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Original poster

Stagecoach show was really shit! (Lighthearted)

68 replies

Frazzled2207 · 20/11/2021 13:41

Sort of an Aibu but I don’t want to get flamed.

We send ds2 to Stagecoach on Saturday mornings at vast expense. This morning was the first ever show he has taken part in due to covid. He is 6 and the “class” is for 4-6yos so he is possibly the oldest (certainly the tallest) and Tbf most of the kids look the younger end of the spectrum.

Anyway they did a mini show which took about 10 minutes. Some songs which were sung pretty rubbishly. Other than my own son who I’d practiced with at home with, none of them projected their voices at all (surely that’s rule no 1)?. They are supposed to do dancing every week and had jazz shoes on but there was no dancing at all that I could make out. All in all it looked really under rehearsed and we all had to pay £25 in total to watch (was at a small theatre so I am sure they had fees to pay for that) . To cap it all off some of the teenage helpers had to take the part as some of the kids who were ill with covid (can’t be helped) and even they couldn’t be bothered to speak up . I literally couldn’t tell you what the show was about as I barely heard anything other than background music. It was an embarrassing mess. I don’t blame the staff for this but there were also 2 screaming babies in the audience which didn’t help matters.

My parents travelled 100 miles round trip to see it (normal for them) which was quite embarrassing really. They made it known to me how disappointed they were.

I get that they are small and not had much time to train (once a week). But the school nativity productions have been so much better. For starters they had clearly trained the kids to sing up and project their voices when they had a line to say.

Aibu to expect better or am I a pushy nightmare mum?

Tempted to not renew next term but I suppose iF ds enjoys it it’s the most important thing. But I’m not sure what the point is when they’ve clearly not taught the kids to do much at all.

OP posts:
OneRingToRuleThemAll · 20/11/2021 13:45

We are on our way to our Stagecoach performance and I'll let you know how it goes. Yours does sound disappointing.

I pay £170pm for 2 children to go so I would be disappointed if that was the calibre of the performance.

Like your DS we have been practicing at home for weeks.

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 20/11/2021 13:48

Our Stagecoach does one term for performance followed by one term for exams. Both my DDs are on track for grade 8 musical theatre by the time they finish so I can see that hard work is being done and high levels achieved.

Original poster
Frazzled2207 · 20/11/2021 13:49

@OneRingToRuleThemAll

Our Stagecoach does one term for performance followed by one term for exams. Both my DDs are on track for grade 8 musical theatre by the time they finish so I can see that hard work is being done and high levels achieved.
That’s reassuring to hear. Did you have doubts when they were small or did yours start when they were older?
OP posts:
Noeuf · 20/11/2021 13:51

We do a different but similar one and have done for years. This is your life now. I have paid for the pleasure of endless parades of terrible acting singing and dancing as there is no filtering. If you pay you get to participate.

Dozer · 20/11/2021 13:51
Grin
TheChosenTwo · 20/11/2021 13:51

All stagecoach parents I know are pushy nightmares Grin
I only know 4 so not not truly representative of all parents of course!
Sounds pretty crap though, but as long as the kids enjoyed themselves that’s what it’s all about really.

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 20/11/2021 13:51

Mine started at 10 & 12. I had never heard of it until my musical mad elder DD found out about it and begged me to sign her up.

Dozer · 20/11/2021 13:52

‘ My parents travelled 100 miles round trip to see it (normal for them)…… They made it known to me how disappointed they were”

Grin
DentalWorries · 20/11/2021 13:52

I remember my niece doing Stagecoach a few years ago when she must have been about 10. We went to a couple of the end of year shows and I was honestly shocked at the standard. Felt like they’d been thrown together in the lesson before the show and no instruction given to the kids.

leeloo1 · 20/11/2021 13:52

I do think that’s rubbish! My dd did a week summer camp - so 5 mornings - when she was 5. During the 2nd half of the last morning there was a show and her class of 4-6 year olds stood in a row to introduce themselves and say what they’d be when they grew up. Then they did a whole choreographed song and dance routine, which was brilliant considering their ages and lack of experience. Then they came in again at the end and joined in for an ensemble song. I’d be very disappointed with what you’ve experienced!

Original poster
Frazzled2207 · 20/11/2021 13:53

@Noeuf

We do a different but similar one and have done for years. This is your life now. I have paid for the pleasure of endless parades of terrible acting singing and dancing as there is no filtering. If you pay you get to participate.
Oh dear I suppose that’s a different way to look at it! Does it get better as they get older?

I suppose my main gripe is how school can do so much better (and am fairly sure that our school is not particular good at this kind of thing, just overage).

OP posts:
TeenMinusTests · 20/11/2021 13:55

Mine didn't do the weekly stagecoach, but did do summer holiday workshops for years. They put on a musical in a week, and I was regularly blown way by how high the standard was.

OP. presumably many have only been doing stagecoach for 8-10 weeks.

Popskipiekin · 20/11/2021 13:57

DS (4.5 at the time) did a stagecoach holiday camp. I went to the show at the end but did not have to pay. It was atrocious, he looked miserable, most kids were lousy Grin (including DS!) apart from a couple of clearly well practiced and confident older ones. I haven’t put DS through that kind of thing again but I suppose I would if he had enjoyed it. I would have been pretty cross having to pay to go to see something like that - but I thought it was just about acceptable given it was a show performed at the end of one week’s camp. If it had been the pinnacle conclusion of a hard term’s work then… YANBU basically.

Though I think maybe your parents are being slightly U to let you know their disappointment (and not sure quite frankly what they expected of a kids show - they can be disappointed when he’s 16, not 6, imo) - I think grandparents role is to put up and shut up and they should have said something to make you feel better, not worse. Flowers

MrsPworkingmummy · 20/11/2021 13:59

My DD has attended Newcastle's stagecoach since aged 3/4. She is 9, autistic and has just passed LAMDA grade 1 in acting. I agree that the shows are often disappointing, especially the early stage ones. I remember when DD was about 4, she had to dress as a clown and the danced (if you can call it that) on the stage for around 2 minutes then that was it! But, the good thing about the end of year theatre show is that it's usually the students organising and participating in the whole production (lighting etc) so a range of skills can be learned and to perform on a real stage is a wonderful opportunity. It is ridiculously expensive however and I think we all secretly hope to see a higher budget type show because of that . DD is in mainstage now from 10 until 1 each Saturday , then has a private Lamda lesson 1.30 until 2. The fact I get a 4 hour break each weekend is a massive bonus. She enjoys the group, it has done wonders for her reading expression and she gets to mix with a great bunch of children. For me, the overall advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

IslaInthesun · 20/11/2021 14:00

@Dozer

‘ My parents travelled 100 miles round trip to see it (normal for them)…… They made it known to me how disappointed they were”

Grin

Stop it GrinGrinGrin
FlickyCrumble · 20/11/2021 14:01

You’d be better off joining an amateur dramatics. At least if children show zero potential they don’t get big parts.

OneRingToRuleThemAll · 20/11/2021 14:02

@MrsPworkingmummy

My DD has attended Newcastle's stagecoach since aged 3/4. She is 9, autistic and has just passed LAMDA grade 1 in acting. I agree that the shows are often disappointing, especially the early stage ones. I remember when DD was about 4, she had to dress as a clown and the danced (if you can call it that) on the stage for around 2 minutes then that was it! But, the good thing about the end of year theatre show is that it's usually the students organising and participating in the whole production (lighting etc) so a range of skills can be learned and to perform on a real stage is a wonderful opportunity. It is ridiculously expensive however and I think we all secretly hope to see a higher budget type show because of that . DD is in mainstage now from 10 until 1 each Saturday , then has a private Lamda lesson 1.30 until 2. The fact I get a 4 hour break each weekend is a massive bonus. She enjoys the group, it has done wonders for her reading expression and she gets to mix with a great bunch of children. For me, the overall advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Both of my DDs are autistic too and I recognize all of your comments, especially the weekly break. Stagecoach is very inclusive for disabled children it's great.
IslaInthesun · 20/11/2021 14:02

They are all shit with the worst parents

If I had a penny for every parent who told me ...at stagecoach ... and then went on to make me have to bite the inside of my cheeks not to laugh... I'd have a lot of money Wink

Fluteytooting · 20/11/2021 14:05

Speaking as a professional within this industry, Stagecoach is a rip off and you’re more likely to quite quality tuition from your local performing arts school. Obviously this doesn’t apply to all Stagecoach franchises, some are run very well. But they are very expensive.

AntiCornLawLeague · 20/11/2021 14:07

My dd did Stagecoach for just the early stages. She didn't want to go on to the main stage bit.

I have to admit that the first big end of year performance I saw, I was a bit "wtaf"? Not because of the kids, who were all tiny and did their best, but just at the lack of any sort of organisation or rehearsal etc. I'd had the script for ages at home and dd had been studying her lines and everything, as had the other kids in her group, but it was so amateurish (not the kids but the costumes, set etc). I agree that schools seem to do a better job in between lessons.

Original poster
Frazzled2207 · 20/11/2021 14:13

@TeenMinusTests

Mine didn't do the weekly stagecoach, but did do summer holiday workshops for years. They put on a musical in a week, and I was regularly blown way by how high the standard was.

OP. presumably many have only been doing stagecoach for 8-10 weeks.

Yea that’s a very good point. My son likely was one of the most experienced.

Also at a summer school being able to practice daily is very different to once a week when presumably there is time to forget in the intervening period.

I’m pleased some parents have had a positive experience. If he continues he’ll join the main stage which is far more expensive. At this point I am hoping he doesn’t want to. There are a couple of other local stage school options which I think are worth investigating.

Having run a franchise myself I know a lot of money paid goes to pay royalties - part of the reason they are so expensive. And also that the quality will vary greatly according to the Individial franchises.

OP posts:
Original poster
Frazzled2207 · 20/11/2021 14:15

Oh and yes my parents were massively unreasonable but they always are and that’s a whole other thread

OP posts:
Cattitudes · 20/11/2021 14:17

I think at that age most are doing it because their parents signed them up rather than their burning desire to be a performer. It is also often suggested as a way to build confidence so at 4-6 many of them won't have the confidence.

School nativities they rehearse intensively for ages before and are in school five days a week. Plus they have their pick of 30-60 kids or more to chose a couple of confident narrators. Stagecoach only can choose from those who walk through the door and have a few hours per week and especially at the moment that will be interrupted by people off sick. Those who turned up might have missed a few weeks. At 6 I would be deciding based on how much he enjoys it every week rather than the standard of a show

Cattitudes · 20/11/2021 14:20

Having said that we didn't do stagecoach but instead did dance and school drama lessons.

NellieBertram · 20/11/2021 14:23

A stage show with 4-6 year olds is always going to be shit though, isn't it?

I couldn't tell you the plot of any of my kids preschool/infant Christmas shows - you only go to see your own child say their one line.

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