Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette Will Gasch has the title role in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at Schenley High School. Click photo for larger image

By Christopher Rawson
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

According to the biblical story of Joseph, while it takes time to work through apparent disasters to a happy ending, it sure helps to have star power as a catalyst.

	Audio slideshows: View Schenley High School's latest production in Bringing 'Dreamcoat' to stage. Learn more about "Mr. B" in The Director. Click images for slideshows.

That's one way to summarize the relationship of director Roger Babusci to the musical theater program he has run at Schenley High School for 35 years, climaxing in this year's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."

Friends seeing their first Schenley musical this year were struck by the atmosphere in the grand old Oakland building, with its lively chatter in the lobby and expectation in the audience. Me, I expected it: At its best, the high school musical is an electric community event, and Schenley's is always one of the best, galvanizing students, family and friends.

"Joseph" is a jaunty cartoon of a show and little more. But while its genial parody never flirts with anything you'd call art or any emotions deeper than surface, it does allow for a display of exotic costumes, and it has a brisk narrative momentum that rises to ebullience, allowing Schenley to do what Schenley always does best, which is to dance with joy and abandon. Under the usual direction of Tony Dixon, the attractive, energetic ensemble pumped its numbers full of pulsating rhythm.

As is often done, Schenley split the Narrator role into triplets: Sarah Jane Kirkland, Raquel Khosah and Teresa Lagamba, who indulged in plenty of comic byplay.

The three started the show by going down into the audience to find their Joseph, Will Gasch -- the point being that any one of us can be called upon to do great deeds, because, as Tim Rice's rather sappy lyric has it, "any dream will do." They gave their Joseph a Bible and began to read the story of Joseph, as though Rice's words had the weight of that authority.

		Kelly Award nominees Thursday The 31 Allegheny County schools entered in the Gene Kelly Awards for excellence in high school musicals are now being notified of any nominations they have received; the whole slate of nominations will be made public Wednesday afternoon and carried in Thursday's Post-Gazette. The Kelly Awards gala will be June 3.

What really moves "Joseph" isn't its words, of course, but Andrew Lloyd Webber's spritely music, flitting amusingly from one mode to another (torch song, calypso, classic rock, country-western, you name it). Rick Finkelstein's all-student orchestra of 12 did itself proud.

Gasch's sweet face proved a welcome focal point for the story, his innocence relieving what might otherwise seem to be Joseph's irritating ego. I was particularly taken with Josh Falk's fine rendition (backed by the other brothers) of "Canaan Days." Ronald Taylor's loose-limbed Pharaoh was an audience favorite, as was Brianna Kellum as the enticing Mrs. Potiphar.

But it was the dancing that knitted together the scenes, solos and speciality numbers, led by a posse of long-limbed girls fired with grace and enthusiasm.

The Schenley students have sent Mr. B off in style, just as he has been sending them off for 35 years.

	Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette The cast and crew get a standing ovation from the audience after the final performance of of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in Schnley's auditorium, named after Roger Babusci in the evening's program. Click photo for larger image