Georgia Blessitt is The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year

Georgia Blessitt from Leeds, 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.

She was crowned last night at the end of a hotly contested West End sing-off final, fittingly in the

Sondheim Theatre, collecting a prize of £1,000 and the chance to headline her own Sondheim-infused cabaret in London.

Runner Up was Rigby Edwards from Liverpool, a third year BA Musical Theatre student from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She receives £500.

Craig Glenday, Chairman of The Stephen Sondheim Society (a charitable trust founded in 1993), said: “Georgia was the first student the judges heard in the heats stages, and it was clear from the beginning that she would be the one to beat. She made a really brave choice to sing ‘Losing My Mind’ from Follies - such a well known and well loved song - but pulled it off flawlessly. The contrast with her second song - ‘Watchin’ the Door’ by Wigmore & Green - allowed Georgia to showcase her range and versatility. A well deserved winner.”

Front: Nigel Harman, Clare Foster, Darren Clark, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Rigby Edwards (runner up), Jenna Russell; Back: Rosalie Craig (Host), Jamie Cushion, Lotte Pearl, Ella McLaughlin, Becky Bush, Hudson Harden Scheel, Maria Collins, Sophie Anne Baker, Dominic Wood, Nimi Spiff, Georgie Lagden, Hasia Akwaboah, Jess Pratley, Georgie Blessitt (winner), Nigel Lilley (MD).

Each finalist was required to sing one song with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, plus a new song chosen by them from the selection at NEW UK MUSICALS – the organisation founded by the Olivier-Award-winning Benjamin Button composer Darren Clark to showcase the UK’s best new musical-theatre writing for the stage. It was the express wish of Mr Sondheim that for every one of his songs selected by the finalists, a new song is performed, in order to encourage and support the creation of new work.

The final was hosted by Olivier Award nominee Rosalie Craig.

This year’s Chair of Judges was JENNA RUSSELL. She and Musical Director NIGEL LILLEY chose the 12 finalists with two students held in reserve from over 330 submissions.

The 12 finalists were

• Hasia Akwaboah (Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama)

• Sophie Anne Baker (Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama)

• Georgia Blessitt (RAM – Royal Academy of Music)

• Becky Bush (RADA – Royal Academy of Dramatic Art)

• Maria Collins (Arts1)

• Jamie Cushion (Trinity Laban)

• Rigby Edwards (Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama)

• Hudson Harden Scheel (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)

• Georgie Lagden (RAM – Royal Academy of Music)

• Ella McLaughlin (Emil Dale)

• Lotte Pearl (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School)

• Nimi Spiff (Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts).

Reserves were: Jess Pratley (Arts Educational Schools) and Dominic Wood (Laine Theatre Arts).

The judging panel of experienced West End performers and creatives also included Darren Clark, Clare Foster, Nigel Harman, Catherine Jayes and Laura Pitt-Pulford. The Final was directed by Hannah Chissick and featured an ensemble from the National Youth Music Theatre.