Stage Coach - is it too serious?

[hatwoman]

dd2 (6) is keen to do drama - she's done informal dance classes for a couple of years and enjoys it a lot, and is definitely a drama queen little performer. but I'm a little loathed to get drawn into something that could take over our lives in terms of running her around, supporting shows, etc. does anyone know if they start trying to increase hours with extra lessons for exams/performances - or do they stick to the 3 hours on saturday? (less when she first starts I assume). Do you end up getting drawn into more than you signed up for?

Oh goodness, I've met some of the kids who go to the Oxford Stage School.

Seriously, we have hired some of them for voiceovers and while some of them are lovely, the large majority are totally tonto

Don't expect the hours to stick if you do go. If she gets involved in a show or any pro work you'll only get to know a few days before and it can run on to days (oh and for most of it you are expected to go with her!)

Stagecoach is fairly unique in that it is just the 3 hours and the end of term shows are prepared for and done in normal class time.

A very few children opt for one to one LAMDA tuition once a year. That would be roughly 6 out of 45 children that do this.

I know the lady who runs Oxford Stagecoach very well whomovedmy chocolate.

Sometimes outside companies will ask for children for professional shows etc. If a child is selected for that it is up to them/the parent as to whether they get involved or not. Most don't and just do the classes and end of term shows plus maybe a yearly summer school in the holidays.

Now amateur dramatics on the other hand (which I was involved in as a child totally does take over your life! Coming up to show time you are there almost every night for weeks. I'll warn you many children who do Stagecoach then ask to become involved in amdram but that is an entirely separate thing and most amdram societies won't take children under the age of about 12 anyway.

I just spoke to the lady and she was pretty reassuring - she said they do all their sho rehearsals in normal class time like island said. the exception being one dress rehearsal for their big show that they do every 12-18 months. having just recovered from being involved in a serious gymnastics production stagecoach sounds comparatively sane. I think my slight worry is sowing the seeds of something that will become too big when she's older - like island says...but I guess I'd rather she spent her teenage years putting on stage shows than hanging around shopping centres (which is what I did)...but, then again, I turned out ok!

islandofsodor - yes I know the lady who runs stagecoach and she is lovely (for the record)

I guess we just got the brattish of the kids! They were doing lots of extras.

My kids are being hidden from anything to do with showbiz lest they follow in their parents footsteps!

Should add here that the ones we got were being paid to do this not doing it for fun. So perhaps I only get to see the most ambitious! For whom being a little sod can only stand them in good stead!

hmm. it's hard - I don;t know if I even want her exposed to the idea/possibility of doing it for money and/or the idea of getting all ambitious. I just want her to enjoy it...

Round our way the most ambition ones go to ballet school instead and spend weeks and weeks in panto over Christmas!!!

My dd goes to both ballet school and Stagecoach, oh dear!

I believe the question to determine whether you are hot housing your kids is:

'Do any of your children find their Kumon Maths class, clashes with ballet school or yoga?'

Lol

Dd will do Kumon over my dead body! I deliberately chose a school that doesn;t do SATS.

(whisper)
she does do LAMDA exams though and wants to enter a local speech festival. I'm not so sure as she likes acting out poems and at the festivals they are expected to stand very still and recite)

From my experience Stagecoach is very much about confidence building and having fun. They do have an agency and you can choose to put your child in it but that is separate and you don't have to do it. If they are not in the agency it is just the once a week classes - if they are in the agency it is like any theatre agency and they will be asked to go (usually at horribly short notice) to castings and auditions, with very occasionally one turning into a job that will turn your life upside down for a day/week/6 month period ;)

My dd did Stagecoach from age 4 till she was 8 and I think most children there were just doing it for fun and to build confidence. It is a franchise and each school is a bit different though so it would be best if you went along for a trial lesson and see what you think.

My dd left when she went to full time theatre school as she did want to do this seriously but she was definitely the exception and not the norm at our Stagecoach anyway!

Just to add - one thing I thought that was great about our Stagecoach is that every child got a chance to have a decent part in the shows. They didn't just pick the "easy option" of a child with natural ability or a lot of experience and always give them the lead, they would all get a go at a speaking part, or to sing etc.

I've been considering Stagecoach for DD (6) but she does a lot of dance lessons, and there are always extra lessons and practices for exams, shows and competitions so I don't know how we would fit it in.

I sound like a showbiz mother don't I?