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12 Phonebox Magazine | August 2025When Adam Felipe fi rst tried to get a part in Joseph, in the choir, he was the only person in his school who didn%u2019t make it. Now, with several big shows to his name, Adam is back and playing the lead role in this iconic Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber stage production. He has starred in stage icons such as Titanic The Musical, Prince of Egypt, and Les Mis%u00e9rables before winning the main role in this new tour. And the acclaimed London Palladium production of this beloved musical comes to Milton Keynes Theatre next month as part of a new UK tour.Starring in this show as Pharaoh will be Joe McElderry, who previously performed as Joseph during an extensive 2017/18 UK tour. Joe has been non-stop ever since he burst onto the scene in 2009 as the babyfaced winner of The X Factor. The singer quickly stormed into the UK charts with his debut album Wide Awake, before discovering a new sound during his winning stint on the ITV show Popstar to Operastar in 2011. Joe has been a regular on the stage too, receiving rave reviews for his portrayal of the titular role in The Who%u2019s rock opera Tommy and a leading role in Club Tropicana: The Musical.For Adam, it%u2019s a dream(coat) come true, having performed in the cast several times before.%u201cIt is such an iconic part of British musical theatre, and it has transcended a lot of other musicals in a sort of magical way,%u201d he says. %u201cIt%u2019s been a part of British culture since the 1970s and has been a vehicle for celebrities throughout the years. It%u2019s just got such hype surrounding it, so it was always something that I wanted to do. I performed in the show when I was a kid as well, but I was in the choir. Now I get to play the lead, and it%u2019s incredibly exciting.%u201cI probably fi rst saw it at the Bournemouth Pavilion, back when I was at Stagecoach and all of us had auditioned to be in the choir. I was the only one in my school who didn%u2019t get in because my singing wasn%u2019t quite so strong at the time. I think that was the start of my %u201cI%u2019m going to play him one day%u201d journey. I worked hard and made it into the choir eventually, and now here I am playing Joseph himself.%u201dStarring alongside Joe and Adam will be Christina Bianco as Narrator. She is a two-time Drama Desk Award nominee who made her West End debut starring in Forbidden Broadway at the Vaudeville Theatre. She captured international acclaim as a YouTube sensation with her %u2018diva%u2019 impression videos, gaining over 25 million views and more recently delighted audiences as Glinda in The Wizard of Oz at The London Palladium. Released as a concept album in 1969, the stage version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat has become one of the world%u2019s most beloved family musicals. Featuring much-loved pop and musical theatre classics, including Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door, There%u2019s One More Angel In Heaven and Go, Go, Go, Joseph, the production has received rapturous receptions.Told entirely through song with the help of the Narrator, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat follows the story of Jacob%u2019s favourite son, Joseph and his 11 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%u2019s wife. While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon fi nds himself in front of the mighty but troubled showman, the Pharaoh. As Joseph strives to resolve Egypt%u2019s famine, he becomes Pharaoh%u2019s right-hand man and eventually reunites with his family.%u201cA lot of musicals are loaded with messages and heavy thinking, but with Joseph it%u2019s all about having a wonderful, joyous time,%u201d says Adam. %u201cI hope people like our new twist on a classic that also pays homage to all the productions of Joseph that have come before. I hope they feel like they%u2019ve seen a familiar version of Joseph that%u2019s also got a nice new kick of energy to it.%u201dJoseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat is at Milton Keynes Theatre from Wednesday 6th to Sunday 10th August.It%u2019s one of the most famous musicals of them all, and Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoatis back for a new tour since 2022, as Phonebox%u2019s Tom Johnston discovers.Dream job for AdamImage copyright: Tristram Kenton