This is part three in a four-part series about the Poplar Pike Playhouse’s upcoming

production Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. 


There I was standing in the costume room.
Around me were bright colors, conveying no gloom.
All being attended by a fabulous creative team.
Oh, please can you interpret this lively dream? 


While dreams are often difficult to interpret, there is no doubt what this vision is about. It must mean that Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is returning to the Poplar Pike Playhouse stage more than twenty years after its first, highly successful run in 1983. It is Joseph’s incredible gift of dream interpretation that allows him to fulfill his destiny in the beloved Biblical story of a young son and his jealous brothers. Fittingly, it is also dreams that keep the cast and crew for Joseph hard at work preparing for their latest production. These dreams include a significantly enhanced set design, delightfully updated props, and a vibrant new color palate.

The first thing audiences will notice when they walk into the Playhouse will be the show’s striking, visually-arresting set. The set for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has been entirely re-worked since this show’s Poplar Pike Playhouse debut back in 1983 thanks in a major part to design director Mary K. VanGieson. While the 1983 set was attractive, practical, and stationary, the new set benefits from a spinning turntable, numerous moving parts, and a complex system of interlocking pieces.

Says VanGieson, “The times have drastically changed over the past twenty years, and we expect the new design to reflect that. The audiences can expect to see a very geometrical and aesthetically pleasing show.”

The design of a set, however, is useless without an experienced crew to build it. Master carpenters Emmi Ramey and Alex Ballin, along with their skilled groups of student volunteers, are busy transforming these creative design ideas into real-life scenery. The building crew, under the talented supervision of technical directors Joe Haslwanter and Jack House, expertly turned the dream of a modern set into a reality.

“It’s adapting an already exciting show in a way that’s different and innovative. I feel that we’ve taken this show and molded it into something we can be proud of,” says Ramey.

The set will not be the only element that will grab the audience’s attention in this contemporary production. Props are also key elements of the show. Since key props such as camels and staffs haven’t evolved much in the past twenty years, the crew, along with designers Shirley Evans and Claire Haslwanter, chose to refurbish a number of props from the original production. Never content to settle for a short cut, however, they merely started with these items from the previous show and gave them a spin of their own. The team was even able to revive the elderly camel from the 1983 production who had been standing faithfully by in a storage room behind barrels of phony weapons and fake Christmas tree parts. The props crew gave Mr. Camel a much-needed, well-deserved face-lift.

“This is definitely a very prop-heavy show,” says student properties chairman William Martin, “We have to rejuvenate all the big key props to make them more decorative and ornate. Also, there are several surprises thrown in the mix as well.”

The costumes have also seen a major turn-around in design since the first run. The most obvious change in the apparel is the use of bolder, sharper colors and more complex, intense patterns. The creative team, comprised of Brenda Bluestein, Casey Smith, Lynette Gilbert, Gail Ridenhour, Amy Hagan, and Alyce Ann Chism, has been working non-stop for weeks, shoveling through piles of extravagant apparel. The outrageous go-go outfits will have spectators dancing in their seats, the flashy Elvis suit worn by the Pharaoh will have the audience “all shook up,” the crazy cowboy clothes of Joseph’s brothers will cause a ruckus, and the jazzed-up historic-wear will put a new spin on Biblical attire. “Twenty two years ago the costumes and set featured more earth-tones and browns. This production is more about bright, vibrant colors. It really adds a refreshing spark to the show.” says costume chairman Caitlin Clarke.

Twenty years has certainly brought about change. The set has seen a major transformation. The props crew has given life to ancient, long forgotten props, and the costume team has found new, progressive ways to re-invent a show. The dreams of these dedicated workers have come to life in this dazzling, reinvigorated production.

Tickets for this imaginative revival of Joseph are now on sale. The show opens at the Poplar Pike Playhouse on May 5th and runs through May 21st. For information, call the Poplar Pike Playhouse Box Office at (901) 755-7775 between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The Poplar Pike Playhouse is the theatre complex located on the campus of Germantown High School. The corporate sponsor for the production is Trust One Bank. The Poplar Pike Arts Guild, the support group for the Playhouse, will sponsor an opening night benefit on May 5th. The prices of the tickets for this special performance and reception are $18 and $20 and may be purchased by calling Jean Hinds at 757-4508. All other ticket purchases can be made by calling the Poplar Pike Playhouse Box Office at (901) 755-7775.