‘Joseph/Dreamcoat’ tour comes to Mayo PAC
Growing up in Chester Township, Kristen Brooks Sandler used to love to see shows at the Mayo Performing Arts Center.
Sandler has not been to the Mayo PAC in several years, but she is getting return to return to the Morristown venue – and this time, she’ll be on the other side of the footlights.
Now a professional actress who lives in New York, Sandler is in the ensemble in the national tour of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The musical stops at the Mayo PAC for two performances today.
“I’m so excited to be coming back,” says Sandler, a 2009 graduate of West Morris Mendham High School. “I haven’t had the chance to perform in New Jersey yet. I know a lot of my friends are planning to come to see me.”
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” was the first musical by the team of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice to be performed publicly.
Based on the story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis, the show has garnered a following for its upbeat score, which includes musical pastiches in such styles as French cabaret, calypso and country-western.
The show centers on Joseph (played by JC McCann) whose upbeat nature and ability to interpret dreams earns the jealousy of his 11 brothers. Sold into slavery, Joseph eventually wins a position of power in ancient Egypt.
The current national tour is directed by Andy Blankenbuehler, the Tony-winning choreographer of “In the Heights” and “Hamilton.” Sandler credits Blankenbuehler with coming up with a fresh approach for “Joseph.”
“Andy has stretched us in all ways,” says Sandler. “I’m a dancer who sings and acts, and in this show everyone in the cast has worked hard to step up their game.”
Sandler notes that “Joseph” is sung-through, with only a few lines of spoken dialogue.
“This is nearly an operetta,” she says. “It’s jam-packed. It’s a hard show vocally because you have to match your dance stamina with your vocal stamina.”
Her favorite number in the show is “Song of the King,” in which the Pharaoh (Joe Ventricelli) imitates the hip-swiveling style of a certain other king – Elvis Presley. “I love that because it’s so much fun,” Sandler says. “It’s like a party onstage.”
The “Joseph” tour is the latest addition to Sandler’s growing resume. After high school, she earned her bachelor’s degree in choreography from Elon University in North Carolina.
Since 2013, she has been involved in several productions, including the national tour of “Elf” and the New York premiere of the musical “Someone to Belong To.”
In August 2015, Sandler auditioned for” Joseph.” The process involved seven callbacks.
“We had to show we could handle a myriad of dance styles because there are so many types of songs in the show,” she says.
After she was cast, she and the other performers had only 10 days to rehearse before going on the road. They have toured almost nonstop, crisscrossing the country.
In addition, Sandler and other cast members took the time to participate in a video called “Hamilton Heights,” a mash-up of songs from “In the Heights” and “Hamilton.”
The “Joseph” tour will last until May. Following a short break, the company will reunite for a three-week tour of Japan, which Sandler expects will be a memorable experience.
Even though “Joseph” was written in 1968, Sandler says the show has a timeless appeal.
“This is the story of a person who believes that good things happen, no matter what,” she says. “That’s a very relevant theme.”
“I love doing this show because we want to make the audience feel like children,” Sandler says. “This is a well-known story, but the music carries it from such a fun and childlike perspective.”
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
WHEN: 4 and 8 p.m. today
WHERE: Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown
TICKETS: $49 to $69
INFO: 973-539-8008 or www.mayoarts.org