Mercury Musical Developments and Stiles + Drewe, in partnership with Theatrical Rights Worldwide, have announced the finalists for the 2026 Stiles + Drewe Best New Song Prize.
The annual award celebrates outstanding songs from new musicals written by members of Mercury Musical Developments, the UK’s leading talent development organisation for musical theatre writers.
This year’s finalists will be showcased in a concert at The Other Palace on Monday 12 October 2026, featuring a line-up of West End performers. Casting and the event host will be announced at a later date.
Founded by acclaimed writing duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, whose credits include Mary Poppins, Honk! and Identical, the prize highlights some of the most exciting new work being created for the musical theatre stage.
The twelve shortlisted songs are: ‘A Sliver of Sunlight’ from Hyacinthus by Trevor K. Band; ‘Be Your Own Man’ from Rising by Amy Clare Tasker and Tom James McGrath; ‘Earth To Theo’ from Theo In Between by Gareth Mattey and Jordan Li Smith; ‘Every Day’ from The Deep End by Dom Patterson, Kate Peters and Paul Grady; ‘Father’ from Confessional by James Lark; ‘First’ from Sally In The Woods by James Joshua Otto and P Burton-Morgan; ‘In The Beginning’ from Legendary by Cheeyang Ng; ‘Monster In The Mirror’ from Stigma by Jane Subachus; ‘Paris Is Calling’ from Le Pètomane – The Musical by Tim Waters; ‘Shadows’ from The Last Lost Boy by Jacob Attwooll and Kyla Stroud; ‘Skylines’ from Elbow Deep by Elinor Peregrin; and ‘There’s More To Me’ from The Most Hated Family In America by Aveev Issacson and Matt Bond.
A panel of industry judges, including George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, will select the winner, who will receive £1,000 towards the development of their work.
The concert will be directed by Alex Jackson, with musical direction by Livi van Warmelo, and will also feature songs from a selection of recent hit musicals.
Mercury Musical Developments and Stiles + Drewe thanked all writers who submitted songs for consideration and celebrated another year of new musical theatre talent from across the UK.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
