One of the most enduring shows of all time, Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the irresistible family musical about the trials and triumphs of Joseph, Israel’s favorite son. This new production is a re-imagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colours. Costume Designer Jennifer Caprio discusses her design of the famous coat for the new stage production.
Jennifer’s design concept for the Dreamcoat is inspired by the famous 12 stained glass windows created in the 1960’s by Marc Chagall for the Abbell Synagogue at Hadassah University Medical Centre in Jerusalem. It was during a meeting with Andy Blankenbuehler (Director/Choreographer), Daniel Brodie (Video & Projection Designer) when the three discussed the beauty of the those windows which tell the story of the 12 tribes of Israel; Jacob and his eleven brothers. Jennifer said, “We loved the way the light flooded through the Abbell windows and the colours it created, and thought this would render well into Daniel’s projections”.

All 29 colours from the song lyrics are represented somewhere on the coat. The Dreamcoat also has twelve panels, for the twelve brothers.  Each panel is filled with motifs representing each brother. “Through incorporating the projection and the costume together, the coat became more than Joseph’s: it is an overarching symbol of love and family” says Jennifer.
Watch the story of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat come alive on stage and see the magnificent Dreamcoat in person on January 6.