Alex Young Wins Sondheim Student Performer Of The Year

Andy Moreton

A packed Queen's Theatre acclaimed Alex Young on Sunday as she was named Student Performer of the Year in the competition organized by the Stephen Sondheim Society.

Alex, a student at London's Royal Academy of Music, impressed the judges - including Julia McKenzie and Maureen Lipman - with her rendition of the technically challenging title song from Sunday In The Park With George.

Highly commended was Lewis Oatley, a second-year student at Arts Educational in London, who performed Not While I'm Around from Follies.

When Sondheim gave his blessing to the competition, he insisted that it should also be an occasion for new musical theatre work. First prize for best new song was shared by Conor Mitchell's What Kind of a Life is this, Masha performed by Lewis Oatley and Lovely London Town, composed by Gwyneth Herbert and sung by Danielle Steers.

The event was hosted by musical theatre star Hannah Waddingham, who wowed the audience with Stiles and Drewe's over-the-top comedy number Diva and Sondheim's plaintive Send In The Clowns from A Little Night Music.