Dd (10) wants to be an actress - what should she be doing?

If she's interested in musical theatre then worth looking at places like MX Masterclass and Spirit Young Performers which offer weekend training in London with entry via audition.

My DD attends one of the above and there are children coming in from as far away as Exeter, Birmingham, Cambridge, Peterborough, Bristol and beyond every week and from overseas for the holiday courses. There are also scholarships available.

We don't live anywhere with a drama school, but by the time dd started auditioning at 18 she had had ballet lessons (until forced to give up due to disability), had been part of two youth theatres, had taken part in several open-air performances, including one with puppets, taken part in several adult am-dram performances, done some filming for local university students, and been to a couple of short residential courses. She didn't go to a drama college but was able to do a BTec in Acting which she found very helpful, as well as A-level drama.

She is now at drama school and loving it. She knows how tough it's going to be, but quite of a few of her older friends have got at least some work and some have done quite well.

It's what elfontheshelf said about resilience and being prepared for rejection. Which is something you can start practising at a very young age. And what everybody has been saying about reading and seeing as much as possible. But not to think about it as a tick-box exercise where you have to have done x, y and z before you reach a certain age. It's more about having the kind of mindset where you make the most of all chances.

I would suggest you look around your local area, as different areas have different local opportunities. As well as the Bristol ones, there are ones in Birmingham, and I expect most cities and anywhere with a Drama school. Local theatres might have a youth wing too.
Some singing and some dance is often recommended, and audition for anything local (amateur theatre too).

Apologies @corythatwas, I misunderstood. We are in agreement!

Re Stage Coach and PQ - it will depend on the individual franchise as to whether it's worth doing.

I have a 10 year old DD who started out at one of the above but found that most of the other children didn't really want to be there and the parents were basically regarding it as childcare. So much time was wasted with bad behaviour and trying to convince reluctant children to have a go and she was learning nothing.

Is your DD interested in straight acting, or a combo of that and musical theatre?

It's a hideously competitive industry with enormous amounts of rejection - and often there isn't even a rejection, you just never hear back and eventually you hear that someone else has been cast. That goes for both children and adults.

You need to be thick-skinned and have huge resilience and the ability to shrug off the disappointments and move onto the next thing with the same enthusiasm.

It's also expensive - headshots, spotlight, equity, training costs, shoes, travel... there is always something.

If your daughter is serious about it, then she ought to be taking a ballet class every week as well as a class in modern or commercial. Singing lessons are also a good idea. Most kids I know looking at drama colleges and professional careers are triple-threats even if they have one discipline that isn't as strong as the others.

Credits on the cv aren't needed for drama schools or to work as an adult - plenty of successful adults who didn't work as children, but the training in the early years is really essential.

Biscuits it wasn’t Cory that said that it was Grumpy. Cory was disagreeing.

Go to as many plays as possible, watch as many classic films as possible, read lots. Read biographies, read or listen to interviews/podcasts from great actors.

Yes, totally - drama school is by audition. They do not ask for a CV or what your previous experience is! None of the successful working actors I know had professional experience as kids so just let her do what she enjoys with no pressure.

@corythatwas, that is totally untrue. Especially the bit about modelling. Modelling and acting are totally separate things. Each to their own, but don't confuse the two.

OP, your DD is nearly old enough for NYMT and BYMT, and if it's pure acting she loves then NYT from 14. All by audition and v competitive but brilliant experience. Keep going with local youth theatre (they learn so much) and try to be in some productions locally beyond panto if possible (although panto also excellent training in discipline, hard work, team work, reliability etc). Get more dance lessons and maybe singing lessons/choir if she wants to do MT. Otherwise, all the stuff like getting agents/being in TV ads etc is seriously unnecessary at this age. When she's 18 she can apply to drama schools (or 16 for MT) and she will be judged purely on her audition and not her CV.

*What people don’t tell you is that almost all the young actors that come through in the UK, have done some work as children (including modelling etc) and she needs to start building her portfolio from now

Probably because it isn't true*

This

What people don’t tell you is that almost all the young actors that come through in the UK, have done some work as children (including modelling etc) and she needs to start building her portfolio from now

Probably because it isn't true.

Thanks @SmellMySmellbow

Also in Bristol (if I'm right on that) are The Big Act and Bristol Old Vic and Tobacco Factory courses. All good. Agree extras work pointless. It won't teach her anything useful and can't be used as acting credits on a CV/Spotlight.

Dance and singing as well as acting. Are there any performing arts classes near you? PQ maybe good. Any local amdram productions may be good but do not provide teaching as such. So would recommend some actual lessons/classes.

Completely disagree re; extras work. Boring as arse and she won't learn anything. Apart from how to cope with boredom, I suppose.

@BarbarAnna just not a great reputation and therefore lacks credibility. Not the best teaching.

See as much theatre as possible, all genres.

Look up your local theatres and see what they have going on in the holidays, most will have a least a couple of weeks of classes and activities. This can lead to small parts, but getting experience being taught by decent directors is the main draw.

Stick in at English and read widely.

Some dance would be a good idea. As would be taking up a musical instrument. Too young for singing lessons ime, but joining a choir wouldn't hurt.

You could start auditions or get her into extras work. What people don’t tell you is that almost all the young actors that come through in the UK, have done some work as children (including modelling etc) and she needs to start building her portfolio from now

May I ask why not Pauline Quirke. We nearly went with that for my eldest but something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on put me off.

Let her audition, if she gets parts in WE they stay with a family and have a tutor.
Other parts they need to live within an hour of M25 or something like that.
Is she taking any exams, Lamda is good.
I think stage Coach can be dire depending on the franchise owner. Personally, I'd give her as much as she wants and as much as you can afford.
Mine was music and she went H.ed to practise for hours a day. It paid off in the end though.
Ithink leaving home/boarding is a big part of it tbh, if there isn't much near you it's a case of boarding.

Building resilience and learning to deal with rejection (crucial skills for anyone actually wanting to work in that field - I don't but have a family member who does) .

Are you in Bristol area by any chance (because of the PQ academy)? If Cheltenham is not too far a stretch then look at My Stage School. It's ace and is also an agency. They have several kids in West End touring roles. BrizKidz is a good local agency.

Not Pauline Quirk... Stagecoach is good. Def NYMT and NYT.

Are you near a regional theatre, sometimes tours like Matilda and School of Rock recruit local talent from local groups for ensemble roles, and the theatre may have its own youth theatre group. She needs to get as broad experience of performing as possible, probably an hour won't be enough on its own. Look for local amateur shows, including those with mainly adult casts, festivals, musical theatre and so on.

NYT etc start in early teens and are by audition. Check out the website of Jo Hawes and Jessica Ronane both of whom cast children for West End shows and tours. You can sign up for newsletters and notifications of upcoming auditions. Jo Hawes runs workshops for audition techniques and theatre skills. Most WE shows require kids to live within M25 though, unless lead roles, and most often come via the London based performing arts schools and franchises with attached agencies.