“Joseph” colors the Red Mountain Theatre stage this month

By Lee J. Green

“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” lights up the Red Mountain Theatre stage from July 21 to Aug. 13, and its narrator is glowing about classic musical.

“This is just such a beautiful story about family, loyalty, forgiveness, love and redemption,” said Amy Johnson. “We’re excited about sharing this production; to present it in a big and bright way.”

The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical debuted on Broadway in 1982 and has become a worldwide sensation. It tells the Biblical story of Joseph and his brothers with musical styles spanning from country-western to bubblegum pop to rock and roll.

Stacey Alley directs and choreographs the RMT production. That cast also features Kyle Holman, who was Tevye (Johnson played Fruma-Sarah) in Red Mountain’s 2017 production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Johnson also starred in the Theatre LJCC production of “Seussical the Musical” in 2012 and in the Alabama premier of “Parade” at the Virginia Samford Theatre. The musical about Leo Frank won Best Musical Revival at the 2023 Tony Awards.

“I think it’s important to tell these stories with authenticity and to honor what they are communicating,” she said. “When we did Fiddler, we had coaches helping us to properly speak Hebrew and Yiddish. It allowed us to really connect with the show on a deeper level.”

The Birmingham native starting doing theatre when she was five years old, after a family friend heard her sing and introduced her to the theatre. Her first show was called “Rated G.” It was written by a University of Montevallo graduate, and she would go on to graduate from Montevallo.

“I’m grateful that my family and friends opened up the world of theatre to me. It has been such an important part of my life.”

Johnson said she supports RMT in its effort to offer learning opportunities to young talent and to give them opportunities to showcase that talent on the big stage.

This “Joseph” production is welcoming a different group of child actors from community schools and institutions for each of the four weeks of the show. Each group will spend one week learning the songs and choreography, then one week in the show.

“I think it’s so beautiful to open this up to kids of all backgrounds so they can share their gifts… and to learn more about these important stories we’re telling,” she said.

For more information and to get tickets, go to www.redmountaintheatre.com.