Four Matinee Friends deviated from our usual matinees to make an evening visit to TheaterWorks in Peoria on Wednesday, August 19. Another change from our usual experiences was that this program was FREE. We greatly enjoyed the Royal Renaissance Singers (a subgroup of the fine ProMusica organization.) These twelve singers delighted us with their exquisite period costumes, beautiful a cappella singing, and some interactive numbers. Yes, we all learned a Renaissance ditty and practiced our best Huzzahs. The first half was more joyful and fast moving; the second was filled with beautiful, moving, thoughtful pieces. We all thoroughly enjoyed this concert
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Late August – picture at the top.
It was a hot and steamy afternoon when eight Matinee Friends motored to Theater Works in Peoria on Sunday, Aug. 30. The object of our trip was to savor the many flavors of music in the wonderful production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. Many of us had seen this one or more times before, but it was new to others. Whichever, it was a delightful experience for all. The show begins with the Bible story of Joseph and his dear father Jacob and his not-so-dear eleven brothers. However, it really stretches the story to include music of all kinds, from beautiful ballads to country, to Calypso, to French cafe tunes, to rock and roll, and more. The lyrics were clever and professionally sung (although some of us had trouble making out all the words). The actors were terrific (including the children’s chorus)–the highlights were the narrator, Joseph, and the Pharoah (Elvis). It was difficult to realize that none of them were professional actors. The staging was amazing, highlighted by an enormous video screen at the back of the stage to provide color, hieroglyphics, settings, and fun. Costumes were wonderful, sometimes requiring quick changes for the ensemble. Oh, there was also a camel. A great time was had by all.
