Review: 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' at Holy Cross High School

“Holy Cross Student Theatre has many long traditions and I am honored to be a part of them.” - Director David Gardino

Waterbury, CT- The Holy Cross Student Theatre presented a lush production of ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ this weekend on the stage at their Waterbury campus. I managed to attend the closing matinee with an audience filled with supportive parents and friends.

The sung through musical, hereafter referred to as ‘Joseph,’ was an early work of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber that is based upon the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors from the Book of Genesis. David Gardino, the first director I ever worked with back in the 90s, directed the students with his assistant director Paul Whealon.

Cute touches included Marina Setaro as the RAPID SCOOTER DELIVERY service that delivered the rainbow coat in a UPS-like overnight box. One narrator played flute from her wooden box on stage right for “One More Angel in Heaven” and a stuffed camel walked across the stage during “Poor Poor Joseph.” Elvis/Pharaoh (played by Michael Perkins) was dressed in flashy black and gold. A corded phone rang in the pit during the very French “Those Canaan Days;’ it was answered by the pit singer only to find out it was a wrong number. The obligatory cell phone reminder before the curtain included a reference to God not wanting to compete with cellular devices, complete with thunder and lightening.

The ensemble groups included Hebrew women, Egyptian women, Pharaoh’s prison guards and his bodyguards, Joseph ballet dancers and caftan wearing Egyptian princesses. Mr. Perkins and Mira Chartier played Ishmaelites. Robert Giampetruzzi was Pharaoh’s young son, while Marina Setaro and Charlie Spreda appeared as his butler and baker respectively. Leanne Raymond was a vision of black and gold as Mrs. Potiphar and Charlie Spreda was her distracted husband.

The sons of Jacob (also played by Mr. Spreda) included Brandon White as Judah, Jack Boushie as Benjamin, Isabella Ilievski as Gad, Juliana Battaglia as Zebulun, Alyssa Famiglietti as Dan, Jaelie Jackson as Asher, Meghan Booth as Issachar, John Vito as Naphtali, Gillian Russo as Levi, Emily Bowler as Simeon, and Jacob Gannon as Reuben. You can see why the sons never removed their head coverings, for the girls did a great job of playing a male.

Nick Pietrorazio (class of 2019) was great in the role of Jacob’s youngest son Joseph; he sang well and had a lot to do as the star of the show. Working just as hard, and probably learning more lyrics were the two young ladies that served as Narrators. Junior Christina Finkenzeller and senior Hayley Cuttitta sang beautifully and both had plenty of props to keep straight; they were seldom off the stage.

Mr. Gardino’s stamp was apparent on all aspects of the scenic design and he also was in charge of technical design. Vocal director and orchestra conductor was David Irvine. The pretty impressive choreography by Loraine Crane assisted by student Emily Bowler was executed well by everyone on the stage. The band of five (with three keyboards and WAMS band teacher Phil Sterling on bass) sat in front of the stage with pit singer James Accousti; they all sounded great.

The wardrobe was coordinated by Rosalie Veneziano and Carmella Marine; the costumes were very impressive and like nothing I have ever seen in any production of ‘Joseph.’ Starting with the titular coat with satin pieces of many colors and featuring an apple tree on the back, these pieces were both colorful and coordinated. The Egyptian ensembles in peacock colors and gold looked amazing onstage and the purple harem outfits sported by the two narrators were just lovely. The white overalls for the 11 brothers in “Jacob and Sons” were painted with vertical stripes in various colors and the son’s initial on the bib. Loved it!

Holy Cross has been presenting at least one production every year since 1969 and currently do a play and a musical every year, and I noticed that no show has ever been repeated. Student Theatre presented this production in honor of Mrs. Lydia Kiermont, the mother of longtime choreographer Ralph Cantito ‘74 and grandmother to alum Sarah Cantito ‘10, who has been a strong supporter of HC theatre.