Students compete to be crowned Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year at the Garrick Theatre
Twelve student finalists from top drama schools
across the UK will compete for the title of this year’s Stephen Sondheim
Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY), on Sunday 17th May at 3pm at the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End. Each
student will sing a song by Stephen Sondheim and, at his personal request, they
will also each sing a new musical theatre song, written by members of Mercury
Musical Developments and shortlisted for the Stiles & Drewe Best New Song
Prize.
This will also
be a rare opportunity to see Elaine Paige, the first lady of musical
theatre, perform a new version of I’m Still Here from Follies,
specially adapted for her by Stiles & Drewe, with the permission of Stephen
Sondheim. The afternoon is hosted by Michael Xavier who will also
perform. There will also be a performance by 2014 SSSSPOTY winner Corinne
Priest.
The twelve
student finalists aged 18-24 will perform songs from: Passion, Company,
Sweeney Todd, Follies, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in
the Park with George and Into The Woods.
The renowned
Sondheim interpreter and patron of the Stephen Sondheim Society, Julia
McKenzie will be presenting the award, alongside a glittering line up of
judges including Elaine Paige, Laura Pitt-Pulford, director Jamie
Lloyd, conductor and BBC Proms favourite John Wilson and writer and
broadcaster Edward Seckerson. Composers and lyricists George Stiles and
Anthony Drewe, and Pippa Cleary and Jake Brunger (writers
of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole at Curve Leicester) will be judging
the Best New Song Prize.
The prestige
and impact of these awards continues to grow each year. The competition is now
in its ninth year with a top prize of £1,000 for both the Student Performer and
the writer of the Best New Song. The student runner-up will also receive a
prize of £500. The event is produced by Martin Jackson and Victoria Saxton for
Mercury Musical Developments and Craig Glenday for The Stephen Sondheim
Society.
The Student Performer
prize is sponsored by Michael Darling and The Stiles & Drewe Best New Song
Prize is co-sponsored by Stiles and Drewe and R & H Theatricals Europe.
