Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

What do you do to follow up a Noda North Regional Award winning production in 2018. Well if you are Gateshead Musical Theatre Company Youth Group you stage one that is just as spectacular and entertaining in 2019. Thus it was when I had the privilege to witness the brilliant opening night offering of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by this superbly talented cast of 48 youngsters who brought a full house to their feet at the end of a pulsating production.

This show had everything you could wish for in a glorious evening’s entertainment,  and would put many a senior production in the shade. It was slick, seamless, full of verve and enthusiasm, visually colourful, wonderful singing and artistic interpretation with excellent costumes, scenery, props, lighting, sound, choreography,   and with an excellent orchestra to back it up. Indeed it was great to see that  a junior cast had the benefit of a full orchestra behind them.

Obviously these things don’t happen by chance and it takes a lot of hard work by a dedicated team of adults. Officers ,Committee and parents and helpers who gave up a lot of their valuable time and dedicate it to a group of talented young people who will be the future life blood of amateur theatre. So I place on record my own personal tribute to this band of workers.

There also has to be a Leader at the front directing operations and one whose vision is vital to bring things to life. Many, many  congratulations therefore to Lee Brannigan for an outstanding piece of directorial work both as Director, Musical Director and Choreographer, who was ably supported by Chinami Smith his accompanist.

With 48 members of the cast who all performed to the highest of standards, and 28 named parts it is never easy to select some over others . To the ensemble and the LBPAA Choir you were super ,your singing and musical interpretation and movement lit up the stage. To those with named parts you were faultless in the interpretation of your roles,  particularly the brothers played by Nathan Cowen, Rhiannon Hayward, Ellen Ledgerwood, Holly Farrell, Oscar Petre,Violet Lewis, Darcy Ranasinghe,Emily Slater,,Olivia,Armstrong, Amelie Banks, and George Anglesea; the Butler and the Baker John Bootle and Daisy Gladstone; Potiphar and Mrs Potiphar Freddie Scott and Jenny Slater; the Ishmaelites Abbie Hulme and Millie Jacobs. So far as the leading parts were concerned what wonderful eye catching performances you gave. So take a bow Ted Gladstone as Joseph, Jess Gibson as the Narrator, Daniel Burlison as Pharaoh and Kathryn Leonard as Jacob also great diction, confidence and charisma from Faye Slater (Narrator on the Friday evening).

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