Drama/ Theatre Classes, need GENUINE reviews please!

[BartlebyTheScrivener]

Looking for a drama/dance/music club for DS, 8. Have looked at several of the big names online, including on here, and many of the reviews seem to be fake or at least less than impartial!

The prices seem very high but I'm willing to pay if the quality is good. I've seen good things about Stagecoach and Perform but they seem very much on the hard sell.

Is there a drama club provider you would recommend? Honest reviews please!

[sunflowerdaisyrose]

Where are you based? Mine go to a lovely one, and know of other local ones I'd recommend, but they're not the national/franchised ones.

[BartlebyTheScrivener]

We are in the south east.

[ReineMarieGamache]

I'm in the Midlands. DD2 goes to Stagecoach and is very happy there. The teachers are great and very good at making sure all children get a chance to shine, not just the talented/popular ones. Sessions are usually singing, acting and dancing with the aim of putting on a little show at the end of term but sometimes they have particular skills workshops - stage combat, TV recording, acrobatic skills, stage make up etc. It is expensive but she's there for 3 hours so when you actually break it down into an hourly rate I think it's reasonable.

DD2 has made a good bunch of friends there from different schools and looks forward to going every week. Her confidence has come on hugely since she joined which has had a knock on effect in school which is great.

All of the 'big name' theatre group things are franchises though so it does depend on the person in charge. Most will give you a free trial session so you could go and suss it out.

[gubbinsy]

Check out your local theatre - they may have a youth theatre and you'll then also be supporting a local arts charity. (Prob cheaper as well)

[CwmYoy]

The big names are all franchises designed to make money for the owners, so it very much depends on who bought the franchise. Some are good, some not so good.

The very best ones are not-for-profit ones attached to theatres or arts centres.

[BartlebyTheScrivener]

ReineMarieGamache, would you mind telling me how much it works out per hour at Stagecoach?

[ReineMarieGamache]

I think I've just paid about £350 for the term which is 10 weeks. So £35 per 3hr session which sounds steep but is about £11/12 per hour. You can use childcare vouchers though and there are various payment options.

[CatatonicLadybug]

The thing about the big franchises is that the overall reputation can be a different picture to your local. I know families that have been delighted with Stagecoach in their area and had hugely successful performing children. I also know people whose local teachers just weren’t engaging or organised and they left after a term to find somewhere better. In some areas, the waitlist is so long they can always fill the spots so it doesn’t matter if people actually don’t stay that long. So get reviews from your specific branch of any of the franchises - treat each one like its own school basically.

We are London based and DS trains with three places: one in central London, one in SE suburbs, and one via Zoom (this one just specifically for screen acting so Zoom actually really useful there). If any of those specific spots would be useful, please send me a DM and I’ll share pros and cons on each. (I don’t want to gatekeep the schools at all - happy to share!)

[YourLocal]

I don’t know quite where south east is but we’re in south and my friend sends her kids to the British Theatre Academy!! Some say they work them hard and expect a lot but it’s because they want them to do well! I’ve seen many of their shows! It’s amazing better than Stagecoach and the staff are very kind! And first show is free!! And for the script it’s £15 even for first shows

[Bunnycat101]

A lot varies for the national franchises and can be down to the individual principal. My daughter is at PQA and loves it. The format suits mine as it’s heavier on drama and less focus on singing/dancing than stagecoach. It’s expensive but I was struggling to find a straight drama class at a good time for us. There are a few independent ones but I was a bit nervous about how well they segregate the different age groups which is one thing the national chains should be doing properly. For example, there was one that was locally covering 6-18 in one class which I wasn’t that comfortable with.

[aitchteeaitch]

Sometimes you will find a local independent one that is very similar (and probably cheaper) that one of the big name franchises.

[Cookerhood]

My children did a locally run one which was fabulous. Many children from there went on to perform professionally or go into theatre management. I can't even remember if it cost us anything. If it did it was nominal other than buying tickets for shows etc.
I would definitely recommend something like that over a franchise.

[mustardrarebit]

I can recommend PQA. DD1 started when she was nearly 4 and is now 11. She's done some amazing things, singing in professional shows, on the West End stage and landed a significant role in a touring musical (she has a different agent, but her principal sent a recommendation to the casting team). DD2 is much more shy, to the point of selective mutism when she started school. She started PQA a year ago and has progressed rapidly. She was on stage for the first time last Easter and nailed it. She's far more confident at school, and has recently started gymnastics, where she really shines. She was too nervous to join classes before this. She also plays piano very well, before PQA she wouldn't perform in front of anyone, or allow herself to be filmed, which was hindering grade progress. She's just sailed through 3 grades in the last year! It helps in so many areas of their lives, even if they don't want a career in performing arts.

[Puppetonastringendo]

If you have a local theatre, try there too; most will have a youth offer with professional leaders and will likely be cheaper than the big name franchises. And your money goes straight to helping that theatre thrive, so it’s a win win.

[OhCrumbsWhereNow]

If your DS likes and is good at singing and dance, then have a look at Spirit Young Performers and MX Masterclass (think MX is 10 and SYPC is 8 iirc). Audition entry but training is first class and better than anything we ever found locally. Kids travel from all over the UK for their weekend training.

Stagecoach etc are a bit hit and miss - so much depends on the individual school, and we found that most of the kids at our local ones were there as a form of childcare rather than actively wanting to participate and learn.

[ToasterChic]

@CatatonicLadybug

The thing about the big franchises is that the overall reputation can be a different picture to your local. I know families that have been delighted with Stagecoach in their area and had hugely successful performing children. I also know people whose local teachers just weren’t engaging or organised and they left after a term to find somewhere better. In some areas, the waitlist is so long they can always fill the spots so it doesn’t matter if people actually don’t stay that long. So get reviews from your specific branch of any of the franchises - treat each one like its own school basically.

We are London based and DS trains with three places: one in central London, one in SE suburbs, and one via Zoom (this one just specifically for screen acting so Zoom actually really useful there). If any of those specific spots would be useful, please send me a DM and I’ll share pros and cons on each. (I don’t want to gatekeep the schools at all - happy to share!)

I’m not the OP but could I PM you to ask you for these details? I’m looking for an acting class for my daughter, in London.

[fiskal]

Another vote for Stagecoach here. My experience has been brilliant and my sister has taught at a few and by far rates Stagecoach most highly.

[CatatonicLadybug]

@ToasterChic of course! Send me a message with what you’re looking for (stage or screen acting? Only acting or singing and dancing too?) and I’ll let you know what has worked well for us and what I wouldn’t bother with again. :)

[Bigoldmachine]

Stagecoach as others have said depends hugely on the principal and teachers. Can be absolutely incredible or pretty poor.

Perform is fun, high energy, not necessarily as in depth, skill wise. High turnover of teachers. They do original shows (all original music too). which can be a good thing but equally there are advantages to singing lots of different music, and putting on a big, well known musical.

[Newgirls]

Can you say nearest large town/city?

[YourLocal]

@Bigoldmachine

Stagecoach as others have said depends hugely on the principal and teachers. Can be absolutely incredible or pretty poor.

Perform is fun, high energy, not necessarily as in depth, skill wise. High turnover of teachers. They do original shows (all original music too). which can be a good thing but equally there are advantages to singing lots of different music, and putting on a big, well known musical.

I tried my daughters with Stagecoach a couple years back when they were 6 and 8. Both hated it . They said the dance was easy and the kids were loud and annoying. If ur kid finds things hard maybe try that? (SORRY SOUNDS PUSHY MUM LIKE 😭😭) but if ur kid is more skilled maybe try BTA. DD1 + 2 both love it and everyone is friendly and the dance isn’t always easy and the shows come together nicely . First show is always free apart from having to pay £15 for the script.

[Slanketblanket]

My DC did stagecoach but after a year or so found it was pretty awful. Principal was all over the place, trying to set up further franchising and leaving the weekly sessions in the hands of very young inexperienced drama college students. Very very inclusive of SEN but to the point of having a final year production where 90% of children wore ear defenders on stage.

[YourLocal]

@Slanketblanket

My DC did stagecoach but after a year or so found it was pretty awful. Principal was all over the place, trying to set up further franchising and leaving the weekly sessions in the hands of very young inexperienced drama college students. Very very inclusive of SEN but to the point of having a final year production where 90% of children wore ear defenders on stage.

🤣🤣🤣 my kids quit after 2 rehearsals bc it was so ridiculous. They also went to camp. Mum payed out for 2 kids. Only 1 performed. Girl to busy sitting at the back helping the person with the music with ear defenders on lmao

[Barleysugar86]

Mine go to Jigsaw. They are all very similar though I think in price and what they do. I have only met the teachers at the end of term shows and they seem wonderful. But appreciate the teachers anywhere will vary.

[leccybill]

I teach (at school) a number of teens who go to Stagecoach and they have really come on in confidence. PQA better for acting, not musical theatre.
My DD goes to two local theatre groups, one is £6 (for 2.5hrs) and one is free (lottery funded as deprived area). They're both brilliant, we're very lucky! The shows they have put on have been very high quality.