TV theatre stars Lee Mead and Connie Fisher headline our Christmas issue

This week’s Christmas issue of The Stage is packed full of features for the festive season:

• In a series of interviews with West End actors recruited via TV talent shows, Joseph star Lee Mead talks about the risks he took in swapping his regular job in Phantom for the insecurity of the Saturday night audition show Any Dream Will Do

• The original reality casting star Connie Fisher talks to Nuala Calvi about being the ‘guinea pig’ of the process, and her plans for her career after she leaves the role of Maria in The Sound of Music next February

• Six months after winning ITV’s Grease is the Word, Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden tell Alistair Smith how they’ve coped with a tough schedule, mixed reviews and an uncertain future

• Chris Bartlett looks at UK broadcasters’ attempts to grapple with online viewing

• The Stage’s media expert Maggie Brown looks back at 2007 television, and remains optimistic for the future

• Comedian Arthur Smith offers a belated apology to Stephen Fry for bringing a Gary Glitter impersonator to a Christmas party

• Dear John: “I want to put my talents to good use for charity this Christmas, but how can I make a real contribution that’s not just for show?” Guests Ellena Ophira and Sheila Ferguson help John Byrne answer.

• The Stage’s very own Mark Ritchie visits Nigel Ellacott at the Kenneth More Theatre learns exactly what it takes to be the perfect pantomime ugly sister

• Training: Susan Elkin picks out some of the best books to learn acting and directing skills, perfect accents and use drama to help teach schoolchildren

• Looking for last-minute Christmas present ideas? Ian Herbert, Michael Quinn and Kevin Berry highlight the top theatre-related books, CDs and DVDs

• Backstage Focus: With pantomime season in full swing, Peter Ruthven Hall picks out some festive images of Christmas shows from the Collaborators exhibition of design for performance, now installed at the Victoria and Albert Museum

• Still looking for something to do? Try our festive quizzes and crossword!

2007 Review

• News: Lalayn Baluch and Matthew Hemley look at the events making the headlines in the theatre and TV world each month

• The Stage: Paul Vale looks at how the newspaper has been active in the past year, from awards sponsorship to ebook publishing and more

• West End theatre: Musicals and straight plays alike succeeded, but there were turkeys along the way, notes Paul Vale

• New writing: Aleks Sierz looks at the number of productions premiering in 2007

• In pictures: Our choice of the visual highlights of the year

• Regional theatre: Kevin Berry looks at achievements around the UK, including Birmingham Rep’s canal-based Box

• Dance: From ballet to Strictly Come Dancing, the last year has seen a surge of interest in dance, writes Kevin Berry

• Opera: George Hall notes the big achievements of the year, whether on stage in Satyagraha or at the business level with the appointment of Francesco Corti as music director for Scottish Opera

• Light entertainment: Mark Ritchie explores the big changes in the LE sector, from the smoking ban’s impact to full membership of the CIU for women

• Drama schools: The profile of drama training has improved this year, thanks in part to TV talent shows, says Paul Vale

• Television: Matthew Hemley reviews the highs and lows of drama, comedy and light entertainment on the box

• Radio: Nick Smurthwaite looks back at a year in wireless, as young listeners showed little signs of brand loyalty to the BBC, and Harold Pinter starred in a new production of his play The Homecoming

• Plus pictorial looks at some of the famous names of entertainment who passed away in 2007, as well as our picks of the year from Scene Around, our regular party pages

A very happy Christmas from everyone at The Stage. Please note that next week’s paper, which will feature our annual Stage 100 poll of the most influential people in live entertainment, will be on sale on Friday December 28.