I was on BBC TV Show Any Dream Will Do - ask me anything!

[Givememycolouredcoat]

Hi everyone! I’m excited to be here for an Ask Me Anything. I appeared the 2007 BBC show Any Dream Will Do, and since then I’ve been working on and off in the entertainment industry. I’m happy to share my experience, from what it was like on the show (especially with “the Lord” Andrew Lloyd Webber) to navigating a career in performing arts, and offer advice to anyone, especially young people, who are hoping to make it in the industry- I’ve seen a lot of posts based on this and thought this Q&A would be fun! Ask me anything about auditions, training, career paths, or even life behind the scenes!

just to be clear I did not win the show!

ps. Not sure anyone will remember haha! Won’t answer anything too risqué either 😛

and has it really been 18 years ?!
gosh that makes my dd under the age of 10 then, and we watched it together.

I was in my last year of uni!

Jessie Buckley

Probably my first role in the ensemble of Flashdance the musical PT while I was still studying not long before ADWD, a matter of weeks. I was just in the ensemble, I remember being so disappointed that my role didn’t even have a name! But I met so many people from different walks of life (people fresh out of theatre school, those who were older and had been a bit battered by the industry, ex soap stars, and even a rogue member of s club juniors I think he said who was a bit big for his boots!!)

it was just magic to see the way theatre ran. Even now I’ve done lead roles I think it’s the ensemble who are important and really carry the show.

i ended up quitting the show for ADWD

spelling edit!!

I see someone has already got there first, but yes, Jessie Buckley!

My son is about to enter the industry but in a different capacity as a musician. He’s still studying but has already started to work in regional & touring shows. Any advice for juggling it all & staying sane?

What’s your favourite musical?

Sounds like he is doing well. Some of my advice below might sound brutal so I do apologise!!

He needs to get used to rejection. Rejection doesn’t mean that he’s not talented enough, it could just be the case that he isn’t what the show is looking for. He needs to audition just for the experience, if he gets the role he wants that’s a bonus.

Fellow auditionees aren’t always his friends. In the industry, it’s full of people who would step on their colleagues to get a role, two faced people too. He needs to be cautious when making friends especially during the audition process. When I was auditioning, I made a “friend” and we swapped numbers. Both of us auditioned and had callbacks to a show. Later I got a prank call he had arranged someone else to do to tell me “they” were a hospital worker and my mother had been in a car crash! It was all a hoax but meant I missed my callback.

You never know if the person who hears you bitching about people in the industry is going to be the person who gives you your next job. So don’t OPENLY say anything unkind or rude, online or offline, and if you get rejected just smile and say thankyou for the experience anyway. Sound off to your family in private!

practice but don’t practice too much. You can lose your flair if everything is too rehearsed.

Oh and to take any role offered, small or large. :)

This reminds me of the s club jnrs ama 😅

West side story if we are talking classic musicals, but I was a huge fan of the recent Charlie and the chocolate factory musical!

Hahaha I don’t know what that was but is it because of my mention in flash dance?

Yes that was great! We need more showbiz amas!

That’s horrendous (the prank call). I don’t think it’s quite as bad for musicians but the industry is certainly brutal.

Yes hopefully things are better for him.

Donny Osmond was offered the role of a Judge on this (contracts were all but signed); he decided to do a US TV Series called The Great American Dream Vote instead (staying close to home for his younger sons) - the US series bombed dreadfully.

Donny's big UK fanbase were regulars at the Any Dream tapings at BBC Centre - I was at the taping of the final show. Keith Jacks was very sweet, chatted to his fans that had been queuing for hours outside. Great telly for fans of musical theatre. The theatre forum I was (still am) on were big fans of Daniel.

I think it was Kevin Spacey who moaned hugely about the BBC giving over prime time Saturday night viewing to The Lord Lloyd Webber. And yes, the Nancy final was honestly jaw dropping as Jodie was announced the winner - ALW was clearly furious and walked off set. Jessie has done alright for herself though!

I was in the final 12, that’s all I’m saying…

I have worked in the west end briefly and still do work in theatre. However I would say the amount of jobs I got is about the same as before I went on the show, I just happened to get invited to more auditions after the show rather than hunting them down myself.

I had no idea about this (Donny being offered a role) that is very interesting! Maybe he would’ve preferred me as I felt one or two of the judges were conspiring against me sometimes!!!

What was the final song like? The removing of the cloaks always seem brutal?

Funnily enough nobody wanted to be the one to remove the coat, I remember a myth Graham Norton started that the one to remove the coat would be the next one to leave and it was the case in a lot of it.

the removal of the coat was (imo) theatrical rubbish but not as creepy as the Dorothy one where I think the girls had to hand over their shoes?

I always saw the final song as a way to show your next potential employer your talent. 😉

Oh I loved that show. Were you in the cast of the touring show. My DD1 was lucky enough to be in the Joseph choir for two of the venues, for two seasons. It was wonderful and the adult cast, especially the young lads, were so lovely to all the kids.

I was not in the cast of the touring show Lee Mead did, no. Me and the understudy didn’t get on so well so it was probably for the best.

How strange as I was talking about this show yesterday when seeing something about Avenue Q. I am sure of the Joseph’s went to be in that. I saw Joseph with Lewis and Keith and of course Lee. Crikey I’ve seen it a lot of times as recently saw it with Alexandra Burke as the narrator! But most hilarious was I think one of the Joseph’s was called Bryan and he went on to change his name to Ryan and worked in the adult film industry!!

Yes, he got sacked from a panto when pictures emerged or something!

I loved this show. And Lee Mead! Did you do any of the more recent shows with other Joseph's?