Community & Business
21 August, 2025
Another triumph for PATS
The Pittsworth Amateur Theatrical Society (PATS) welcomed over 550 people to its three dazzling performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat over the weekend.
Auditions began in early March, and since then, Director Kim Marsden had been crackin’ the whip to ensure the PATS cast and crew were ready for the weekend performances.
Based on the Biblical story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis, the musical was written and composed by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
With a kaleidoscope of musical genres and some quirky characters, the story of Joseph was brought to life on the stage.
We were first introduced to three leading ladies, Karen Rock, Pam Tandy and Nicole Sacagio.
As narrators, these women set the scene for each Act and introduced us to important characters.
The most important character was that of Joseph, played by Phoebe Cheetham.
Phoebe’s performance as the much-loved son of Jacob (yet much-despised brother of eleven siblings) was captivating.
Despite stepping into the role of male protagonist, Phoebe’s powerful vocals took us on a remarkable journey through Joseph’s life - from humble beginnings in Canaan to his rise to success in Egypt.
She was harmoniously supported by the youth choir.
Within the opening scenes, Jacob, played by long-standing PATS member Tony McEwan, presented Joseph with a spectacular, multi-coloured coat.
Costume designer Rhonda Ashton outdid herself, as we were almost blinded by the dazzling gold sequins that lined Joseph’s coat.
Through the narrators, we discovered that Joseph was more than just his father’s favourite son, he also had the supernatural ability to prophesy and interpret dreams.
His bitter brothers, who could really sport a scowl, decided their lives would greatly improve if Joseph was no longer in the picture, and began to plot his demise.
They sung, “the dreamer has to go!” and Joseph was subsequently sold into slavery.
When he discovered his son was gone, Jacob cried a river of tears, although wailing like a widower might be a more apt description of his grief.
As Jacob wept, the brothers celebrated with a country and western style hoedown - one of the many eclectic musical genres to be enjoyed in the performance.
Potiphar was next to arrive on stage, also played by Tony McEwan who had exited stage left as the lowly farmer Jacob, and re-entered stage right as the money hungry millionaire who had purchased Joseph as a slave.
And yet it was Potiphar’s wife who became the cause of further tribulation for Joseph - and much hilarity for us as onlookers.
Tammy Vary embodied the seductive and scheming character of Mrs Potiphar, who wanted Joseph for herself.
Her attempts at seducing him in a cat-and-mouse chase was highly amusing.
Unfortunately for Joseph, he ended up caught in a compromising position with Mrs Potiphar (albeit entirely innocent), and was sent to prison.
A 20 minute intermission allowed time to stock up on snacks and drinks before the show resumed.
When the curtain opened for Act II, we were lured into the Egyptian Palace and received our first glimpse of Pharaoh, who was not only the King of Egypt but also the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.
An Elvis lookalike, he was nothing short of a superstar with his mop of black hair, white jumpsuit, gold bling, deep baritone and most notably his very own fan club of screaming women prone to fainting every time he came too close.
Pharaoh, brought to life by Quentin Counsell, was highly entertaining with his dance moves and performance of Song of the King (Seven Fat Cows).
The song ended with Elvis’ classic line, “Thank you, thank you very much.”
Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams brought him to the attention of Pharaoh, and the two quickly became best buddies.
This is when the tables turned for Joseph, who was able to climb out of slavery into a prominent position in Pharaoh’s court.
Meanwhile, Joseph’s brothers had sunk into poverty and famine in Canaan and were woefully whinging about their misfortunes.
They travelled to Egypt to petition Pharaoh for food but instead of an audience with the King, they ended up kneeling at the feet of Joseph (although they did not recognise him).
Yearning for revenge after their attempts at fratricide, Joseph framed his brother Benjamin, played by Ashford McEwan, as a thief.
In an abrupt change of pace, Mick Santsingh, who played Judah, gave a laid-back performance of Benjamin Calypso to plead for his brother’s innocence.
Everyone donned Hawaiian flower necklaces and sunglasses for the Caribbean tune which was another curve ball genre thrown into the mix of musical styles.
The only thing missing from the scene, was a beach backdrop, the heat of the sun, and a fruity beverage with a cocktail umbrella.
During the song, Joseph realised his brothers had changed, and he had mercy on them, revealing his true identity.
Joseph was reconciled with his brothers and his father in a heart-warming family reunion that left us feeling warm and fuzzy.
The cast returned to the stage for the finale which consisted of a sing-off between Elvis and Joseph.
A spokesperson for PATS said members readily stepped in to cover illnesses, injuries, and other commitments, which helped ensure the success of the production.
“We are also delighted to have welcomed a number of new cast and crew members this year...” the spokesperson said.
“...We are very happy with how the show went and incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our community.”
While Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was highly entertaining and well worth the $35 paid by most for admission, there was one aspect that let the performances down.
This being the mediocre sound system inside the Pittsworth Town Hall - something that PATS has no control over.
The performances shone a light on the desperate need to upgrade the hall’s audio system, which has not been touched for several years.
Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC)’s Property Services portfolio spokesperson, Cr Trevor Manteufel, said council has been recently working with local community groups including PATS, to resolve reported sound and lighting issues at the Town Hall.
“Council is working with PATS to scope appropriate upgrades which will focus on improving the functionality of the hall,” he said.
“Although this work is ongoing, at this stage TRC is proposing to target external funding opportunities to progress these upgrades.”
