The winner of the 2020 annual Stiles and Drewe Best New Song Prize will be announced during a virtual concert and online ceremony on Sunday 5 July. Starring some of your fave West End stars and free to watch, you’ll definitely want to add this one to your diaries!
The songs of each of the 15 finalists will be performed by West End stars including: Allyson Ava-Brown (Hamilton), Luke Bayer (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Lizzie Bea (Hairspray, West End), Louise Dearman (Wicked), Fra Fee (The Ferryman), Tyrone Huntley (Olivier Award nominee for Jesus Christ Superstar), Melanie La Barrie (& Juliet), Natalie Paris (Olivier Award nominee for Six the Musical), Laura Pitt-Pulford (Olivier Award nominee for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers), Maiya Quansah-Breed (Olivier Award nominee for Six the Musical), Lauren Samuels (Bend It Like Beckham), Zizi Strallen (Olivier Award-nominated for Mary Poppins), Alex Thomas-Smith (Dear Evan Hansen), Rebecca Trehearn (Olivier Award winner for Showboat), and Marisha Wallace (Dreamgirls).
The Event is in aid of Mercury Musical Developments’ ‘Keep Writing’ Support Fund to help struggling writers.
George Stiles & Anthony Drewe said: “Together with our fellow judges, to whom we are deeply indebted, we have whittled down this year’s 167 entries to 15 finalists – each of which will be performed by a seasoned West End performer in our ‘virtual concert’. With lockdown still inhibiting live theatre performances – which has prevented the normal theatrical presentation of the final songs – we are delighted that Mercury Musical Developments has agreed to take a different approach this year and that Joanne Benjamin and The Entertainment Business have generously co-sponsored the £1,000 cash prize. We hope that technology will be kind to us on the night, and that all our 15 finalists are heartened, encouraged and happy with the way that their work is to be showcased and celebrated.”
The concert will be directed by Steve Ridley (The King & I, An American in Paris) and the videos – recorded by the singers themselves in isolation – will be presented as a virtual concert and will be streamed online via YouTube on Sunday 5 July at 6pm. So save the date, grab your popcorn and click here to watch!