Michael Ball, Janie Dee, Jenna Russell and Danielle Hope to Appear at MERCURY MUSICAL DEVELOPMENTS 20TH ANNIVERSARY GALA, Oct 14

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mercury Musical Developments, performers including Michael Xavier, Janie Dee, Claire Moore, Hayley Gallivan, Maria Friedman, Danielle Hope, Alison Jiear, Haydn Gwynne, Sally Anne Triplett, David Bedella, Tam Mutu, Paul Kaye, Stuart Matthew Price, Lucy May Barker, Madalena Alberto, Annalene Beechey, Sarah Earnshaw, Lauren Samuels and Jenna Russell will feature at a gala concert on October 14 at the Novello Theatre. 

Former Busted member James Bourne will also be performing an unplugged set from his new show, Loserville, which will be opening in the West End next month.

Director Simon Greiff describes it as "a celebration - not just a series of songs", and promises an "epic, exciting evening" consisting of three short acts marking the past, the present and the future of musical theatre writing.

Greiff has previously produced showcases of new writing, working closely with the composers to decide which songs to highlight, and then casting performers appropriate to the number - and he'll be doing something similar for this evening.

He admits, "It's a big undertaking - and a great challenge."

An exclusive auction of musical theatre memorabilia will also take place around the time of the event, with prizes currently including an itemfrom the film Les Miserables, signed by Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, hand written lyrics to James Bond’s Diamonds are Forever by Don Black and a tailor made song from Stiles & Drewe. 

After spending her formative years reading books and ending up with a Masters degree in English literature from King's College London, it was inevitable that Carrie should be a journalist. Her pure and simple delight in the art-form of musical theatre led to the Guardian asking her to be their West End Girl. Since then, she's picked up a PhD, and also written for many other UK publications, including the Times and the Independent. She has many eclectic loves, including sport, karaoke, reality television, MMORPGs, three-volume Victorian novels, the British seaside, embroidery and Veronica Mars.

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