WORDSLEY actor Chris Passey is getting set to tread the boards at Birmingham Hippodrome after landing a major role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

The 20-year-old performer has been living his dream and touring the UK with West End producer Bill Kenwright's acclaimed production since January, when he found out he had made the cast with no drama school or professional stage experience whatsoever.

He told the News: "It's absolutely fantastic. We've been to Malvern, Southend-on-Sea, Scunthorpe, Sunderland, Manchester and Northamptonshire, but to come back home and perform in front of a home crowd I'm really excited. It's going to be out of this world.

"My whole family are coming in the first week and my friends are coming along in the second week when it's warmed up.

"The show's doing very well, all the reviews have been fantastic. It's lived up to my expectations and more. It's very busy and can sometimes be the most unglamorous thing in the world as it's so tiring and exhausting, but it's so amazing.

"I feel really proud of myself and of my teachers at secondary school and college who always had faith in me to do what other people deemed impossible without an agent or training. I just love it.

"I'm still looking for an agent for acting work, but I love singing and hope to do a mini tour singing at venues around the country when the tour ends in November."

Former King Edward VI College student Chris, who plays Joseph's youngest brother Benjamin, has also been getting his fair share of autograph hunters.

He added: "That's one of the highlights of the job. Playing the youngest brother I do get quite a lot of attention, which is nice."

Retelling the Biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers and the coat of many colours, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat was first seen as a 15-minue pop cantana written for a London school's end of term concert nearly 40 years ago.

Since then it has become one of the world's most successful musicals and has made the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-running touring stage musical of all time.

It opens at Birmingham Hippodrome on Monday March 26 and runs until Saturday April 7.

Tickets, priced £12 to £26, are available on 0870 730 1234 or www.birminghamhippodrome.com.

The show will also be at Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre from April 30.