Ivins, UT - So, you say you've seen the animated movie with dancing forks and talking teapots, and the last rendition of the "dreamer that goes to Egypt and makes good" that you saw was a musical "pageant" starring yet another male member of a well known Utah singing family.
Well get ready. This year, Tuacahn's Center for the Arts invites you to "be their guest" as they promise to dish up two fresh and exciting productions of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for their Broadway in the Desert Season 2005.
This year's season will open June 8th with a production that is literally a visual feast for the eyes, yet is also a beautifully simple and touching story of two "odd" outcasts that learn to love and find that they're not so different from each other after all.
Belle, the daughter of a quirky inventor named Maurice, has been labeled by the local provincial town folk as "a beauty but a funny girl" because her head is filled with dreams of far off places that she reads about in books. She longs for great adventure in her life and she gets it when she finds her father locked in a dungeon in an enchanted castle that is ruled over by a mysterious and monstrous Beast. Swearing to take her father's place as his prisoner, the strong spirited Belle is thrust into a world of despair, then enchantment, and confusion as she and her captor begin to undergo changes which are beautifully captured in the songs "If I Can't Love Her" sung by the Beast, and "A Change in Me" sung by Belle in the second act, two songs which are not a part of the animated movie. While these beautiful thought provoking ballads help to tell a deeper story, the big show stoppers like "Be Our Guest" will satisfy anyone's need for spectacle with kick lines and a fireworks show that only a venue like Tuacahn Amphitheatre can offer.
Beauty's Director Tim Threlfall, a frequent Tuacahn collaborator who has directed several productions here, including The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz, said that one of the biggest challenges of directing this production, is keeping the characters real and not cartoon-ish. The animated movie was fun and had some elements of the deeper story, but the stage musical gives these characters more human dimension and broadens the range of emotion and story that is told.
Now, imagine that you're a poor young boy living in Southern Utah in the 1950's and you are hearing the story of Joseph and his amazing dreamcoat for the very first time. What would your young mind with little experience of the outside world imagine Egypt to look like? Perhaps..1950's Las Vegas?
Dave Tinney, director and choreographer of this year's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, has created a fresh and innovative look to the well-loved Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and has added some "steak" to the production that often comes off as a fun little "pageant." Dave has previously choreographed Tuacahn successes such as Singin' in the Rain where he also played the lead Don Lockwood and The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
With some fresh new music arrangements by the musical director, Ryan Murphy, and clever choreography and storytelling by Dave, this production is sure to be a treat to anyone who has seen Joseph before. Actress Heidi Anderson who sings the "Benjamin Calypso" as a "Carmen Miranda" character says "I think Dave has taken Joseph to a new level. It's always been a fun little show but he is giving the audience a more introspective Joseph and has created more intimacy and emotion with the relationships between Joseph and his father and brothers. While doing all of this, Dave has still kept true to the original concept and fun that appeals in this show, and has even added to it. His direction in this production really fills in some holes and adds so much to the story that I've never seen done in any version before. I'm so excited to be part of it."
Add to this an amazing professional cast of singers and dancers, a children's chorus 40 strong, an incredible design with a talented costume crew and orchestra, and you've got a show that will have people wanting to see it all over again and again. Scott Anderson, Tuacahn's Artistic Director said that the efforts of the production team in finding this year's cast and crew has truly paid off. "This year's cast is unbelievable." Casting for this year's productions, was done in several cities in the U.S. including Los Angeles, New York City, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, Provo and St. George.
Mark Campbell, who plays the Beast in this year's production, said that part of his biggest challenge, beyond the extreme physicality of the role, is to show the many levels and dimensions of this character. He admitted that when he went to see the show on Broadway nine years ago, he went expecting to hate it, thinking it would just be a cartoon put on stage for kids. But, after seeing it he said "I left the theatre wanting desperately to play this role, humming the tunes and wanting to see it again." "It is definitely enjoyed by kids but adults enjoy it equally as well and can relate to the very human dilemmas that are addressed." Mark also appears as Levi in Joseph.
Summer Naomi Wood is Tuacahn's "Beauty" this year and is excited to be playing this role in such beautiful surroundings. "I really think this amphitheatre with it's beautiful natural scenery adds so much to this production that will be different than any other rendition of this musical that anyone would see." "We also have a phenomenally talented cast and I can't wait to see how the chemistry between these characters is received by the audience." Summer is also featured in Joseph as Potiphar's wife.
Casey Marshal is performing for his first time at Tuacahn as Gaston in Beauty and has the tough of keeping the "schtick" with his sidekick Lefou (Daniel Law) in place while keeping the audience laughing with the character's ridiculous arrogance. Casey also plays the Pharoah/"Elvis" character in Joseph which he has played numerous times before in other productions. He says his biggest challenge is keeping this character fresh each time, but he is excited to see how the audience responds to this new take on Joseph that Dave Tinney has created.
Other cast members in both Beauty and Joseph include:
Charlie Boyer (Cogsworth/Jacob), who appeared in this role in the National Tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and who's Broadway credits include the revival of The Music Man, as well as The Odd Couple, Oklahoma! and My Fair Lady.
Brenda Cox (Mrs. Potts) who has also appeared at Tuacahn as Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music and Aunt Maggie in Utah!.
TJ Young (Joseph) will make his debut at Tuacahn this year. He has toured the country in Footloose and starred as Ammon in the DVD Liken the Scriptures: A Mighty Change of Heart.
Nicole Riding (Narrator in Joseph) played Anita in Tuacahn's 2004 production of West Side Story. Nicole also appeared as Eponine in the National Touring cast of Les Miserables.
As well as:
Mark Gollaher (Lumiere/Potiphar) Jennifer Latimer (Babette) Heidi Anderson (Wardrobe/Carmen) and Daniel Law (Lefou/Reuben)
This will definetely be Tuacahn's biggest season yet and as they celebrate their 10th anniversary with two amazing productions!
For more information about Tuacahn or to purchase tickets see their website at www.tuacahn.org or call the Tuacahn Box Office at 1-800-746-9882 (for local calls, 652-3300).
