Star of StoryBook Theatre’s Joseph had a dream of his own
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a musical about dreamers for dreamers.
Its simple message, that sometimes dreams do come true, told through Andrew Lloyd Webber’s catchy tunes and Tim Rice’s clever lyrics, has ensured that Joseph/ Dreamcoat has been a staple of professional, community and high school theatres for 50 years. It is one of the most produced musicals of all time and, starting Friday, StoryBook Theatre is using it to fill the Beddington Arts Centre with family-friendly fun for the holiday season until Dec. 29.
For Alex Smith, who is playing Joseph in StoryBook’s production, there’s a bit of art imitating life or, as the narrator in the play explains, “it’s the story of a boy whose dreams come true.”
When we first meet Joseph, he’s pretty naive and impressionable. He’s also very fortunate because he has a lot of praise heaped on him, symbolized by his special coat.
“That was definitely me three years ago at 15 when I started doing theatre. Things happened quickly for me and I was naive and impressionable like Joseph. When you’re young, it’s difficult to know how to handle praise and attention. It’s a real learning experience,” said Smith.
“It’s Joseph’s journey and it has been mine. It’s like I’m telling my story through Joseph’s story. I hope I’m a better person as a result. Joseph certainly is in his story,” says Smith who credits his family for getting him back on track whenever he slipped off.
“I have incredibly supportive parents and a wonderful older brother. I’m truly blessed. I also have a great supportive theatre family I’ve made over the past three years. They are a huge part of my success.”
Smith graduated from Central Memorial Performing High School last year. He intended to take a year off before deciding on career plans. But his year off turned into a dream. He was cast as Joseph and cast in a supporting role in Theatre Calgary’s spring production of Billy Elliot.
“I could never have expected things would go so well for me. I have to learn, as Joseph does in his story, how to make these gifts work for me.
“Somewhere inside of me, I’ve always known I want to be a performer and now that I’ve tasted theatre, I cannot imagine myself doing anything else, so I have to take things slowly and carefully.”
Although there is one title character in Joseph/Dreamcoat, it is anything but a one-man show. The narrator, played by Crystal Chaitan, is key to the show and five of the actors playing Joseph’s brother’s have their own musical numbers.
“Scott Drewitz, who is directing the show, is really featuring the female ensemble and the children’s ensemble. He has turned our Joseph/Dreamcoat into one big family.”
Smith is particularly grateful for the children in the cast. He says they “they are so eager and honest. They bring out the best in all of us older actors. Having them around is wonderful.
“I don’t have to look too far back in my own life to understand why they are so excited and enthusiastic. I hope each of them has the kind of incredible support system and the belief in themselves I have.”