The 25-year-old actor/singer beat 19-year-old supermarket worker Keith Jack for the right to wear the famous dreamcoat in the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical.
After winning millions of viewers' votes, an emotional Mead said, "I'm going to go out there and give a hell of a show."
Mead is no stranger to Joseph. His stage credits include the touring production of the musical in which he played Pharaoh and Brother Levi. Fellow "Any Dream Will Do" contestant Craig Chalmers has landed the title role in the forthcoming touring version of the show.
Mead is joined onstage by Preeya Kalidas as the Narrator, Dean Collinson as Pharaoh and Stephen Tate as Jacob/Potiphar/Guru.
The ensemble comprises John Alastair, Kate Alexander, Jennifer Ashton, Paul Basleigh, Verity Bentham, James Bisp, Tyman Boatwright, Simon Coulthard, Lucie Downer, Tom Gillies, Emma Harris, Pip Jordan, Louise Madison, Emily Mascarenhas, Sarah Meade, Nathaniel Morrison, Mark Oxtoby, Adam Pearce, Tamlyn Platts, Pippa Raine, Fiona Reyes, Ricky Rojas, Craig Scott, Jonathan Stewart, Kate Tydman, Russel Walker, Neal Wright and Danielle Young. The children featured in the choir are from The Carmel Thomas Youth Singers.
The Lloyd Webber (music) and Rice (lyrics) musical follows the biblical tale of the title character who is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers.
Joseph played on Broadway in 1982 with Bill Hutton as Joseph and Laurie Beechman as Narrator. It was then revived in 1993 with Michael Damian and Kelli Rabke in the roles.
In 1967 the show originally took the form of a 20-minute piece composed for Colet Court St. Paul's Junior School. The new West End version revives Steven Pimlott's London Palladium production, with design by Mark Thompson and choreography by Anthony Van Laast.
The creative team also includes Nichola Treherne (associate director/associate choreographer), Simon Lee (musical supervisor), Andrew Bridge (lighting designer), Mick Potter (sound designer), John Cameron (orchestrator) and Daniel Bowling (musical director).
For more on Joseph, which is booking until Jan. 5, 2008, call (0)870 895 5598.
