The series begins April 17 with a conversation with Oscar-winning lyricist Don Black. Paige has sung Black's lyrics to Andrew Lloyd Webber's music in Sunset Boulevard (in which she played Norma Desmond both in the West End and on Broadway), and in his 1974 show Billy (to music by John Barry). Black has also worked with Henry Mancini, Quincy Jones, Elmer Bernstein, Michel Legrand, Marvin Hamlisch and Charles Aznavour. On May 15, Paige will be joined by prolific song-writing team George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, currently represented by Mary Poppins for which they provided new songs to accompany the original Sherman Brothers score. The musical is currently playing a U.K. tour as well as Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre. Their other shows include Just So, Honk! (winner of the 2000 Olivier Award for Best New Musical) and a new musical version of Peter Pan.

On June 18 Paige's guest will be Michael Ball, the Olivier Award-winning star of the current hit production of Hairpray. Like Paige, Ball has also had extensive links with the musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber, appearing in the original production of Aspects of Love and taking over in The Phantom of the Opera and Woman in White. Other roles include originating the part of Marius in Les Misérables and starring in the original stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The Spotlight On…In Conversation with Elaine Paige series has been devised by Paige with Shaw Theatre associate producer Neil Marcus.

For tickets contact the box office at 0870 033 2600; for further details visit www.theshawtheatre.com.