Leigh Zimmerman, Caroline Sheen and More Join FOREST BOY for St. James Theatre's THE S&S AWARD, Nov 24

A glittering evening of new British musical theatre will be unveiled at the inaugural The S&S AWARD, the award presented to the best, yet to be produced musical of the year. With West End stars performing the winning and highly commended musicals at the St James Theatre, London on Sunday 24 November.

The winner of this year's coveted The S&S AWARD is the startlingly original new work FOREST BOY by recent graduates of the prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Claire McKenzie and Scott Gilmour.

"I'm all alone in the world. I don't know who I am. Please, help me" - On 2 September 2011, a boy appeared in Berlin claiming to have lived in the forest with his father for the past five years. Based on a true story that captured the whole world, FOREST BOY is a tale of lies, growing up and, above all, imagination.....

THE S&S AWARD is designed to help a new writing team in the most practical way possible, by giving the winners the unique opportunity to work with a mentor to further develop their musical over the coming year.

The S&S AWARD is the brainchild of renowned stage book writer and lyricist Warner Brown who has created this special award in memory of his parents, the hoteliers Sidney and Sylvia (S&S) Brown, both lovers of musical theatre. The award celebrates and honours new unproduced musicals and is judged by a panel of industry luminaries. The Award is facilitated by MERCURY MUSICAL DEVELOPMENTS (MMD).

Warner Brown (Walking With Dinosaurs - The Arena Spectacular, Garbo - The Musical, The Biograph Girl) says: "It's all about new work. Boy, does new work need to be encouraged! When I first started out, my mentor was David Heneker, composer/lyricist of Half A Sixpence & Irma La Douce - there isn't a day when I'm not reminded of the things he taught me and the leg up he gave me. The S&S AWARD is there as a memorial of the past and an encouragement for the future".

Promising to be a wonderful evening the winning show, FOREST BOY will be performed by recent graduates from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. A West End cast will perform songs from the musicals that were highly commended by THE S&S AWARD judges. The evening will employ the talents of Olivier Award winner Leigh Zimmerman (A Chorus Line / The Producers), Caroline Sheen (Mary Poppins / The Light In The Piazza), David Bedella (Jerry Springer The Opera / Torch Song Trilogy), Hannah Jane Fox (We Will Rock You), Danielle Hope (Les Miserables / The Wizard Of Oz), Nigel Richards (Napoleon), singer/songwriter Gwyneth Herbert (composter of the upcoming A-Z of Mrs P) - and West End veteran Elizabeth Seal who won a Tony for the Broadway transfer of Irma La Douce in 1961. The evening will be directed by Michael Strassen.

The highly commended shows are: THE STATIONMASTER by Tim Connor and Susannah Pearse; COUNSELLING MR TOAD by Andrew Brinded; POSSESSED by Teresa Howard & Stephen Edis; THE ATTIC by Mark Carroll - and as the standard was so high two runners-up have also been included: THE QUEEN OF SNOW by Jenifer Toksvig & Alexander Rudd and BETWEEN EMPIRES by Morgan Mackintosh, Orlando Simon and Michal Palaiologou.

THE S&S AWARD will be formally presented at what will be an evening of truly great musical theatre. An evening celebrating and proving that new British musical theatre writing is alive and flourishing with the support of THE S&S AWARD.

THE S&S AWARD on SUNDAY 24 NOVEMBER at 7.30pm at the ST JAMES THEATRE, 12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA. Ticket Prices: £22 / £18 and concessions £12. Box office 0844 2642140 / www.stjamestheatre.co.uk.

MERCURY MUSICAL DEVELOPMENTS (MMD): http://mercurymusicals.com/ - a registered charity dedicated to the craft of writing book, music and lyrics for the musical theatre. MMD is part of the Arts Council England National Portfolio.

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