Anyone's child been to Stagecoach?

[Aniles]

I'm interested in my daughter (8years) going to Stagecoach. It's very expensive though so I'd really like to hear poeples' experiences please. My daughter has really low self-esteem related to being dyslexic so I think she'd really benefit from this although she doesn't cope well with things that seem 'too hard'. I'd appreciate any comments :-)

I have no experience of this personally, but a couple of children in my class go and really enjoy it, but one said he thinks three hours is quite a long time to concentrate, but I know the parents really like it. One of the children is dyslexic too. However, I suspect its like any franchise - depends on whose running it. Can you go and watch a session?
There are also other cheeper alternatives - like Brownines?

Aniles, My dh is an actor and used tto teach at stagecoach. His honest opinion was that there were two types of kids there; the overconfident 'princess' type who absolutely knew they were going to be a pop star or soap opera actress, and the others who had been pished there because their parents thought it would be 'good' for them. Every Stagecoach is a franchise and it is very expensive, in the 3 hrs you get one acting hour, one dancing hour and one singing hour. Does your DD actually enjoy doing any of these? Bear in mind she will be expected to do it infornt of an audience atthe end of the year. When I saw last years show I almost cried, so many of teh tiny ones (6 - 8) looked totally terrified.

Personnaly I would look at another thing that your daughter really enjoys, or if she loves dancing, then proper dance classes. For budding thespians look at local theatre youth groups.

Stagecoach IMHO appears to be for the type of parent who needs someone else to look after them for 3 hrs on a saturday Please don't be offended all those whose kids go there, as I know there are not enough local theatre groups etc, I just feel Stagecoach is a bit of a rip-off - although they did pay my dh well!!

have youtried local theatres for groups?
as kids we went to a free #stage school# o a saturday morning attached to a local theatre

Ok, I'll be upfront from the start. Dh has taught for Stagecoach for several years and we now run our own school.

In the years he has taught he has seen svereal really shy, unconfident kids blossom. It is expensive but the teachers are very experienced. You do get your little startlet to be's but the emphasis is on building confidence and self esteem, communication skills etc. The children are rewarded for effort and each child is encouraged to achieve to the best of their ability.

As a new student your daughter should be able to have a 2 week trial to see if it is suited to her. It isn't for all children but the majority of those who go really enjoy it and get a lot out of it.

Talk to the principal of your local school, he or she will be able to advise you. You may find that there is a waiting list anyway. Whilst I appreciate cazzybabs comment about things depending on who runs the school we have to work to strict guidelines and are subject to regular inspections to ensure teaching etc is up to scratch.

I had wanted DS to attended it when he grew older but... having seen a christmas performance where the coach keep shouting to the childern while they were singing... I don't think so, Thank you very much... at least not in my area...

We took our oldest two for a look around at a Stagecoach school, and really liked what we saw. It was too expensive for us though, so we had to leave it. The teachers seemed very good imo.

Julief, I am sorry my comments sounded so negative, I totally agree it depends who is teaching. I know my dh is very experienced and works alot in schools and with various youth groups including those who are disadvantaged in many ways. However I felt some of the other teachers were too young to really understand about the development of the children, rtather than the next show. That was our local franchise.

However loads of kids love it, and really get a lot from it, if you like what you see, go for it.

Helen O'Grady drama academy - my child (5) goes and adores it, it's one hour a week. I'm sure they run in lots of other places, its a franchise thing. An hour a week is just right IMO at that age, & they volunteer to say lines if they want to, but aren't pushed to. Lots of dressing up, play acting and learning speech with different intonation/cadence etc.

My niece is dyslexic and stammers. She joined the local drama group. Like Amdram for kids. They were aware of her dyslexic and helped her with scripts etc. She is now 12yo, a lot more confident,hardly stammers, not afraid to ask for help or talk about her problems. It might be a cheaper alternative to stagecoach.

My daughter went to stagecoach for a couple of terms when she was 4, but we didn't get on with it very well. I'm sure some of the franchises are great, but our particular one had a very unfriendly principal, who scared me let alone the children. The session was 1.5 hours on a saturday afternoon, and my dd found this too long, and also the whole thing was just too serious for what we were looking for.

My dd had a report sent home at the end of one term, although my dd had already discussed with me that she really didn't want to go anymore, it was too hard, she found it too much to remember, and too long (for a 4 yr old) Anyway, the principal had written in her report that my dd giggled too much, found it a bit of a laugh and didn't appreciate the 'opportunity to perform' like she should.

Personally I was very cross that a) they hadn't mentioned anything to me prior so I could try and sort it out, and b) if you can't have a laugh and a giggle at the ripe old age of 4 then what hope is there for the future.

She now attends the Helen o Grady drama school, which is only 1 hour (plenty), on a school night, has great fun, some weeks they take in props to dress up etc, and the teachers are brilliant, the bonus aswell is that it's half the price, and they don't have to buy uniform, whilst at Stagecoach they did. I had to buy some jazz shoes at about £15 from the principal that I really couldn't afford, but felt far too embarrassed in front of the other parents to say so.

Sorry for rambling, just to sum up, in my opinion, Helen o Grady is much, much more relaxed and fun, and my dd has come on in leaps and bounds there.

But I also appreciate everyone has different experiences and different needs and wants, so I'm not saying other stagecoach venues aren't good, just my experience of our local one.

I can't comment on Stagecoach, but I did send my son to drama lessons when he was age 7. He lasted 2 terms, and didn't dislike it, but wouldn'#t take it serioulsly.

I took him away in the end. The drama teacher (a nice man), just couldn't get my son to settle and join in properly. Every time I picked ds up, the teacher would tell me about incidents of sillyness or extended periods of my son choosing to sit out. I think my ds got under his skin - the drama teacher even phoned me at home a few times.

I think my son just saw the drama exercises as playtime. He saw the exercises as an excuse to let off steam. He didn't know when to stop. He couldn't see it was work as well and he had to listen. I think part of this was his lack of maturity.

Ironically, his teachers say he has a flair for english, drama and music - and he has a very nice singing voice. He is 9 now and has calmed down a little, so I might try some form of drama class again.

At age 6 my son took part in the scouts Gang show. This was more regimented and organised than his drama group and he really enjoyed it - and behaved well. He still talks about the experience of going on stage. Also, it cost me next to nothing

I think my son settled better with this form of drama because he knew the adults and children taking part outside a pure drama setting - so didn't see the thing as an extended playtime.

Thank you everyone for all your replies. I've had a look at the Helen O'Grady drama academy website. It looks fab! Unfortunately it doesn't run in my area (Leicester). But I have found out that my local YMCA runs lots of different clubs for children, so I've contacted them for information. If that doesn't throw anything up though I'll take my daughter to have a look around the stagecoach school and see what we think.

Thanks again