Julian Ovenden, Don Black, Jason Carr, Sophie-Louise Dann, Julia McKenzie, Anne Reid, Edward Seckerson

The 2016 competition is being staged at the Novello Theatre in London on Sunday 15 May, hosted by star of stage and screen Julian Ovenden (Downton Abbey, Sunday in the Park with George, Merrily We Roll Along, Sondheim 80th Birthday Prom).

In addition to this, among this year's judges will be Don Black, Jason Carr, Anne Reid MBE, Sondheim Society Patron Julia McKenzie and Olivier Award-nominated actress Sophie-Louise Dann, reuniting her with Ovenden after they performed together in Sunday in the Park with George at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Furthermore, writer and broadcaster Edward Seckerson will Chair the Student Performer judging panel.

This year the annual gala will be directed by Chris Hocking and with musical direction by Mark Warman and promises to include a sneak preview of a song from one of the three new Stiles + Drewe musicals that are premièring in 2016.

This annual competition, produced by The Stephen Sondheim Society and Mercury Musical Developments, seeks to award the best student performer from the UK's many musical theatre courses with a £1,000 first prize. In addition, the Stiles + Drewe Prize supports and develops new musical theatre writing via its two distinct arms. Recognising an outstanding song from a new musical, the winner of Best New Song receives a prize of £1,000 to put towards developing their work.