Thinking of trying Stagecoach Theatre School

[mumsnutty]

I'm not a pushy mother but have a rather energetic 4 yo DD who loves dancing and singing. Googled Stagecoach theatre school and saw some mixed feedback from MN a few years ago.

Does anyone have any recent feedback before I part with my cash?

Can you stay and watch initially?

Thanks for your help

[jo164]

I think Stagecoach varies very much according to which one you attend. However my experiences have only been positive - and not because my daughters have been given all the lead roles. In fact my eldest who is in stage 2 is a pretty decent actress, singer and dancer who is signed to an agency and has undertaken professional work and made it through several rounds of West End auditions. She is not given all the lead roles and has already learned that just because you are good, doesn't mean you are right for every part. She thoroughly enjoys the teamwork aspects of ensemble singing/ dancing and is pleased for her friends if they get any 'main part's. Performances couldn't happen with all the smaller roles and so I think it's important to teach your children that every part is worthwhile and necessary for the whole to succeed. You can gain as much confidence from the weekly sessions if you get cast in productions as small or main part's. At our Stagecoach, large scale productions only happen once a year anyway and they do lots of smaller things the rest of the time. But if you are casting for a main performance surely you want the best cast? It is a reflection of the teachers at the end of the day and they want it to be good (and it is a business).I don't think that's discrimination. If this was School I may have a different opinion.

[corythatwas]

Even at school, surely you expect the child who can actually connect with the ball to be chosen for the football team? Kind of makes sense, doesn't it? And you would expect them to choose as goal keeper someone who is good at catching balls, no?

My ds, who loves football and plays regularly with his friends in the park, has never been part of the school football team. (He hasn't been chosen for the school orchestra either- probably because he can't play an instrument.) Is that discrimination? I think youth theatre groups are a lot more inclusive than almost any extra-curricular activity that goes on in school. And that there are far more valuable parts for different abilities in a dramatic production than in most sports.

But I do feel a lot of school and youth theatre drama is ruined by parents who turn up and are only interested when their own offspring get the limelight. They spoil the pleasure of the theatre for the rest of the audience- and I have no doubt they spoil it for their own child.

[Calmonthesurfacebut]

My dd has been at Stagecoach for three years and it is one of the on,y activities we have routinely tried that she has stuck at and really enjoyed.

It sounds like branches do vary, so check out the teachers qualifications, they usually are on the Branches page on their website.

If you have serious expectations for your child to have a career in the theatre, then structured dance lessons may be better Including tap and somewhere that does LAMDA exams. However, all drama schools will do these things anyway as part of their curriculum, it just gives a head start.

I love it, I get three hours to myself on a Saturday morning, a child who is full of confidence, luckily she does have 'something' and seems to get good parts in school plays and also recently auditioned along with 350 other children for a musical in our nearest city and got through, not sure she would have done that without stagecoach.

She has learned patience, how to take direction and met children other than those at school.

[Biscuitsneeded]

I think it depends hugely on the Principal and the teachers. Our local one is really great, the Principal knows every child despite it being a huge school that operates 5 days out of seven across two sites, and they all adore her. It's very inclusive but the Principal does everything she can to find opportunities for talented kids. DS isn't with the agency as we have no time for or interest in doing castings for TV ads etc, but she still puts him forward for professional roles and auditions. He's had quite a bit of luck and has learned a lot both in terms of performance skills but also confidence. If any parent is wondering whether to go for Stagecoach I'd suggest doing a week's holiday course first and seeing whether their child enjoys it.

[Northwood24]

I think it depends on whos running the franchises. Mine went to northwood stagecoach and didnt like it. Principal was very aggressive. They did one show at the end of the term which was pathetic.