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Joseph's coat of many colors spans thousands of years and two continents half a world away. In biblical times in Egypt, the bright robe that was a gift from Joseph's father was one of the reasons that his brothers were jealous. In Greensburg next week, the rainbow garment will be the focus of a stage that vibrates with color and glows with gold.

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" will open Thursday at the Palace Theatre as part of the third season of Stage Right.

"It's a big musical show, and that's what we do best," executive director and producer Chris Rizk says.

It's a first for the theater company, but not for director Tony Marino, who appeared in it twice on other local stages.

"We have a really strong cast, and it's going to be a lot of fun," Marino says.

The musical had humble beginnings when the now-famous Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber were college friends and wrote it as an oratorio to perform at a church in England.

It's based on the book of Genesis story of Joseph, the favored son of Jacob and Rachel. Joseph could make predictions from dreams, and one interpretation - plus the gift of the colorful coat - particularly annoyed his brothers. They plotted to murder him, but instead threw him into a pit, sold him as a slave to a passing caravan, then told their father he was dead.

"By his wits and his ability to interpret dreams, he became a favorite of Pharaoh, who elevated him to a minister," Marino says. "He helped the Egyptians through a great famine by his ability to ration foods."

His brothers did not recognize him when they came to Egypt to buy grain, but Joseph knew who they were.

The story has been retold many times, and Donny Osmond starred as Joseph in a TV version years after Webber and Rice revived it for Broadway.

"After their success with 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and 'Evita,' they rewrote it for Broadway and made it into the show we know today," Marino says. "It's really fascinating that if you are a fan of Webber, you can hear many of his early songs in 'Joseph.' There are big chunks of 'Evita' and 'Superstar,' these huge motifs that he developed way back when he was a schoolboy."

There is no dialogue in the show, only music and lyrics in recognizable tunes such as "Go Go Go Joseph," "One More Angel in Heaven" and "Any Dream Will Do."

"There are a lot of different styles," Rizk says. "There's a cowboy theme and a French theme and nonstop music."

Joseph will be played by Michael Fratz, a musical theater student at Point Park College.

"He has a wonderful voice and such a presence about him," Rizk says. "He came to audition, and he was just perfect."

Scott Sambucco of Pittsburgh will return to the Palace as one of the brothers. He was previously in Stage Right's "Annie" and "Little Shop of Horrors."

The other brothers will be played by Tim Brady of Murrysville; Point Park student Jayson Brooks; Dan MacLaughlin of Trafford, who is a graduate student of Penn State's musical theater; Damon Spencer of suburban Pittsburgh; Jason Swauger, a professional actor from Beaver County; and Stage Right students Rob North, Brenan Ramler and Alex Noble. Noble recently took first place in the Pittsburgh Public Theater Shakespeare monologue contest.

Jack Simon is Jacob, and Adam Grosset and John Noble also are in the cast. All are from Greensburg.

The wives and mothers include Allison Regnault, Katie Palenscar, Amy Jo Slater and Stage Right students Amanda Rone, Elly Noble, Rachel Braun, Kiley Caughey, Theresa Danko, Emily Baer and Tara Geisler, who was a finalist for the Governor's School of the Arts. There's also a chorus of 21 students.

"Renata Marino is the choreographer and narrator who will take you through the whole story," Rizk says. "Anyone who saw her in 'Nunsense' knows that she's a doll and wonderful singer."

Warren Shirer of Connellsville is the musical director, and Rizk and Dee Grundy designed the bright costumes that pick up the colors from Joseph's coat. Mark Kissner of Greensburg designed the set.

"He did some beautiful drops in very stylized Egyptian with a lot of gold and big, tall statues," Rizk says. "He made them from foam on wood bases, and there are pyramids on the drops. There are beautiful colors and designs, some really pretty stuff."

At less than 100 minutes long, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" is fast-paced family fare and, Marino says, "it's one of the most accessible and enjoyable pieces of theater you will ever experience."

Stage Right also will perform the show on April 4, 5 and 6 at the State Theatre in Uniontown.

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