Mark and his ‘amazing’ lead role in major stage show

Mark and his ‘amazing’ lead role in major stage show

30 October 2019

A CAREER goal has come true for singer Mark McMullan, who has just landed himself the lead role in a major touring production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Mark will follow in the footsteps of Jason Donovan and Philip Schofield who played Joseph when he takes to the stage in Doncaster for a five-month tour from December 18.

The role is Mark’s first major performance in a national stage musical and will feature classic songs such as Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door To Me.

Such success has been long on the cards for the Crossgar man who distinguished himself as one of the upcoming stars in local musicals with the St Patrick’s Choral Society in Downpatrick.

Mark has been a constant help and support to his older brother, Declan, and parents John and Brenda after Declan suffered a cardiac arrest at the age of 19. Declan has lived with locked-in syndrome ever since.

A video of Mark singing Take Him Home from the musical Les Miserables to Declan went viral in 2015, landing him a spot on The Nolan Show.

The emotional rendition of the song, which touches Declan and his parents every time they hear it, and the simple story of the brothers’ love and devotion, led to further performances for Mark on RTE.

However, it wasn’t until this June that he won hearts as the runner-up in Britain’s Got Talent.

His performance wowed judge Simon Cowell who told him it was the best performance of the series. 

Despite losing out to 89 year-old Chelsea Pensioner Colin Thackery, Mark’s showcase on the hit show led to musical producers noticing his talent and superb voice.

The McMullan family managed to keep the exciting news quiet until last week.

Father John explained: “Mark was approached by the producer several months ago but we couldn’t really say anything. Declan, of course, wanted to tell the world but we didn’t want to say until Mark knew for definite it was 100 per cent.

“We are hoping to travel over for his first show as this will be a great stepping stone for him.”

While the opportunity may have alluded the talented 24 year-old until now, Mark said he is ready for the challenge.

“I’m not nervous about performing as I’m definitely ready for this but I’m a bit nervous about the other performers who have played the role and feel an obligation to be good and do everyone proud.”

Mark has already appeared in a youth production of Joseph as the Pharaoh, having performed with St Patrick’s Choral Society from the age of 12 to 19.

He said that while he grew up in a musical family, it was his grandfather, Seamus Mullan, and mother, Brenda, who really encouraged him.

“I knew I could sing from an early age as I’m from a musical family,” said Mark. “But it wasn’t really until I joined the choral society and sang publicly for the first time a few months later in Calamity Jane that people began to tell me I was really good.

“People told me that I could make a career of singing and it began to occur to me that maybe I could do this.

“My granda was a member of St Patrick’s Choral Society and sang in the choir of Mary Mother of the Church in Saintfield. The choral society gave me a taste for musical theatre and my mum really pushed me to do it. It turned out that I just loved it,” added the former pupil of St Colmcille’s High School in Crossgar and Down High School, Downpatrick.

Mark performed in every musical staged by the society until his final appearance in Sunset Boulevard, with music from Andrew Lloyd Webber, at the Grand Opera House in 2015.

“That role was the hardest one I had ever done, as while I have had plenty of leading roles, it was one that had me on stage in a major theatre and for nearly every scene, just as I will have to do the same in Joseph,” said Mark.

While Declan’s illness undoubtedly shook the McMullan family to its core, Mark said that he believes some good has come out of it.

“Before Declan took sick in 2012, my dream was always to go and live and work in London and do musical theatre. Unfortunately when that happened I had to put that dream on hold.

“I never thought I would look at it again as I knew I had to help Declan and my family, but unwittingly, the bad thing that happened to Declan has actually helped me pursue that dream even more.

“He is my biggest supporter, he’s like my manager. I speak every night to my  Mum and him and he wants to know everything.”

Mark will continue with his job as architect while living in Newcastle-upon-Tyne with his partner, Zoe Hunter, who he met while they were students at Down High, until he feels confident that a secure future lies ahead of him in musical theatre.

“I’m also doing a Masters degree in architecture so between work, studying and rehearsal, life is very busy at the moment,” he added.

Bill Kenwright’s production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical will play in Doncaster from December 18 to January 4 before continuing its UK tour in Peterborough, Aylesbury, Wimbledon, Coventry, Bradford, Chesterfield and Sunderland.