⭐ THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM SOCIETY STUDENT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR 2024 FINALISTS ANNOUNCED ⭐
The finalists for the THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM SOCIETY STUDENT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR 2024 has been announced.
THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM SOCIETY STUDENT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR competition – affectionately known as SSSSPOTY – was inaugurated in 2007, and in 2024 returns for its 16th year.
This year, The Stephen Sondheim Society (a charitable trust founded in 1993) asked for the first round of auditions to be made via video. More than 330 submissions were received, 75 of which qualified for a live, in-person audition with critic and broadcaster Edward Seckerson (Chair of the Judges) and musical director Nigel Lilley.
As a result, 12 finalists were selected, with 2 students held in reserve.
The 12 finalists are:
Holly Adams – Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Brooke Bazarian – London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art/LAMDA
Oliver Halford – Emil Dale Academy
Harrison Langham – Arts Ed
Katie Leach – LAMDA
Madeleine Morgan – Royal Academy of Music
Rowen Newsome – Brighton Academy
Tumi Olufawo – Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Thomas Oxley – Italia Conti
Daisy Pearson – Rose Bruford College
Gavin Rasmussen – LAMDA
Josh Rosewood – Mountview
Reserves – Jacob Dolan Holmes and Noah Thallon – Mountview.
The winner will receive a £1,000 first prize, and the chance to headline their own Sondheim-infused cabaret in London. The runner-up is also awarded £500.
The final will be directed by Hannah Chissick and hosted by Bonnie Langford.
The students will perform for a panel of highly respected judges drawn from West End performers and MD, including Jenna Russell, Callum Scott Howells, Fra Fee, Alex Parker and Olivier Award winner Jak Malone.
Each finalist will be required to sing one song by Stephen Sondheim, plus a new song chosen by them from the selection at NEW UK MUSICALS – the organisation founded by Benjamin Button composer Darren Clark to showcase the UK’s best new musical-theatre writing for the stage. It was the express wish of Mr Sondheim that for every one of his songs selected by the finalists, a new song is performed, in order to encourage and support the creation of new work.
While the jury deliberate, there will also be performances from Bonnie Langford as well as Joaquin Pedro Valdes and SSSSPOTY 2023 winner Milly Willows.
The Society is also excited to partner this year with the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT), and looks forward to featuring a preview performance from Into the Woods at Southwark Playhouse by a chorus drawn from the current cohort of young performers.
For the first time, prize giving will be led by Jenna Russell, a patron of The Stephen Sondheim Society, who is taking over the role following the retirement of the Society’s founding Patron, Julia McKenzie.
The gala final of THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM SOCIETY STUDENT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR 2024 will take place at the Sondheim Theatre, on Sunday 9th June 2024 – 3pm, with tickets on sale now.
Fabulous! ! !
Thoughts? X x x
Tickets & more info – https://www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/whats-on/sssspoty-2024
