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Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s blockbuster musicals include “Evita” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” But one of their earliest collaborations dates back to 1968 — “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” a biblical story with catchy tunes like “Any Dream Will Do” and “Go, Go, Go Joseph.”
Musical Theatre West is bringing the show to Long Beach beginning next weekend but giving its songs a “contemporary twist” through subtle references and performance styles inspired by artists such as Beyoncé, Bruno Mars and Adam Levine, according to the theater.
“We are keeping its spirit alive but using rhythms, choreography and costumes from this millennia,” director Larry Raben told the Long Beach Post. “It’s the same story, but the younger generation will recognize the different artists and music videos we are paying homage to.”
San Diego native Brian Justin Crum, who plays the lead role of Joseph, told the Long Beach Post he’s looking forward to bringing his character into the present day by sonically exploring what Joseph can sound like now.
“The show has kind of been stuck in 1980s and ’90s synth sound for decades now, and I’m excited to give it a modern sound,” he said.
Crum himself may be a draw for local audiences, having sung on the television show “America’s Got Talent,” toured nationally with Broadway shows like “Wicked” and “Grease” and performed in the star-studded “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Hollywood Bowl last summer.
“I’ve had so many career highlights over the years,” Crum said. “My first night in ‘Wicked’ — I was 18 years old and had been dreaming of that moment my whole life. I still remember the full-body chills I felt as the curtain went up.”
He describes singing on “America’s Got Talent,” staged live at the Dolby Theatre with millions of people watching, as “so big” and “incredible,” and says he’s still pinching himself a year after performing at the Hollywood Bowl with the likes of Cynthia Erivo and Adam Lambert.
Crum and his character have a lot in common, he said, especially Joseph’s ability to adapt to his surroundings and make the best out of dark times, “always showing up with light and energy and purpose.” Crum even has the word “dreamer” tattooed on his rib cage, which he got after first playing Joseph years ago.
“I have always believed, since I was five years old, that life would take me to incredible places and fantastic adventures,” Crum said. “I dreamed big and stayed flexible as life threw curveballs my way.”
Crum brings “modern pop-star energy” to his role, the theater says. Director Raben describes Joseph as “every kid who’s ever stood in front of a bedroom mirror imagining they were a superstar.”
“Brian captures both the charisma and heart of the character in a way that feels incredibly relevant to today’s audiences,” Raben said.
Other cast members include Daebreon Poiema as the Narrator, “whose powerhouse vocals and commanding stage presence help guide audiences through Joseph’s remarkable journey,” according to the theater. And Kenneth Mosley brings “charisma, humor and larger-than-life energy” as the Pharaoh and Simeon.
“You won’t have ever heard a better sung version of this show,” Raben said. “Audiences may spot a few fun nods to some of today’s biggest music icons, but at its heart, it’s still the same timeless story about believing in your dreams.”
Musical Theatre West’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” performs July 10 to 26 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., with shows Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. For tickets, call the box office at 562-856-1999 or visit Musical.org. Student rush tickets are $15 with valid ID at the box office one hour prior to each show. Run time is 1 hour and 50 minutes, including intermission.