Friday, October 5, 2012

Mostly Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat


So, yesterday I had to take a geography quiz on the the biblical land of Israel. First, yes, I'm taking a geography quiz in my Ph.D. program, which is probably a whole different blog post. Yet, more importantly, the key to my geographical acumen came in the form of a song:



For those of you who have better things to do than know anything about the geography of ancient Israel, the 12 sons of Jacob/Israel are also regions in the land. It's my new company: Pneumonic Devices on Broadway! "Singing your way to straight A's!" Such hits will include:
Calvinist Theology - "Total Depravity" (to the tune of "Defying Gravity")
Anatomy - "All the Features of the Brain" (to the tune of "If I Only Had a Brain")
International Relations - "How Do You Solve the Strife in North Korea?" (to the tune of "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?")
Geometry - "Diameter Times Pi" (to the tune of "Corner of the Sky," beginning: "Every shape has its reasons/every shape has its why...)

Okay, I've overindulged in that last part. Moving on!

Now, to regress, I know that Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is not a good musical, but here are some things you should know about it:
1. This was the first musical I ever saw live, which was mind-blowing. It will always hold a special place in my heart (the nostalgia chamber of my heart), even while I can admit that it has some truly awful parts ("One More Angel in Heaven" perhaps the best example of what not to do in a broadway musical).
2. That video is amazing.
3. Elsa (Wallgren) Johnson was in the children's choir with Donnie Osmond in the Chicago shows back in the day. My memory may need correcting, but I believe Donnie actually put his hand on her head. Also, Elsa and I were on the same dish crew in Ecuador and would often scrape and clean dishes to this while accidentally bleaching our clothes and trying not to gag.
4. My sister and brother choreographed a dance to one of the songs, and now I can't remember which one. I think it was "Go, Go, Go Joseph," but whatever one it was, I wish we had taped it and could put it up on YouTube. It was/would be priceless.

I'm currently sitting in the beautiful Boston College theology library, so I should get to work. I'm also checking out another apartment today. Say a prayer! Later.

2 comments:

  1. It was definitely to the one that sounds like Elvis sings it only its Pharoah..starts out "well I was wonderin along of the banks of the river when seven fat cows came a wonderin by (insert shoo-bops here."

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  2. Joseph was also the first musical that I saw, and the first one I performed in while in high school. Mostly because I was a tiny freshman and fit right into the kids chorus.

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