Winners Annouced For The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year And Stiles + Drewe Prize At 12th Anniversary West End Gala
By: Stephi Wild Jun. 11, 2018
This afternoon the winners of the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year and Stiles + Drewe Prize were announced at the 12th anniversary West End Gala at the Savoy Theatre which was hosted Olivier Award winner Tracie Bennett.
Alex Cardall wins the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year award performing Buddy's Blues from the musical Follies and Best New Song winner - You and Me by Adam Wachter. Cardall was selected out of 12 finalists who qualified from the UK's many musical theatre courses and has been awarded a £1,000 first prize. Adam Wachter wins the Stiles + Drewe Prize for Best New Song for his song You and Me. This Prize, sponsored by the Entertainment Business, recognises an outstanding song from a new musical, and the winner receives a prize of £1,000 to put towards developing their work.
In addition, Jim Barne and Kit Buchan win the Stiles and Drewe Mentorship Award with their new musical The Season. The Award is supported by Music Theatre International Europe. Barne and Buchan will receive 12 months of mentorship and support, benefiting from monthly writers' labs, a one-week writing retreat, and two panel-led progress labs, with the year culminating in an industry showcase.
Past winners of the Student Performer of the Year prize have included Hollywood star Taron Egerton and Alex Young (Carrie in Carousel at ENO, Young Sally in Follies and now Sally Smith in Me and My Girl at Chichester). Last year's winner, Izuka Hoyle, is soon to appear in the much-anticipated Sylvia at the Old Vic.
Previous winners of the Stiles and Drewe Prize for Best New Song include Tamar Broadbent who took her one-woman show All By My Selfie to the Adelaide Fringe. The 2015 winners Richy Hughes and Joseph Finlay received a full production of their musical The Superhero at the Southwark Playhouse.
The winners were selected by a panel of judges including Rebecca Caine, Rebecca Trehearn, Stephen Ridley, David Benedict, Sharon D Clarke and Susie McKenna and the student performer judging panel was chaired by, writer and broadcaster Edward Seckerson.
This year the annual gala was directed by Chris Hocking with musical direction by Mark Etherington.
The Stephen Sondheim Society Chairman Craig Glenday said today 'It really does get harder and harder to judge these talented students each year. The standard was higher across the board than ever according to Edward and his jury, but there was no doubt that Alex Cardall deserved that first prize. These graduates are all a force to be reckoned with - you're bound to see them on a stage in the near future.'
Executive Director of MMD Victoria Saxton said 'As always we are so proud of all the MMD members who submitted songs and the final 12 that were showcased today. The future of new British musical theatre is brighter than ever.'
George Stiles and Anthony Drewe said, 'If at first you don't succeed... There has never been a more telling example because Jim and Kit, who won this year's mentorship award, entered last year and were shortlisted. They've worked so hard on their show that it was impossible not to award them the prize this year. If that doesn't tell you what writing new musicals is about then nothing will.
What we loved about the winner of the Best New Song this year, You and Me, was that it absolutely lured the audience in. We judged this award alongside Sharon D Clarke and Susie McKenna who had never heard any of the songs before and of all the songs, this was the one that beckoned them in. It was the simplicity of the language, music and drama together telling the story which made it stand out and is all we ever look for in a best new song.'
Alex Cardall said of winning the Student Performer of the Year award, 'I'm utterly thrilled to have won SSSSPOTY today. It's a fantastic day filled with the best of musical theatre writing and I'm honoured to have been apart of it.'
Alex Cardall studied performing arts at the Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) and is about to graduate from The Arts Educational Schools, London. Some of his credits whilst training include Judge Turpin in Sweeny Todd and David Shayne in Bullets Over Broadway. Cardall is also an enthusiastic drummer and has his own Jazz Trio that plays in local venues around West London.
Tracie Bennett's theatre work includes Follies (National Theatre); and in the West End, Ruthless - The Musical, Mrs Henderson Presents, End of the Rainbow (also Broadway - winner of Outer Critics' Circle and Drama Desk awards; and Olivier and Tony Award nominations), La Cage aux Folles, Hairspray - Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical, Les Misérables, She Loves Me - Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Other theatre work includes TheHypochondriac (Theatre Royal Bath), Sex, Chips & Rock 'n' Roll - TMA Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical (Royal Exchange Manchester), Carousel, Billy Liar (ATG), High Society (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), and Guys and Dolls, Educating Rita, Spring Awakening (Sheffield Theatre). For television, her work includes Scott & Bailey, Burn It, New Tricks, Candy Cabs, Dalziel and Pascoe, Vincent, The Royal, The Long Firm, MIT: Murder Investigation Team, Heroes and Villains, Keen Eddie, Where the Heart Is, Coronation Street (as series regular Sharon Bentley), Heartbeat, The Gingerbread Girl, Joking Apart, The Upper Hand, Rich Tea and Sympathy, Making Out; and for film, Shirley Valentine, Deep Red Instant, Knights and Emeralds.
Please see below for the full list of the 12 Best New Song finalists:
- Rob Eyles & Robert Gould - As Long As I Have Music
- Rachel Bellman & Josh Bird - Better Kind Of Me
- Adam Wachter - Down the Stairs
- China Doll, Roxanne Lamendola, Leah Fogo & Scott Stait - Everything Will be Alright
- Bomi Lee & Jason Young - Famous
- Jim Barne & Kit Buchan - If I Had Wings
- Rosabella Gregory - Love
- Bella Barlow & A.C. Smith - Set the Alarm for Six
- Benjamin Till, Nathan Taylor & Sir Arnold Wesker - Shone With the Sun
- Nick Butcher - Somewhere In-Between
- Sara Eker and Giles Fernando - Stars
- Adam G Wachter - You and Me
The 12 performer finalists were:
- Alex Cardall, Arts Educational
- Amara Okereke, Arts Educational
- Bonnie Baddoo, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
- Pedro Leandro, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
- Will Carey, Guildford School of Acting
- Donal Finn, LAMDA
- Shelby Flannery, LAMDA
- James Stirling, Mountview Academy of the Theatre Arts
- Sabi Perez, RADA
- Elliott Wooster, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
- Emily Beresford, The Hammond
- Thomas Grant, Royal Academy of Music
The finalists for the MTI Stiles + Drewe Mentorship Award 2018 are:
Terror at the Sweet Shop: Music & Lyrics by Gavin Brock, Book by Nichola Rivers
The Mill on the Floss: Book, Music & Lyrics by Thomas Sutcliffe, Additional Music & Lyrics by Lydia Grant
The Season: Book & Lyrics by Kit Buchan, Music by Jim Barne
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