The piece was originally written as a 20-minute cantata for a British boys boarding school in 1968 (and the current edition features a children's chorus from the Franklin School for the Performing Arts). It's based on the Bible story of Joseph, the prophetic dreamer. After father Jacob gives him the famous multicolored coat, he incurs the wrath of his brothers, who secretly sell him off. Several adventures later, he ends up in Pharaoh's prison. In an exemption to Old Testament tradition, Joseph actually experiences a happy ending. His dreams foretell seven years of plenty, then seven years of famine. ''Egypt did not mind a bit/The first recorded rationing in history was a hit," as Rice's lyrics explain. That, and a family reunion, makes for one lucky guy.
Cassidy's Joseph seems grateful to be onstage, and his pleasant tenor fits the beat. Shirtless in a skirted loincloth, Cassidy emphasizes the beefcake in the role, all the while turning a 200-watt smile toward the audience at every opportunity, as if we're all in on the joke. His playfulness makes this character appealing but his lightness can work against him. When he needs to show a deeper side, for example in the show's one ballad, ''Close Every Door," the results are less memorable.
Adams (best-known for being a finalist on ''American Idol" in 2004) brings depth and chops to a role that's basically character-free. Her crystalline soprano hits some very high notes, and she even has a welcome trace of Dusty Springfield charm. The supporting cast all take great relish in some very schticky roles, including Todd DuBail's Elvis-inflected Pharaoh.
The Act 2 Pharaoh scenes, which include a mammoth sunglass-wearing sphinx head by James Fouchard, are so Vegas-glittery, with prancing chorus boys and swooning showgirls, that Steve Martin's smirky ''King Tut" number looks positively modest by comparison. And by the time the finale occurs, a recap medley called ''Joseph Megamix," director Dallett Norris has clearly taken the title's ''technicolor" reference to heart. There's a lot of razzle-dazzle in this production (although some very clunky men's footwear), with an ensemble frisking about in lieu of consistent choreography at every opportunity. But thanks to a rollicking pace, a soulfulness deficit doesn't really matter.
