Originally commissioned for Colet Court prep school, the musical began as a 15-minute cantata. It was expanded and promoted following the success of Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar.
The Broadway production premiered in January of 1982. It opened at the Royale Theatre and ran for 749 performances.
Dreamcoat was first performed in 1968 at Colet Court in London.
Andy Gibb of the BeeGees played Joseph in a West End production in the early 1980s. He was fired after his drug problem caused him to miss several shows; he eventually died of drug-related illness in 1988 at age 30 (see Resources).
A reality TV show called "Any Dream Will Do" was produced by the BBC in 2007. It was a contest for unknown actors, with the prize being the role of Joseph in a West End production of the musical. The contest was won by Lee Mead.