BWW INTERVIEWS: Craig Chalmers, of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

Hello, Craig, and welcome to BWW:UK. How's the tour going?

Well, it's my two-year anniversary in the tour next week, so it's great; it's been a hugely successful run.

I was going to say, it's been a long time in the show for you.

I've just extended my contract to July next year - it's such a good job.

When you were doing Any Dream Will Do?,were you ever aware that there might be a possibility of leading the touring cast?

No, I really wasn't aware of the tour! It's been an amazing honour to get to play the part even though I was one of the runners-up. It's been a really great experience.

Bill Kenwright, who's producer and director on this tour, was batting for you all the way through the series - that must have been nice for you.

Yes, he's a prolific producer - and he's a football man! It's nice to know that he saw some potential in me, and it's been nice to have him show me the ropes over the past two years.

Which is the best region in the UK you've performed to?

It was terrific to headline at the Edinburgh Playhouse and break box office records there. I think we've performed at nearly every theatre in the country now - or at least we will have by this time next year. There are great places all over the UK, and I'm fairly sure I'd never have got to visit any of them without this tour.

So when you finish next July, what are your plans?

Well, I'm getting married next year, so I'll have a bit of a break and make time to enjoy that! After that, maybe I'll do panto, and then I think I'd like to get into television. I'd like to try presenting entertainment programmes, or maybe sport, and I'd like to act in a soap, because I think that would be fun to do - something like Hollyoaks or The Bill.

Do you still keep in touch with any of the other Josephs?

Chris Barton's here with me at the moment! Rob McVeigh's performing here [in Blackpool] next week so I think we'll have a few photo shoots together. Antony Hansen and I have recorded an album together. And of course I went to see Lee Mead when he opened in Joseph at the Adelphi.

You probably don't have much time to see theatre yourself at the moment, but do you have any recommendations?

I love theatre now. I'd say to anyone just give it a go. I really wasn't into it until Any Dream Will Do? but now I think it's great.

Wow - if you weren't into theatre, how come you auditioned?

I was really more of a pop singer, and I wanted to do something different. I knew that Joseph would be a part I could play because I knew other pop singers had done it, like Jason Donovan, so I thought I'd give it a go. And it's gone so well and I'm having a fantastic time.

 

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