Enjoy this selection of photographs from our Society Summer School, Brush Up Your Sondheim! at the Royal Academy of Music on 21st-22nd July 2012.

For a full range of photographs from the event, please click HERE.

(Photos by David Ovenden)

Keynote speaker David Benedict

Jeremy Sams puts student Tanya Lewis through her paces during the masterclass

Scarlett Strallen and Michael Jibson share their wisdom during the actors’ Q&A

Sweeney Todd director, Jonathan Kent, in conversation with David Benedict

Musical Director Gareth Valentine gives an interesting and entertaining talk

Acting/Music Workshop Leaders Cassidy Janson and Rupert Young

The award-winning director Michael Strassen has joined our impressive line-up of Sondheim experts as a workshop leader. Michael replaces Richard Dempsey, who unfortunately is now unable to appear.

Michael’s credentials include directing Sondheim’s Assassins (winner – Off West End Award for Best Production) and Company, and also Stephen Schwartz’s The Baker’s Wife and the 40th Anniversary production of Godspell.  You can read more about Michael at his website: www.michaelstrassen.com

The programme and line-up of experts for our Summer School next week is now finalised, and the good news is that there is still some time left to book your place on this unique and exciting weekend!

The school is for anyone interested in Sondheim – you don’t have to be an actor, musician or academic, and there will be a range of activities to suit everyone, from practical workshops to talks and lectures about Sondheim.

NON-MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY: Special Offer! Book a place on the course for both days and get a year’s FREE MEMBERSHIP of the Society!

Places on the course are limited to 60, and are filling up – however there are still some left even at this late stage, so do get your booking in as soon as you can! Click HERE for online booking, or contact Lynne at sondheimsociety@sondheim.org

The venue for the Summer School is London’s Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT (almost next door to Madame Tussauds!)

The programme for the weekend will be:

SATURDAY 21st JULY:

10.30 – Keynote address (speaker David Benedict)

11.00 -  Break

11.15 – Performing Sondheim, a Q&A session led by producer Danielle Tarento (Menier Chocolate Factory, Southwark Playhouse, etc) with a panel of actors including Rupert Young (Company), Scarlett Strallen (Passion), and Michael Jibson (Road Show). Unfortunately Beverly Rudd is unable to appear now, due to work commitments.

12.15 – Masterclass with Jeremy Sams, featuring young professional musical theatre performers and recent theatre school graduates

1.00 – Lunch break

2.00 – A Director’s Perspective, illustrated talk by Jonathan Kent (Sweeney Todd, Chichester Festival Theatre and Adelphi Theatre)

3.00 – Masterclass session 2 (Jeremy Sams)

3.45 – Tea break

4.00 – Masterclass session 3 (Jeremy Sams)

5.00 – End

SUNDAY 22nd JULY:

10.45 – A Musical Director’s Perspective, illustrated talk by Gareth Valentine (Into the Woods – Open Air Theatre, Regents Park)

12.00 – Sondheim on Film, illustrated talk by Dr Olaf Jubin (Regent’s College and Goldsmiths College)

1.00 – Lunch break

2.00 – Practical acting and music workshops with Richard Dempsey (Into the Woods, original London production) Rupert Young (Company, Southwark Playhouse), Cassidy Janson (Company, Southwark Playhouse) and musical directors Stuart Pedlar and Trevor Defferd. The workshop sessions will be covering Assassins and Merrily We Roll Along.

2.00 – Exploring Sondheim – a themed “treasure hunt”, with the opportunity to win a prize  (optional alternative activity to the practical workshops) led by Society Chairman, David Ovenden

4.00 – Workshop performances and plenary

5.00 – End

Prices are £100 for both days (non-members), £80 for both days (members) or £60 for one day (non-members), £50 for one day (members).

If you prefer, you can book by BACS Bank Transfer or by sending a cheque – please email Lynne at sondheimsociety@sondheim.org for details.

We are delighted to announce that the noted musical theatre journalist, David Benedict, will be giving the keynote speech at our Sondheim Summer School, Brush Up Your Sondheim! on July 21st-July 22nd.

A music-theatre specialist, he has published interviews with, among others, Cy Coleman, Betty Comden & Adolph Green, Barbara Cook, Marvin Hamlisch and Chita Rivera. He wrote and presented a film with Rufus Wainwright about Verdi for The Culture Show, a BBC2 profile documentary on Matthew Bourne, and has adapted Pal Joey, On Your Toes and Sondheim’s Company for BBC Radio 3.

Following his Sondheim revue Good Thing Going starring Maria Friedman, Daniel Evans and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall in 2007, he has written a Rodgers & Hart show With A Song In My Heart (Salisbury Playhouse), a Cole Porter show Let’s Misbehave (Salisbury Playhouse) and The Golden Age of Broadway which opened Bryn Terfel’s Brynfest this month at the Southbank Centre.

He has written feature interviews with Sondheim for The Times Magazine and The Independent on Sunday and wrote and presented a Sondheim survey for BBC Radio 3‘s CD Review – Building A Library. He wrote the programme essay for Sondheim’s BBC Proms’ 80th birthday concert, for the Donmar Warehouse production of Passion and the Menier Chocolate Factory production of Road Show.

David joins a highly distinguished line-up of Sondheim specialists who will be guiding us through the weekend, including Jeremy Sams, Jonathan Kent, Danielle Tarento, Gareth Valentine, Scarlett Strallen, Cassidy Janson and many others. For full details please see www.sondheim.org/buys

There are still some places available, but they are going fast! Book yours today.

NON-MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY: Special Offer! Book a place on the course for both days and get a year’s FREE MEMBERSHIP of the Society!

Places on the course are limited to 60, and are filling up – however there are still plenty left at the moment, so do get your booking in as soon as you can! Click HERE for online booking, or contact Lynne at sondheimsociety@sondheim.org

The programme for the weekend will be:

SATURDAY 21st JULY:

10.30 – Keynote address (speaker TBA)

11.15 – Performing Sondheim, a Q&A session led by producer Danielle Tarento (Menier Chocolate Factory, Southwark Playhouse, etc) with a panel of actors including Rupert Young (Company), Scarlett Strallen (Passion), Michael Jibson* (Road Show) and Beverly Rudd* (Into the Woods)

12.15 – Masterclass session 1, with Jeremy Sams, featuring young musical theatre performers

1.00 – Lunch break

2.00 – A Director’s Perspective, illustrated talk by Jonathan Kent (Sweeney Todd, Chichester Festival Theatre and Adelphi Theatre)

3.00 – Masterclass session 2

3.45 – Tea break

4.00 – Masterclass session 3

5.00 – End

SUNDAY 22nd JULY:

10.45 – A Musical Director’s Perspective, illustrated talk by Gareth Valentine (Into the Woods – Open Air Theatre, Regents Park)

12.00 – Sondheim on Film, illustrated talk by Dr Olaf Jubin (Regent’s College and Goldsmiths College)

1.00 – Lunch break

2.00 – Practical acting and music workshops with Richard Dempsey (Into the Woods, original London production) Rupert Young (Company, Southwark Playhouse), Cassidy Janson (Company, Southwark Playhouse) and musical directors Stuart Pedlar and Trevor Defferd

2.00 – Exploring Sondheim – a themed “treasure hunt”  (optional alternative activity to the practical workshops)

4.00 – Workshop performances and plenary

5.00 – End

* Subject to availability

We are thrilled to announce that Jonathan Kent (Director of the current West End hit production of Sweeney Todd) will be amongst the impressive line-up of Sondheim experts leading the activities at our Summer School, Brush Up Your Sondheim.

Anyone fortunate enough to book in time to secure one of the 60 places on the course will be guided through the activities by:
Scarlett Strallen, Jenna Russell, Danielle Tarento, Gareth Valentine, Richard Dempsey, Rupert Young, Cassidy Janson and Michael Jibson. (Michael Jibson appears subject to work commitments). Stuart Pedlar and Trevor Defferd will be our musical directors for the weekend. Unfortunately Daniel Evans has had to withdraw due to work commitments.

The course will run at The Royal Academy of Music on the 21st and 22nd July, 2012. Tickets are £100 for two days, £60 for one day (reduced to £80 and £50 if you’re a member of the Society). You can book online by clicking HERE, or contact Lynne at sondheimsociety@sondheim.org if you wish to pay by cheque or bank transfer.