The Brampton Primary School in East Ham, who were the winners of the nationwide Joseph choir search, will sing at the Nov. 16 performance. The Really Useful Company is covering the costs of rehearsals, transportation and costumes for the winning school. And, in lieu of first-night gifts for the July 17 opening of Joseph, RUG will make a donation to Children in Need.
The Really Useful Company has also just announced that proceeds from the licensing of Joseph productions from July 1-Jan. 31, 2008, will also benefit the charitable organization.
In a statement Really Useful Group chief executive officer André Ptaszynski said, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has never betrayed its roots as a musical written for schools. Therefore, it seems appropriate that the new West-End production benefits BBC Children in Need, which specifically helps disadvantaged children and young people in the UK."
A new single — featuring Lee Mead's "Any Dream Will Do" and Mead, Keith Jack and Lewis Bradley's "Close Every Door" — will also benefit Children in Need.
For more information visit www.reallyuseful.com. *
Lee Mead will play the title role for the forthcoming London production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. In the final episode of the reality TV show "Any Dream Will Do," 25-year-old actor/singer Mead beat 19-year-old supermarket worker Keith Jack for the right to wear the famous dreamcoat when the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical opens at London's Adelphi Theatre on July 17. Previews begin July 6.
Mead is no stranger to Joseph. His stage credits include the touring production of the musical in which he played Pharaoh and Brother Levi.
When he takes on the title role, Mead will be joined onstage by Preeya Kalidas as the Narrator, Dean Collinson as Pharaoh and Stephen Tate as Jacob/Potiphar/Guru.
The ensemble will comprise John Alastair, Kate Alexander, Jennifer Ashton, Paul Basleigh, Verity Bentham, James Bisp, Tyman Boatwright, Simon Coulthard, Lucie Downer, Tom Gillies, Emma Harris, Pip Jordan, Louise Madison, Emily Mascarenhas, Sarah Meade, Nathaniel Morrison, Mark Oxtoby, Adam Pearce, Tamlyn Platts, Pippa Raine, Fiona Reyes, Ricky Rojas, Craig Scott, Jonathan Stewart, Kate Tydman, Russel Walker, Neal Wright and Danielle Young.
Lloyd Webber (music) and Rice's (lyrics) musical follows the biblical tale of the title character who is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers.
Joseph played on Broadway in 1982 with Bill Hutton as Joseph and Laurie Beechman as Narrator. It was then revived in 1993 with Michael Damian and Kelli Rabke in those roles.
In 1967 the show originally took the form of a 20-minute piece composed for Colet Court St Paul's Junior School. The forthcoming West End version, revives Steven Pimlott's London Palladium production, with design by Mark Thompson and choreography by Anthony Van Laast.
For more on Joseph, which is booking until Jan. 5, 2008, call (0)870 895 5598.
