Line-Up Announced For CHRISTMAS WITH THE STARS In Covent Garden

This year's line-up for Christmas with the Stars - the charity Christmas musical theatre concert in Covent Garden in the heart of the West End - is another star-studded musical feast of festive fun.

The concert, on 15 December at 7.45pm, is brought to Covent Garden by West End and Broadway star Michael D. Xavier (recently announced as the lead in the new Sleepless in Seattle musical), accompanied by the students of the award-winning MX Masterclass.

The concert is giving all proceeds to Children with Cancer UK, and will once again be held at the Actors' Church (St Paul's) in the heart of Covent Garden.

The full line-up includes:

· Laura Baldwin (Waitress, Eugenius)

· Luke Bayer (Soho Cinders, Everybody's Talking About Jamie)

· Rebecca Lock (Heathers, Curtains)

· Jason Manford (Curtains, The Producers)

· Sandra Marvin (Waitress, Show Boat)

· Millie O'Connell (SIX, Soho Cinders)

· Natalie Paris (SIX)

· Jason Pennycooke (Hamilton, Memphis)

· Filippo Strocchi (Jesus Christ Superstar, Rock Of Ages)

· Rebecca Trehearn (City Of Angels, Show Boat)

· Alex Young (Show Boat, Me & My Girl)

They will be supported by the MX Masterclass choir - a group of talented students at the national-award-winning London performing arts school, amongst them young professional performers who have already starred in West End shows such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Annie and LES MISERABLES.

Michael says: "The MXM Christmas concert always attracts incredible artists, and again this year we are blessed to have some of the biggest stars of the west end coming to perform.

I am so very grateful to them all: it's a busy time of year and they are giving their time and talent for a hugely important charity. This is a concert not to be missed - the audience are in for a real Christmas treat!"

MXM trains aspiring musical theatre performers from age 10 - 25 years, and is known for attracting top names in the West End to give masterclasses, and giving its students unrivalled performing opportunities. Students travel from as far away as Portugal, Poland, Guernsey, Glasgow and the Czech Republic to attend MXM on Sundays at the Umbrella Rooms, Shaftesbury Avenue.

MXM students recently performed live at the Charing Cross Theatre in the show Prince & Sondheim and are set to sing once again at The Royal Albert Hall in March at The Best Of The West End concert.

The next audition day for MXM will be on Sunday 26th January - at which candidates will be given a special one-to-one masterclass with Michael D. Xavier himself.

Michael D. Xavier has been twice nominated for an Olivier Award, and has starred in many West End musicals as well as plays, television and films. He played Dr Steph Belcombe in Sally Wainwright's Gentleman Jack for BBC/HBO and was seen as secret agent Christopher Miles in the NBC US television series The Blacklist starring James Spader. This year he filmed a role in a major tv programme to be announced in February and has just finished filming the role of Max Mallowan in feature Agatha And The Death Of X.

He has just been announced as leading the cast of SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, playing Sam, along with Kimberley Walsh as Annie. This new musical is based on the original screenplay Sleepless in Seattle, and will preview performances Troubadour Theatre, London on 13th & 14th December.

MX Masterclass students who have already been successful professionally, include:

· Asha Banks, 16, (currently starring as Lisa James in The Boy in the Dress, the RSC's new musical at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon)

· Emily Carey, 16, (The Sound of Music at Regents Park Open Air Theatre, Grace in TV 's Casualty, as well as appearing in the movie Wonder Woman)

· Sebastian Croft, 17, (BAFTA-nominated star of the movie Horrible Histories)

- Anya Cooke (BBC's The Dumping Ground)

- Nuala Peberdy (current West End production of Mary Poppins)

- Emily Rees (current West End production of Matilda The Musical)

For those interested in auditioning for MXM, please go to https://mxmasterclass.com to sign up.

To book tickets for A Christmas with the Stars concert, go to https://actorschurch.org

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