs. Potiphar in her first ever musical, said she has loved the show ever since. “Joseph” also ends a three musical season — a first for NBFT.

“It was tough, obviously, but also incredibly rewarding. I learned an awful lot,” Hall said. “And I think myself and the company really grew in terms of people knowing us, and we were able to definitely extend our community outreach and partnership.”

As for what’s next, NBFT is taking a little break while The Zeiterion goes through its renovations, but Hall said they will still be very active in the community.

Meanwhile “Joseph” is sure to be a high energy closing hit for the company.

“It's like a storybook comes alive,” Bettencourt said. “It's the ultimate summer musical. It's super fun, funny, silly, goofy and it has a lot of heart.”

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter: @ChitwoodReports.Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' to open in New Bedford