The Guildford School of Acting’s final-year student Courtney Bowman claimed the £1,000 first prize in The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year competition, held at the Novello Theatre on Sunday 15th May. Courtney’s Sondheim song of choice was “Me and My Town”, reprising her role of corrupt Mayoress Cora Hoover from GSA’s production of Anyone Can Whistle in June 2015.
Runner-up was Eleanor Jackson, a final-year student at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, who sang “Sunday in the Park with George” from Sunday in the Park with George and claimed a £500 cheque.
In the Stiles + Drewe Prize – divided into two parts this year – the £1,000 Best New Song award went to Tim Connor’s “Back to School”, and winner of the much-coveted MTI Mentorship award was composer/lyricist Darren Clark and book writer Rhys Jennings for Wicker Husband. Student Ashley Reyes, who sang Tim’s winning song, also received a £100 bonus prize.