Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year

Haydn Gwynne

Every year the Sondheim Society hold a Student Performer of the Year competition in a West End Theatre.   This year it will be held at the Queen's Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, on Sunday 22nd May and will be hosted by Haydn Gwynne.

Haydn Gwynne played Mrs Winkinson in the musical Billy Elliot, for which she won an Olivier Award in the UK.  On Broadway she was also lauded for this role and won the Outer Critics Circle Award, Theatre World Award, Drama Desk Award and was nominated for a Tony in 2009.

For the Sondheim Performer of the Year Award every musical Theatre course in the UK chooses their best pupils to enter the competition, singing one song by Stephen Sondheim and a new musical song by a member of MMD.

The award winning musical writers George Styles and Anthony Drew award a prize for the best new MMD musical song in the competition.

Last year Steve and I had one of our songs from POSSESSED shortlisted (Hold Still) and this year we are entering two songs from I CAPTURE THE CASTLE.   The competition is stiff because we are up against well known musical writers like Tim Minchin and Conor Mitchell, who are members of MMD, but we have to try.  Even getting a song through the competition to be performed would be fantastic!