I didn't see the Osmond version, liked the Damian (of "The Young and The Restless" fame) version, but didn't fall head-over-heels for the show until I saw the current and excellent Reed High School production at a recent Saturday matinee (5/1/99). This is a young person's show and it's a thrill to see young people so excited about a project and so wonderfully prepared to put that excitement to good use. What these talented high school youngster's do is as much fun and entertaining as any "Joseph" production I've seen.

It's easy to become cynical about theater, especially when anticipating a show starring school kids raised in a pop culture where loud is often an accepted replacement for talent. What a breath of fresh air to see and hear this Reed High cast. Director/choreographer Trish Pastore has given her young charges things they can do that's exciting for an audience to watch and she doesn't compromise with anything that looks like watered-down kid's stuff. The lady can direct. Her students can, and do, deliver.

Likewise, musical director John Lorentzen (the school's vocal coach) has prepared the singing and smallish pit band and he's done both to a T without one ounce of strain, push or shriek from anyone. The large cast of actors, singers and dancers are thoroughly charming, as is the band, and bring tremendous zest to this carnival of a show.

Michael Garland plays, sings and dances Joseph and he's a delight every warble, step and nicely delivered nuance of the way. It is to Garland's credit that he is never less than professional. Happily, for this show, he's much more. Terrific is the word that comes to mind.

As Webber and Rice would have it, the story of Joseph, his coat, his family and the Egyptian pharoah, which is told in Genesis (chapters 37-46) offers fabulous opportunities for musical goofing and spoofing, including a French lament, a solid dose of rock 'n' roll, a swaggering touch of the Old West and at least two rambunctious outings with calypso. When this new, souped-up "Joseph" opened in New York in 1994 one critic called it "a banana split of a show with nothing withheld."

And so it remains with this exhuberant high school troupe.

"Joseph" is narrated, sung actually, by a quartet of young ladies (Sherrah Berry, Alex Grow, Nikki Larsson, Sofia Withers) who sing well and do a first-rate job at selling the songs they sing.

Joseph's 11 brothers sing out their pique at Joseph for getting all their father's attention with crisp comic exaggeration: "Being told we're also rans/does not make us Joseph fans." Without exception the brothers bring a roosterish aplomb to the stage that's hard to resist. Jim Davis and Erik Hensler ("Canaan Days"), Travis Clark and Justin Deater ("Benjamin Calypso") and Brandon Welty and Shaun Frenza ("One More Angel") were standouts in their cameo turns.

Also too good not to mention: Chris Demers as the show's Elvis-type pharoah, a stoic Jared Cunningham as the patriarchal Jacob and two marvelous dancers, Ciel Post and Nicole Bishop, who made "Canaan Days" sizzle as only a steamy French boite can.

Sara Reid's simple set design is attractive and never intrudes on this rapid-action show. Kathy King and Susan Williams have designed the show's close-to-lavish costumes (a splendiferous dreamcoat) and have seen to it they are impeccably tailored (a huge plus). Sheldon Haun's pin-point lighting adds yet another touch of class for an already very classy show.

Director Pastore's amazing reincarnation of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," along with production coordinator Sandy Culp, manages to make fun of excess without ever becoming excessive itself. Reed High School's "Joseph" is undeniably entertaining and clever fare for the whole family or anyone looking for a grand good time.

"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" concludes its run this Wednesday through Saturday (5/5-5/8/99) at the Reed High School Theatre, 1350 Baring Boulevard, Sparks, Nevada. For information call 775 353 5700.