Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are delighted to confirm the full cast for the sensational brand-new production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which begins a UK & Ireland Tour at Manchester Opera House on Wednesday 23 March.
Alexandra Burke will play The Narrator at select venues across the tour. Her many West End credits include the lead roles in The Bodyguard, Sister Act, Chess and Chicago, as well as starring as the Narrator in the celebrated production of Joseph at the London Palladium last summer. Alexandra first rose to fame winning The X-Factor in 2008, and has since gone on to sell over 5 million records.
Linzi Hateley will also play the role at other venues. Linzi is an Olivier Award nominee and Theatre World Award winner who has starred on Broadway, in the West End, with the RSC, and at the National Theatre. She now returns to the role of the Narrator, having first starred in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1991 opposite Jason Donovan and Phillip Schofield at the London Palladium – for which she received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
Jason Donovan will reprise his role as Pharaoh, which he performed at the London Palladium in 2019 and 2021. He was originally in the show when he made his defining stage performance as the title character of Joseph in the 1990s, in a sold-out 18-month run which produced a No.1 single and best-selling soundtrack album. Jason raised the roof of the London Palladium during the show’s 2019 and 2021 engagements as Pharaoh, who rocks ‘Song of the King’ in the musical.
Jac Yarrow prepares to don the famous coat in the titular role on tour, having caused a sensation when he made his professional stage debut playing Joseph, following in the footsteps of a line of stars who have previously played the title character. His portrayal of Joseph won him unanimous acclaim and an Olivier Award nomination, with his rendition of ‘Close Every Door To Me’ regularly stopping the show with standing ovations.
Producer Michael Harrison says of today’s announcement:
“After two sensational runs at The London Palladium, I am delighted that this joyous show is now set to unite audiences and spread happiness across the UK & Ireland on tour. Our ‘dream team’ casting will enchant newcomers and longstanding fans alike - GO! GO! GO! JOSEPH!"
Audiences and critics were unanimous in their acclaim for the legendary musical - the first major collaboration by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber – when it returned to the London Palladium in 2019 and again in 2021.
The role of Pharaoh will be played by Bobby Windebank at the venues across the tour where Jason Donovan does not perform. Bobby was part of the 2021 company when the show played the season at the London Palladium.
The full company includes ERICA JAYNE ALDEN, SHANE ANTONY-WHITELY, NATALIE BENNYWORTH, JABARI BRAHAM, BEN BROOKER, GEMMA BUCKINGHAM, THALIA BURT, MEG DARCY, ALEXANDER DAY, TYLER EPHRAIM, IVÁN FERNÁNDEZ GONZÁLEZ, ZAC FRIEZE, MATT GIBSON, WILL HAWKSWORTH, SAMUEL JOHN-HUMPHREYS, CLAIRE LANDER, ABBIE PLATTS, NATHAN RIGG, ROCHELLE SHERONA, SAMANTHA SHUMA, SAM STONES and HOLLY WILLOCK.
The young actors are TOMMY ADAMS, AVA BELLE ALEXANDER, HECTOR BALDWIN, KELSEY BALLA, ZACH BENT, DYLAN BROOKS, MEI CHIU, ESME CONNOLLY, HETTIE CONNOLLY, BRYSON DEKKER, PHOEBE EASOM, JAX FENNER, LUCA FOSTER-LEJEUNE, MAX GARLICK, LOLA GREEN, BELLA HARDING, LUKE JURY, MATEO LECHEA, NAOMI LIM, OCEAN MONILAL, TORYN O’CALLAGHAN, MATILDA O’SULLIVAN, BLYTHE RAILTON, ROXY RELF, HOLLY-JADE ROBERTS, EDEN ROWE, NANDINI SHARMA, POPPY MEI SOON, HALLE STEVENS, JOSHUA WAHAB, BUDDY WAY, LILI WHITEHOUSE.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is directed by Laurence Connor. Laurence’s credits include the acclaimed London production of School of Rock and the Tony-Award nominated production on Broadway, the recent London productions of Miss Saigon and Chess, the international arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and he is also the Co-Director of the new version of Les Misérables which has enjoyed worldwide success including Broadway, UK and US tours. He is the director of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production of Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
JoAnn M Hunter (who has 20 Broadway shows to her credit, including School of Rock andOn A Clear Day You Can See Forever) is the show’s choreographer, set and costume design are by the award-winning Morgan Large with Ben Cracknell as Lighting Designer and Gareth Owen as Sound Designer.
Released as a concept album in 1969, the stage version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has become one of the world’s most beloved family musicals. The multi-award-winning show, which began life as a small-scale school concert, has been performed hundreds of thousands of times including multiple runs in the West End and on Broadway, international number one tours, and productions in over 80 countries as far afield as Austria and Zimbabwe and from Israel to Peru! The show features songs that have gone on to become pop and musical theatre standards, including Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door To Me, Jacob and Sons, There’s One More Angel In Heaven and Go Go Go Joseph.
Told entirely through song with the help of the Narrator, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat follows the story of Jacob’s favourite son Joseph and his eleven brothers. After being sold into hardship by the brothers, he ingratiates himself with Egyptian noble Potiphar, but ends up in jail after refusing the advances of Potiphar’s wife. While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty but troubled showman, the Pharaoh. As Joseph strives to resolve Egypt’s famine, he becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and eventually reunites with his family.
