The 2016 season - the last of Jonathan Church's successful tenure as Artistic Director - witnessed the overnight stardom of Charlie Stemp as Arthur Kipps in Half A Sixpence. A new stage version co-created by Cameron Mackintosh, the musical opened at CFT to rave reviews and standing ovations, before transferring to the Noel Coward Theatre in London for an extended run.

Stemp won a WhatsOnStage Award for his role and was nominated for an Olivier, going on to star in the Broadway revival of Hello Dolly! (2018) and Mary Poppins in the West End (2019). Stemp returned to Chichester in 2022 for the revival of the Gershwin musical Crazy For You, directed by Broadway legend Susan Stroman.