Lewis is Joe one night per week

[Lynda]

Joseph losers win dream roles
Sunday 29th July

Any Dream Will Do also-rans Lewis Shaw and Ben Ellis have picked up major stage roles just weeks after losing out in Andrew Lloyd Webber's talent contest to eventual winner Lee Mead.

17-year-old Lewis, who finished third behind Lee and fellow finalist Keith Jack, will share star billing with Lee in the West End for one show each week. The move comes after Lee, 26, said he didn't think his vocal chords would stand up to a ninth weekly Joseph performance at London's Adelphi Theatre (there are currently eight shows per week).

"It would be difficult," Lee said. "I'm doing eight shows already and working on a solo album."

Meanwhile, fellow contestant Ben Ellis has landed a role in top West End musical Hairspray. The 19-year-old student, once described by the Joseph judges as a "young Robbie Williams", said he was delirious to have scooped the job.

"I am over the moon," he said. "I can't talk about exactly who I will be playing but it's one of the main parts. This has been my dream and what I've worked towards for years."

Elsewhere, second-placed Keith Jack, 19, is said to be busy working on a solo album, produced by X-Factor judge Louis Walsh.

from: whatsontv

[Tanith Messenger]

www.sundaymirror.co.uk

Joseph loser's Dream
29/07/2007

Any Dream Will Do also-ran Lewis Shaw is to get his shot at West End stardom after all.

He is to share the TV talent show's prize role as Joseph with winner Lee Mead after a ninth weekly performance was added to the schedule to meet demand for tickets.



Lee, 26, didn't think his voice would stand up to the demands of the extra shows at the Adelphi Theatre. He said: "It would be difficult. I'm doing eight shows already and working on a solo album."

Pal Lewis, 17, came third in Andrew Lloyd Webber's TV search but runner-up Keith Jack, 19, is busy working on an album with pop guru Louis Walsh.

[Christine]

Thanks for putting the above message on for me Tan, it wouldn't work on my works PC this morning!!! Oh i have a copy of the article from the paper for you.

[Lynda]

After finishing third in the hunt for Joseph on TV’s Any Dream Will Do, 18-year-old Lewis Bradley’s chance of playing the lead in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat seemed to have disappeared. But all is not lost for Lewis. We hear he may soon be joining Any Dream winner Lee Mead in donning that colourful garb at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre. In order to meet demand for tickets – booking has already been extended through to June 2008 with the box office advance reportedly in excess of £15 million less than a fortnight after opening night (See WOS TV, 18 Jul 2007) – show producers Andrew Lloyd Webber and Bill Kenwright plan to add an extra matinee. That would bring the weekly performances to nine per week, of which Mead would helm seven and Bradley the other two.

Lewis isn’t the only Any Dream Will Do contestant celebrating these days. Eighth-place finalist Craig Chalmers will headline Kenwright’s new tour of Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Biblical musical (See News, 5 Jul 2007), fifth-place Ben Ellis is lined up to play Link Larkin in the West End premiere of Hairspray and second-place Keith Jack is planning on releasing an album. Far from being a “Close Every Door” situation, these reality TV contestants seem to be having all doors and windows thrown open wide to them.

[Lynda]

Lewis Bradley


I heard off Claire today, Lee's agents.

Dear Lynda,

We were in discussions with RUG last week about the 9th performance idea and we have since been told that this idea has been dropped.

RUG will make casting announcements regarding cover for Lee’s holiday dates when they feel it appropriate.

The only shows Lee will be having off (unless he is sick) are the ones published on the news page of our website.

Best wishes,

Claire