Edward Seckerson

Milly Willows from Swansea, in her third year at Italia Conti, beat off stiff competition to be named the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year.

The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year competition – affectionately known as SSSSPOTY – was inaugurated in 2007, and in 2023 returns for its 15th year. The gala final will be held, fittingly, in the Sondheim Theatre, on the afternoon of 11 June 2023.

London's hottest West End cabaret venue, Crazy Coqs, has announced  their Autumn and Christmas season featuring Donna McKechnie, Liz Callaway, Kerry Ellis, Claire Moore, Danielle Steers, Grace Mouat, Melissa Errico, and many more.

Desmonda Cathabel from Jakarta, Indonesia, studying at the Royal Academy of Music, has beaten off stiff competition from 11 other talented young singers to be named the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year.

The 12 finalists have been revealed for the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year competition - affectionately known as SSSSPOTY. The gala final of this year’s competition - the first since the passing of legendary composer Stephen Sondheim - will be held, fittingly, in the Sondheim Theatre, on 30 May, 2022.

The summer festival programme features an exciting line up of artists-in-residence, world premieres and legendary performers. Audiences will explore one of the most beautiful areas in the UK as they move from venue to venue, from idyllic small village churches to stunning country houses and stately homes.

Cassidy Janson was playing Anne Hathaway in &Juliet when West End theatres closed in 2020. Before the show reopens, the Olivier Award-winning star of Beautiful, Chess and most recently The Mousetrap, will be playing Virginia Woolf in a one-off performance of Well-Behaved Women at Cadogan Hall on 3 September. Janson spoke to us about the show.

Chichester Festival Theatre has announced its upcoming spring season of streamed events , including FACING THE MUSIC interviews with Sheila Hancock, Philip Quast, Patricia Routledge, Imelda Staunton and Giles Terera, an encore screening of Celebrating Sondheim, and more!

Following the COVID-19 lockdown until 2 December, Chichester Festival Theatre has had to cancel or postpone some of the shows in the Autumn season.

Artistic Director Daniel Evans and Executive Director Kathy Bourne today announce a live, socially distanced season of drama, music, comedy and cabaret at Chichester Festival Theatre, running from late October to early January.

Come to Grade II* listed Great Hall to hear Dame Patricia Routledge in conversation with Edward Seckerson.

Petula Clark will take to the Theatre Royal Haymarket stage for one night only, on Sunday 19th April 2020, in conversation with Edward Seckerson. Tickets for Downtown with Petula Clark in Conversation with Edward Seckerson are on sale now at www.fane.co.uk/petula.

Winners of the 13th annual Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY) and the 12th annual Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize were announced last night at a gala held at Theatre Royal Haymarket, hosted by Joanna Riding. The gala saw twelve student competitors each perform a Stephen Sondheim song, and a Best New Song Prize entrant written by members of Mercury Musical Developments. The winner of this year's SSSSPOTY award was Stuart Thompson from LAMDA, who performed Franklin Shepard, Inc and My Thing. Theo Jamieson was awarded the Stiles + Drewe Prize for his original song Words/Amazing.

The Stephen Sondheim Society and Mercury Musical Developments today announce West End Musical Director Gareth Valentine as the final judge for the 2019 Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (SSSSPOTY), alongside the previously announced Julia McKenzie, Peter Polycarpou, and Edward Seckerson. Lyricist Charles Hart and Olivier Award-winner Jenna Russell join Nkeki Obi-Melekwe and Stiles + Drewe to complete the judging panel for the Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize. Winners will be announced at Theatre Royal Haymarket on Sunday 9 June.

Tickets are now available for the new Sunday Encounters series at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London's West End. 

Tony and Olivier Award-winning actress Patti LuPone is currently in the UK playing Joanne in the gender-swapped production of Company on the West End.

Not many people know the name Claude-Michel Schonberg, but everybody knows his music: as the composer of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon, Claude-Michel is present in everyone's playlist, in a songbook on everyone's piano, and in every karaoke lineup. Last night, he sat down with journalist Edward Seckerson to talk about his life, work, and inspiration, and the projects that didn't quite make it.

This December, the Tony-Award winning composer and lyricist Claude-Michel Schonberg comes to London for an intimate one-off 'in conversation' event with Edward Seckerson at The Bridge Theatre.

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.

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.