COVID shuts down Joseph the Dreamer opening

Even as the theater world has started opening up after two years of lockdown thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, this does not mean that the virus is gone. This was brought to home this weekend when the opening shows of the Trumpets musical Joseph the Dreamer were cancelled at the last minute as several main cast members tested positive on July 15. The weekend’s performances have been moved to the first week of August, Audie L. Gemora, president of Trumpets Inc., said on social media.  

“Trumpets values first and foremost the health and safety of our audience as well as that of our cast members. Therefore, as difficult as this decision may be, we firmly believe it is the right decision to make,” the statement said.   

The shows scheduled for July 15 to 17 will be moved to Aug. 5 to 7. Tickets for the July 15 performance will be honored on Aug. 5, and tickets for July 16 and 17 will be honored on Aug. 6 and 7, respectively.    

Ticketholders who prefer a refund may contact TicketWorld (https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/ or 8891-9999) or coordinate with those from whom they bought tickets from.   

Shows on July 22 to 24 and July 29 to 31 will be held as originally scheduled.   

Written by Freddie Santos, the musical is based on Cam Floria’s cantata Dreamer: What Really Happened to Joseph, which is in turn based on the biblical story of Jacob’s 11th son, Joseph.   

The musical was first staged in Cebu in 1989. The actors who have played the titular role through the years include Audie Gemora, Gary Valenciano, Franco Laurel, and Alvin de la Peña.   

Sam Concepcion, who played Joseph in the staging in 2020, reprises his role in this year’s production.   

The musical is directed by Paolo Valenciano and Nelsito Gomez, with musical direction by Myke Salomon, choreography by MJ Arda of the A-Team, and production design by Mio Infante.  

For updates, follow @JTDTheMusical and @trumpetsinc on Facebook and Instagram. — MAPS