Family income dictates what theatre classes we can afford

[wendall456]

My son loves performing and is part of a local theatre school. He does a 3 hour MT class on a saturday morning, unfortunately this is all we can afford. We can't afford for him to do the extra ballet, acro or acting classes they offer. He is really good and we have told over and over again that he is very talented and it makes me so cross that I am letting him down as we literally cannot afford for him to do any more classes than he does. We do now pay for him to have signing lessons at school which is less than half the price of private singing lessons at his theatre school. He would love an agent and be able to audition for tv/film roles but both me and my husband work and I have gone full time now to help pay for his classes so we can't get him to auditions. He takes parts in the shows which are an extra £200 BUT here is my dilemma- the lead roles only ever go the children who attend the highest number of classes - the ensemble kids are always the ones that only attend one or two classes. He is always told how good and talented he is but never gets main roles and I can see the point that obviously the performers who do extra singing and dancing through the theatre school are probably going to be better performers BUT it is always talk that the main roles always go the children who attend the highest number of children because it is those children that keep the theatre school money rolling in!!

He really wants to go to drama school but without ever gaining lead roles will he be considered and without the extra classes will he be considered. I feel so guilty because I feel I am letting him down because our family income won't allow him to show what he is capable of and who he really is. He is beginning to notice now that his friends from MTC are far more affulent than us and that they have far more opportunities than he does (it makes me so sad 😒)

So my question is do drama schools/ theatre schools at 18 plus even consider children who haven't been able to have an agent and without lots of formal dance training. Like I said he does a MT class but that is our maximum unless we cut out swimming/ football for our other kids.

I was thinking of looking at other local theatre schools but the cheaper ones don't offer so many performing opportunities and the others are all the same offering up to 10 classes a week for the best performers and again it seems to be the same.

That’s sad to hear (Tory government…) drama gcse is good in most of our state local schools. Shame that isn’t available to all kids

So my question is do drama schools/ theatre schools at 18 plus even consider children who haven't been able to have an agent and without lots of formal dance training.

Drama schools (proper drama schools like RADA) don't care at all if someone wasn't a child performer. In fact they prefer it, since stagey kids are often very "mannered" and don't know how to translate that into mature, adult acting. Lots of RADA applicants and applicants for the other big drama schools have never acted before outside of maybe school plays, and very few if any will have had agents. Child actors tend to struggle a lot when they try to segue to adult careers, especially if their interest is straight acting.

If your child wants to go to a theatre school for MT then dance and singing classes are more important. Ballet in particular needs to be started young. But you don't need an agent and all that.

This theatre school sounds like a total scam. See if National Youth Theatre is an option.

My son is now studying music at conservatoire but he had to leave his school and go to college for 6th form as his school only offered music GCSE, nothing in 6th form. Another local school has got ris of all music after year 9.

I haven't read all the responses but I think you need another drama school. This would not happen in the one my kids attend. It tends to be the older kids who get the main parts but if was in the older group he would have as much chance as everyone else.
Also, as an extra have a look for companies like BTA where you go and audition but don't have to pay to do the first show - this will give him more experience and is he is talented hopefully he will get a good role and experience.

My DD took up singing and dancing for the first time through online classes at 16. Online because it was a lockdown and she was bored.
She added acting a few months later.
She didn’t do drama or dancing at school.

She was accepted into a MT foundation courses in some of the best performing arts colleges.
Whether she moves on to the BA of not we will have to see but she definitely didn’t have lots of experience or training or an agent.

Also look out for local pantos and productions where he can audition and it will be free to be part of the shows.
But in short I don't think it will be a disadvantage in terms of acting school when he is older.
I would probably prioritise dance classes over drama because I think the earlier you can learn those techniques the better (if he is interested in dance).

Also, I'm not sure it is a substitute but youtube will have lots of videos - if he is good he may find it easy to learn at least the basics and maybe there is an online dance school subscription that might work and be a lot cheaper.

The issue you have here op is you started this off by accusing the school of basically being corrupt, giving the leads only to those kids who attended most classes, before grudgingly saying well those kids prob are better but only as they do more classes.

which makes me wonder how objective you are as a parent. If you really think the school is corrupt move him. If you think the issue is really those kids are not as talented but better trained, speak to the school. In addition if it’s all about money for the school, then speak to his actual school, see what resources they can recommend. Speak to some well known drama /mt ask what they recommend.

There are lots of resources but you need to understand the core issue.

Would he be able to sing in a church or other local choir for extra singing practice without much/ any cost?

Some drama schools are also charities and offer subsidised classes to young people. Also check out your local theatres or drama universities and see if they offer cheaper or subsidised options.

Be aware that many drama schools use the "oh he's so talented" as a sales pitch for parents. They make you feel like you are letting down your child by not enrolling them in all the classes. In my opinion the best theatre schools don't do this.

Also...for many casting agents...they are not looking for kids who are very very "drama school" so add all local casting agents to your Facebook/insta so that you are keeping up with any local casting ops or open auditions..

Yes the situation with music is probably even worse than with drama. Only a few of our local schools offer a level music and the classes are tiny compared to maths etc

madness when you consider the UKs huge music industry

Lots of confusing (and some contradictory!) advice on here.

@wendall456 What exactly is it your ds wants to do? Does he want to become an actor, or does he want to do musical theatre with dance and singing as well as drama (commonly known as the triple threat)?

Don't panic as I was a full time working single parent my DD didn't have any professional roles and she attended a local not for profit MT group. She didn't take ballet till she is 15. At 12 she was just ensemble. At 14 she got her first main role.
She then auditioned for BYMT - who have arts council funding to provide scholarships she got ensemble at 15 and a lead at 17.
She did vocational sixth form for which their were full
Scholarships and is now second year at Italian Conti where none of her friends have had professional roles so have done BYMT, NYMT and NYT.
If he is talented the big MT schools are looking for potential not the finished package. As I said DD didn't start ballet till she was 15 this week she starts intermediate foundation moving on to pointe after just 4 years ballet.
As I say they want potential and then they work with it.

If he's talented it doesn't matter how many classes he does. Have a look at the Theatre Arts course at The Hammond in Chester, they are starting auditions soon. He may get funding of he's really good.

My children's theatre school has so many talented children that not all the excellent ones can have a good part each show (thankfully they do share it around a bit).

My eldest who is very keen, and would love to do it professionally, auditions for local am dram groups and panto and has had amazing experiences with them (as well as experience working with different directors and adults). These are often very low cost or free for junior members and gets them some great experience.

I do pay for some extra dance lessons but these are totally separate from the theatre school.

Are there any others around? I also agree that, as they get older, the more talented ones tend to remain committed and others choose to stop.