Whether the apple of your eye fancies playing the next Billy Elliott or just wants something a bit different to do on a Saturday afternoon, getting your kids involved in the arts can change their destiny.
Offering the chance to learn new skills, open horizons and make new friends, we’ve rounded up the best options for getting your kids involved in showbiz – from year-round Saturday schools to one-off theatre themed birthday parties.
Centre Stage School in North London offers year-round part time courses in dance, theatre and singing. Classes and workshops are held during evenings and weekends, focus on confidence building, and offer something for stars in the making as well as those for whom ballet or drama is a hobby. Anyone can join, regardless of experience.
Youth Music Theatre UK is a nationwide project dedicated to getting young people involved in creative productions. Directors, choreographers and composers work with kids to put on full-scale productions (kids have to audition earlier in the year) or smaller projects (open to all). The emphasis is on fun and self-discovery rather than career prospects. Specialist programmes operate for young people with disabilities. Operates nationwide.
Stagecoach is a network over of 300 year-round schools, all of which offer at least one week of arts courses during the school holidays. Workshops are open to non-students and include casting sessions, script reading, technical and dress rehearsals – all leading to an end of week performance. Applications are accepted on a first come first served basis.
Anglia Summer Schools offer residential summer courses for eight to 19-year-olds at a independent boarding school about 35 miles from London. Perfect for those who really want to immerse themselves in a summer of stage, courses include singing, dancing, lighting, stage management and auditions. There are also tennis courts, a sports centre and a swimming pool.
Little Actors Theatre throws birthday parties with a difference – home visits (London, Home Counties and North West) providing children from as young as three with workshops in entertaining. Themes can include, fairies, super heroes and chocolate.
The National Youth Theatre holds auditions at 13 centres around the country, at which over 3,000 youngsters audition every year. Approximately 500 new members are recruited into full-scale productions every year. Check the website for details.
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Carole O’Shea is the principle of Centre Stage School of Performing Arts in London. She has this advice for parents thinking of sending their kids to full time stage school.
Is there real talent? Consider whether your child really has what it takes to succeed.
Be aware of competition and prepare yourself and your child for many disappointments. Condition yourself and your child to believe that if they get the job they’re going for, they’re fortunate, and if they don’t, they’re just unlucky.
Think about fall back options and look for a school that also provides a good academic background – just in case things don’t work out as planned.
Consider the financial committment required to keep a child at stage school, and the time involved for the parent ferrying kids to and from auditions and shows.
Encourage studying and urge teenagers to take any qualifications they’re able to while thinking hard about whether they want to perform as a career. A child working professionally is very different to the precarious path of performing as an adult.
Remember to have fun and bear in mind that stage school doesn’t have to lead to a career as an actor or an entertainer. Very often, drama can simply boost a child’s self-belief and enable them to go out into the world afterwards and embark confidently on any career.
