Any Dream Will Do
Any Dream Will Do, was a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a West End revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The show was hosted by Graham Norton, who announced Lee Mead as the winner of the final public telephone vote on 9 June 2007. It was the second West-End talent show to be produced by the BBC/Andrew Lloyd Webber, after How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?. Further Talent shows in the series have aired, with I'd Do Anything completing in 2008 and Over the Rainbow which ran in April/May 2010. A similar format has been used as well in The Netherlands in 2008, with the show Op zoek naar Joseph taking an unknown singer and placing the winner in the lead role for the 2009 performances in The Netherlands. On 26 October 2008, Freek Bartels was announced the winner of this show.
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Plot Summary
Any Dream Will Do was a British reality television talent show that searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Aspiring musical theatre performers were put through their paces each week, facing challenges and eliminations judged by a panel of industry experts. The show culminated in a public vote to decide the winner who would star in the West End production.
Critical Reception
The show was a popular weekend entertainment program, generating significant public interest in the talent search and the musical itself. While praised for its entertainment value and for providing a platform for aspiring talent, it also received criticism typical of reality competition shows regarding judging fairness and the format's reliance on audience votes.
What Reviewers Say
- Entertaining, if formulaic, reality competition format.
- Successful in its aim to discover a new musical theatre star.
- The public's engagement with the contestants and the musical was a key factor in its success.
Google audience: Audience reception was largely positive, with many enjoying the musical performances and the dramatic journey of the contestants. The show was a topic of much discussion, particularly regarding the final choice and the potential for the winner to succeed in a demanding West End role.
Fun Fact
The winner, Lee Mead, went on to have a successful career in musical theatre, not only reprising his role as Joseph but also starring in other major productions like Wicked and Legally Blonde.
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