ENTERTAINER Karl Myers is finally going to make a name for himself in his home town by appearing in a musical - even if he has had to change his surname to achieve the ambition.

Now called Karl Clarkson, the 27-year-old, of Cleveland Terrace, Darlington, will be joining the stars of The Boyfriend at the Civic Theatre, from June 10 to14.

"I could not believe it when I wrote off to register with Equity and I was told there was already a Karl Myers and I would have to use my second choice of Clarkson," he said.

He thought he had missed his big chance at Darlington when he recently dropped out of a tour of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat just before it headed to the North-East.

"I am glad I did because I then got the chance to join a stunning musical instead," said Mr Myers, who had returned to work as an office temp at Darlington's Eastbourne School when a phone call told him his The Boyfriend audition had been successful. Now staff at Eastbourne have promised to come and see Mr Myers play the comic character Alphonse in the production, which also features Oliver Tobias, Liliane Montevecchi and Roy Barraclough.

Also in the audience will be his parents, Barbara and David, his grandmother and aunts, plus Abbey Junior School teacher Judith Kent.

"I think it was Miss Kent who inspired me to try for the stage in the first place. We have kept in touch since I left junior school," he said.

Mr Myers studied for a language degree at Durham University before deciding to follow older brother, Nic, to drama school.