“Jacob and Sons,” a song early in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat,” would have been an apt title for the production that is currently touring through Broadway Grand Rapids.

The musical tells the story of Joseph from the Bible, the favored son whose father gave him a multi-colored coat, inflaming the jealousies of his brothers. They sold him into slavery, where his ability to interpret dreams made him a favorite of the Pharaoh and helped save both Egypt and Canaan from years of famine.

The ensemble playing Jacob, his sons and their wives are incredibly strong. They can dance, sing, do acrobats and command the stage. Every time they are doing a group number, there is excitement and electricity. They’re fun to watch and are excellent storytellers. They make the show worth watching.

Not only are they a great team, but individual members of the ensemble stand out, as well. Brian Golub’s Reuben is a likeable scoundrel who plots against his brother and then delivers the bad news of Joseph’s “death” to his father. Golub captures the height of hypocrisy as he pretends to mourn and then switches over to outright celebration as soon as Jacob’s back is turned. He is exuberant, and performs impressive acrobatics and high-demand dance moves.

Paul Castree effects great style and accent as Simeon, shining in “Those Canaan Days” as he bemoans the famine in a French accent and does table dancing. He’s amusing, and plays to the audience in an unapologetic manner that perfectly captures the tone of the show – irreverent and humorous.

Max Kumangai gives us a Creole Judah who transforms an intense, touching moment into the Latin energy song of “Benjamin Calypso” with style and perfect timing.

In what can be an understated role, one with no solos or lines, Brandon Hudson’s Benjamin was also spot on. He told the subplot of his support for Joseph against his brothers well without using language. Yes, the ensemble contributed to the storytelling for this, but Hudson managed to differentiate himself from the crowd and provide a contrast to his brothers.

Ryan Williams makes a crowd-pleasing appearance in the second act as the Elvis impersonating Pharaoh. Helped along by a glittery costume designed by Jennifer Caprio, he struts and prances through two numbers that establish the Pharaoh as top cock of the roost.

Where “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat” is lacking is in the stars of the show. Ace Young plays a Joseph who is lacking in charisma. He’s not the kind of guy you want to root for. He’s too cheesy and smarmy. Nor does he have the strong vocals of his fellow ensemble members. He often gets nasally, and doesn’t command the role the way a Joseph should. His one moment of real strength comes in the scene where his brothers are groveling to him. In that scene he finds stage presence and is a credible prince and dreamer.

Diana DeGarmo does better as the narrator and does have some very strong moments. Her voice can be strong and clear, but she was unable to sustain that strength for the entire show. She does show great charm, and ties together the show as it moves throughout the ancient biblical lands.

Andy Blankenbuehler, director and choreographer, does great work when it comes to the dancing. The show is a celebration of dance, and all of them tell the story while filling the stage with skilled dancers. His triumph in this show is without doubt the choreography. He does, though, sacrifice some of the story to the personal star pull of his actors. Young and DeGarmo are newly married, and the end of the show has Joseph and the narrator singing to each other as the lovers that the actors playing them really are. While it is cute and sweet, it seems out of place to the story, something that breaks the wall for reasons outside of the story. When Castree breaks the wall to play to the audience during “Those Canaan Days,” it is still about Simeon, not Castree. When Young and DeGarmo sing the final number, it is all about them and not Joseph and the narrator.

One of the triumphs of the choreography comes in the opening number, a dance that is staged to let the audience know this is a new interpretation of “Joseph,” and one that is different from its previous iterations. It takes place in present day, with the projections of a dreamer showing modern images. The ensemble comes out dressed in contemporary costumes, with Joseph carrying a laptop that he stores in a backpack. The dance invites the audience to start dreaming and establishes that the narrator is from the modern-day world, the ambassador between the two eras.

Daniel Brodie designed the videos and projections that make up most of the sets and provide special effects throughout the show. They are artistic and highly effective in setting the themes and helping to tell the story.

“Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat” is an enjoyable show because of its strong ensemble and the intensely colorful and intricate design work that went into costumes, projections and choreography. It is entertaining even when the leads fail to charm.