HIS first memory of acting was in a pre-school nativity play as Joseph.

Now Southampton’s Benjamin Pomeroy is enjoying his professional debut in hit show Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Tonight the 21-year-old Hampshire actor will sing and dance live in front of hundreds of people as Benjamin, one of Joseph’s 11 brothers in the longest running touring musical of all time.

Bill Kenwright’s production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical is touring the country with standing ovations at every performance and this week it comes to the Kings Theatre in Southsea.

Benjamin, below, said: “It’s absolutely surreal and it is so amazing to be part of because it is all I’ve ever wanted to do.

“There was never any plan B, it’s always been my dream to be in a professional musical.

“When you workso hard for however many years, it’s a huge sense of achievement.”

Daily Echo:

Benjamin recalls being a toddler when he first dreamed of a career in acting following in the footsteps of his great nana who did amateur dramatics and used to help him sing and dance and tell him stories about the theatre.

He said: “I remember coming home andsaying ‘mum, I’ve got the part as Joe Fish’ and she wondered what I was talking about but I couldn’t actually say Joseph!”

The former Shamblehurst Primary School and Wildern Schoolpupil said hespent his childhood acting, singing and dancing as much as he could performing with The Point in Eastleigh and Hampshire Youth Dance Company.

He went to college to study professional musical theatre and couldn’t believe his luck when he was chosen to be part of asequence in the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

However at the beginning of the year hewas called back for an audition for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and just before his 21st birthday, he scooped his first professional role.

He said: “I couldn’t believe it. I remember walking through Charing Cross station. I’d just got a McDonald’s when I got a call from my agent. I was ecstatic.”

He began touring the UK in February putting on up to 12 shows every week.

Retelling the biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers and the coat of many colours, the musical is full of unforgettable songs including Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door To Me.

And the Southsea performance will hold a special place in Benjamin’s heart.

Benjamin, who said he eats a whole chicken every day and has a protein shake after each performance, said: “I can’t wait to perform there because I used to go there a lot as a kid and I have a lot of family in the area who will be there.

“It’s a huge show, so iconic.

Everyone has got some kind of connection to Joseph so people can expect to have a lot of fun.”

Benjamin, who admires Broadway star Gavin Creel, hopes the show is a first step on to the ladder of professional theatre.

He added: “My dream is to stay in the industry as long as possible. I’d love to go to Germany, perform in the West End, anything that keeps me on stage really.”

Tickets are still available for the show, which runs until Saturday