Finalists Announced for Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize 2023

Mercury Musical Developments and Stiles + Drewe are delighted to announce the finalists of this year’s Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize, which will be celebrated in concert at The Other Palace on Monday 13 November 2023. 

The finalist songs, selected from 177 submissions, will be performed by a stellar line-up of West End talent. TheStiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize is awarded on an annual basis recognising an outstanding song from a new musical, written by a member of Mercury Musical Developments.  

Established and overseen by acclaimed writing duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe (Identical, Honk!, Mary Poppins), the Song Prize showcases twelve new songs from the musicals of tomorrow, in a celebration concert of new musical theatre writing. The evening will also include songs from a selection of recent hit musicals.  

A panel of industry judges, including George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, will award the prize and the winner will receive a prize of £1000 towards developing their work.  

 Established in 1992, Mercury Musical Developments (MMD) is the UK’s membership organization for writers of musical theatre, dedicated to developing the talents and careers of its members and ensuring a future for British musicals. 

 

FINALISTS 

• ‘Ain't That So’ from T-Room...The Musical by Rosabella Gregory & Dina Gregory  
• ‘Before I Move On’ from Bricks by Michael Henry, Emma Dennis Edwards & Darren Clark 
• ‘Bio’ from Queerway by Geraint Owen 
• ‘The Botanical Garden Gate’ from Game Theory by Rachel Bellman & Josh Bird  
• ‘Drown Without Water’ from The Circle by Rachel Walker Mason & Nina Sundstrom  
• ‘Height Lines’ from The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair by Jordan Li-Smith, based on the novel by Lara Williamson 
• ‘Henry’ from Undertaking Betty by Richy Hughes & Luke Bateman  
• ‘Stay’ from Stay by Jonathan O'Neill & Isaac Savage 
• ‘Talent’ from In Clay by Rebecca Simmonds & Jack Miles  
• ‘This Moment’ from FLIP by Josh Bird & Giles Fernando 
• ‘Time Slows Down’ from Black Holes Like Donuts by Sam Norman & Eliza Randall ‘Unstoppable’ from The Unstoppable Letty Pegg by Helen Arney & James Hughes 

 

Casting and host to be announced soon. 

MMD and Stiles + Drewe would like to thank all the writers who submitted songs for consideration. 

Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize ceremony will be held at The Other Palace on 13 November

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