Product: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 4.0
An Honest Opinion: Falls Short Vocally
I love this musical, and saw it several times (including Broadway). Donny Osmond is arguably an ideal choice for Joseph and this production is visually creative, alive and fun to watch.But if this is one of your favorite musicals, or you saw it with a strong cast, you will likely be disappointed by the rest of the casting.Maria Freidman as The Narrator was clearly a choice based on laurels, rather than vocal strength. She has a lovely voice, but it simply doesn't suit the demanding vocal range for THIS role. If this production was meant to present this musical's best side, this is where it falls severely short. She's charming to watch, and in the middle range, her voice is lovely. But she's not anyone's vocal ideal for this role. Anyone who says otherwise, obviously hasn't heard all the other Narrators (Laurie Beechman was my personal favorite).It's a fun production regardless, the music is catchy, it's colorful and well shot (despite the camera moving around so much it can be hard to get a good look at the wonderful costumes).I love the musical; I'm disappointed, but happy that I can watch even a B-grade production of it over and over again.Footnote: if the preview we got from PBS is a true indication of the upcoming filmed version of "Jesus Christ Superstar".... expect more casting based on popularity & marketing, rather than vocal strength.