How do you get your child into acting?

[HugoDarracott]

I know everyone thinks their kid is special but my DD aged 11 is amazing on stage. She already does lots of dance classes but she also wants to act. How is the best way to do this? How do children get acting roles on stage or TV?

Does she belong to any local drama/ musical theatre groups? Might be a good place to start if she’s not doing anything already. Not many go from nothing to professional roles.

I have no idea. One of my DC is really good at drama, but from looking at the stars of stage and screen these days, your child has to be a. Privately educated
b. Live in proximity to London and/or have a private income to enable them to follow their dreams.
If I google any actor, they always seem to have had an expensive education. It’s depressing.

Local drama groups usually put them forward as they usually get requests from agents looking for a certain type of actor.

Maybe she needs to move to a better drama group

They need to audition yet also have loads of experience. Most 11 Yr olds will have a ton experienced by now who'll be up against your DD

Drama groups, stage groups, performing art groups.

Join ‘Stagecoach’ or similar performing arts group. Regional theatres often have youth theatres attached. I think there are often opportunities to perform via these routes.

11 is quite late to start for a child actor. Joining a local drama group would be a good start as a pp said, especially for theatre roles. But considering very hard whether you really want to expose your child to that industry is also important, especially if you're considering movie/television acting. It's absolutely cutthroat and brutal and somehow moreso for the kids than the adults. Be very certain your child is resilient enough.

This, basically.

I work with someone who went to drama school, have to pay for the audition, uniform - some are VERY specific, even down to the neck style of t-shirts.

But, yeah. Need to have lots of money and/or private education.

Wait until they’re adults. Let them do their GCSE’s and then consider it. Hell would freeze over before I would allow my child to act professionally,

If your in Yorkshire https://www.articulatesdc.com/

Drama groups. One young person I know worked on stage and film from an after-school drama group. He was put forward for and auditioned for several things. Ordinary comprehensive school, Midlands. Quite a few in my DD’s comprehensive did a lot in the West End -Billy Elliot, Lion King etc. But we are in London. One did quite a few TV ads. Another, primary age, normal state primary, was on TV for quite a while on children’s TV - regular character - and then while at a comprehensive school worked in a major TV series. None of them do it as adults.

All of the above and have family connections in the business. You see some proper dodgy casting with young ‘upcoming’ actors who don’t seem very talented and as soon as you Google who they’re related to it all makes sense.

Google drama groups in your area?

Check out your local theatres, as many of them have youth theatre groups, and they often run courses in the school holidays as well.

My daughter is an actor - she was signed by an agent having attended an open audition where she was 'spotted', aged 17.
Since she started Secondary School, she went to Drama classes/group at a local theatre which was fabulous, and was in every possible club and production etc at school; she was also accepted into The 'National Youth Theatre' which has given her a really good footing in the industry (she was accepted on her second attempt). She is going to Drama School this year, her second year of auditioning.
Lot's of it has come down to right place/right time as well as having a natural talent - - and definitely NYT training!

Your local drama school classes - most will have trial sessions at start of sept if you ask. A good secondary school who does gcse and a level drama and who do lots of shows. That can be vital. You need to be 14+ To apply for NYT and can apply up til 21 I think.

if your kid has an unusual look then you could try the reputable talent agents eg daisy and dukes but they don’t take many kids. You also need to be able to get to London for last minute castings. There are some regional castings now too for touring shows if you follow casting agents online you might spot these. Musical theatre kids tend to be small for age but not always.

@Merapi thanks she's just done one of these and loved it.

@Rainysummerdaysarenotokay wow, we are, so have just applied.

I know it's a tough business and no she probably won't make it but she can have fun trying. We're not made of money and we don't have contacts in the industry. But I think the confidence of getting up and performing transfers to loads of jobs. She'll meet lots of people, and it will keep her busy.

I know a few people who work in theatre/acting - not London based, not privately educated. But they have done lots of dance and acting classes - local theatre youth productions, gang shows etc and are working professionally. Maybe not highbrow stuff but it's paid work and they enjoy what they do.

I’d say drama schools are actively not choosing people from private schools now. They want a range of looks - yep that’s shallow but it’s the business. But after that yes having money or somewhere to live while you make it does help a lot

Living in London for castings helps.
A family member went to a drama group and did some adverts. Went to one of the big acting schools for secondary, was in a children's drama for a couple of years and then into a soap for a few years, they did some other bits and bobs over the last decade and tried out in LA but didn't make it big as they hoped. They don't have any real academic qualifications as was busy acting and in TV programmes and now well into their 30s they've struggled after it didn't take off as they hoped.

@HugoDarracott they’ve a Facebook page which is deffo worth a follow, lots of their young people have been involved in some fab projects. One in particular has been in Disney recently. My friends DD goes there and has some fab roles through it.

they also did a lot of the extras for the railway children, and Austin Haynes also goes to their classes. My friend speaks v highly of it.

Stagecoach or PQA...local theatre groups.

@HugoDarracott this is their Facebook https://www.facebook.com/articulatesdc

My old neighbour's son used (maybe still does) to perform professionally. He was part of Stage Coach (drama school meeting on Sundays) and I think they must have contacts in the industry. He had an agent. He missed a few family holidays as he was working - one of his parents stayed home with him.

My cousin was a teen actor who had parts in a lot of TV shows. He went to Stagecoach who then got him an agent and the opportunity to go to castings. He didn't go to private school and his parents aren't in the business. The Pauline Quirke Academy is another stage school that has its own agency.