Joanna Riding, Richard Dempsey, Julie Atherton & Paul Spicer Star in West End's NOT(ES) FROM NEW YORK March 19

Following a year-long absence, the West End's first and only platform for contemporary musical theatre returns with an unexpectedly British twist. Double Olivier Award winner Joanna Riding and West End regular Richard Dempsey join series stalwarts Julie Atherton and Paul Spicer in Not(es) from New York, a one-off show focusing on songs by a duo of London based composers, at the Duchess Theatre on Sunday 19 March 2006.

Featuring a selection of songs by the critically acclaimed Charles Miller (Build Me a Bridge, No One in the World, Brenda Bly: Teen Detective) alongside the music of Grant Olding (Three Sides, A Celebrity Chef Ate My Hamster,Spittin' Distance), Not(es) from New York is a unique and exciting opportunity to discover the work of two burgeoning musical theatre talents, both of whom are receiving their West End première in this production.

Charles Miller is currently Composer in Residence at the London School of Musical Theatre, whilst Grant Olding, who has written the score for Nicholas Hytner's production of Southwark Fair, which receives its world première at The National Theatre this month, was Composer in Residence at the Bridewell Theatre until its recent closure. In a show celebrating Englishness and all its eccentricities, Not(es) from New York features a veritable variety of premières from a panoply of undiscovered and unperformed scores.

Double Olivier Award winner Joanna Riding, whose musical theatre credits include Eliza in My Fair Lady at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, was most recently seen in the West End playing Ruth in Blithe Spirit at the Savoy Theatre. Her other credits include originating the role of Jane in The Witches of Eastwick and lead roles in The National Theatre's productions of Carousel and Guys and Dolls. She has also performed with Notes from New York favourite Jason Robert Brown at the New Player's Theatre in London. Richard Dempsey is currently rehearsing for Citizenship, a new play by Mark Ravenhill, which receives its world première at The National Theatre next month, having previously played lead roles in shows including Fame, Honk, Into the Woods, Just So and Out of This World.

Julie Atherton will soon play Kate Monster in the West End première of Broadway hit Avenue Q, having previously played Serena in Fame and Sophie in Mamma Mia. Paul Spicer, whose credits include lead roles in The Witches of Eastwick, Fame and Taboo, returns to the West End fresh from the UK tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, prior to which he was seen by millions as the young guy playing strip poker in the video to Uniting Nations' top ten hit single Out of Touch. Both Julie and Paul, who have a reputation as two of the UK's hottest young musical theatre stars, return by popular demand.

Launched in 2003 to present a selection of brand new US musical theatre work in the West End for the very first time, Notes from New York has since developed a cult following and enjoyed a succession of sell-out shows at the Arts Theatre, the Donmar Warehouse and the Trafalgar Studios. This one-off British edition reunites the critically acclaimed creative team behind the original shows and refocuses our attention on talent this side of the pond.

Not(es) from New York is directed by David Randall, with associate direction and musical staging by co-founder of the series, Paul Spicer. Piano accompaniment is by Mark Collins.

www.notesfromnewyork.co.uk