Came across the below story on the news last night – BRING ON THE LOINCLOTH is all I can say!! 😛

Source

Wed 26 Nov 2008

Gareth Gates stars as ‘Joseph’ from 9 Feb 2009

From 9 Feb 2009, Gareth Gates will make his West End stage debut starring as ‘Joseph’ in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, at the Adelphi Theatre .

(Lee Mead currently playing ‘Joseph’ leaves the show on Saturday 10 January – then the part will be played by a understudy until Gareth Gates takes over the role.)

Gareth Gates was runner-up in the first ever Pop Idol in 2002. He has since had four number one singles and sold 3.5 million records to date. Earlier this year, Gareth appeared in ITV1’s “Dancing on Ice” and went on to participate in the “Dancing on Ice” UK Tour. Gareth is about to open in “Cinderella” at the Wimbledon Theatre.

Gareth says of his West End debut: “I have a lot to thank “JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT” for as it is the reason I first started singing, after being chosen to play the lead in a school production when I was eight years old. Ever since then it’s been a dream of mine to appear in a West End musical. I am really honoured to be appearing at the Adelphi, stepping into that famous coat and really can’t wait to get stuck in!”

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, opened at the Adelphi Theatre 17 July 2007, following previews from 6 July 2007, to mainly positive notices from the popular press: THE EVENING STANDARD says, “It offers a seductive blend of camp, kitsch.” THE TIMES says, “The show is a reminder of how splendidly versatile Lloyd Webber can be. Nor has Rice written jauntier lyrics.” THE STAGE says, “Rice and Lloyd Webber’s score remains as infectious as ever.”

This is a new staging of the 1990’s London Palladium production, which was directed by the late Steven Pimlott, and is once again designed by Mark Thompson and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast.

The show has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber & lyrics by Tim Rice.

The musical retells the biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colours. Themany famoussongs include ‘Any Dream Will Do’, ‘Close Every Door To Me’, and ‘One More Angel in Heaven’.