Although I always shy away from performing in front of an audience myself, I am more than happy to watch my children in action, whether it’s a one-liner in a class assembly, a duet at the carol service or the main part in a school production. And what I have noticed over the years is that, with each and every performance, however big or small, my children grow that little bit more in confidence. And this, as I about to find out, is the very essence of Stagecoach Performing Arts. Thirty years since the school first opened its doors in Mortlake, I catch up with CEO, Sarah Kelly.
From the humble beginnings of just one school of thirty-five children in 1988, Stagecoach has steadily grown to a thriving organisation with 750 schools in nine different countries. And for the past twenty-six years, at the very heart of Stagecoach is the ethos of ‘creative courage for life.’ Sarah Kelly, who has worked for the company for the past five years, explains the significance. “We believe that every child has potential but that potential is nothing unless it is unlocked. Singing, acting and dancing are a wonderful means for children to develop self-expression and become more resilient. We aim to unlock each child’s potential through the performing arts so that they can go on and accomplish whatever they choose on the stage of life.”
Children are obviously growing up in a very different world to the one of thirty years ago but Sarah feels that the skills taught by Stagecoach are actually more vital today than ever before. “A lot of parents are worried for their children because they are living their lives through social media and those basic skills of being able to look someone in the eye and shake their hand and understand who you are without looking at a screen are being lost. None of us knows what the future holds but we do know that a well-rounded individual with a strong sense of identity will provide a good suit of armour to go forward in life.” Sarah also feels that Stagecoach is filling a gap which is often no longer being provided in school. “The arts are being dumbed down in mainstream education. Obviously Science, Maths and English are all important but if you are not academic and you don’t have an outlet for creativity, how are you going to learn those wonderful skills that will stand you in such good stead in the future?”
As you might expect from a successful performing arts school that has been running for thirty years, Stagecoach has their fair share of famous alumni and Emma Watson, Jamie Bell and Dani Harmer have all passed through. Although Sarah beams with pride as she rattles off yet more well-known names, it’s the mention of the unsung stars that really makes her eyes light up. “Our principals have so many stories about the little shy child walking into class for the first time behind a parent, clinging on tight to their hand and then, within a year, that same child is on a stage performing and singing their heart out. For me, any child that comes to us and grows in confidence is a success story and my job is to make sure we have as many schools as possible in as many places so that children can reach their potential and make a success out of their lives, whatever that might be.”
With 3000 teachers currently instructing 48,000 pupils, the Stagecoach classes are clearly very popular. Children can start as young as four years old and continue until they are eighteen. The sessions usually run for three hours on a Saturday or Sunday morning, with an hour dedicated to each of the three disciplines. “In the industry, we call it ‘the triple threat’; students explore physical expression through dancing, learn how to take on different characters in acting while singing is about being able to project your voice and use your vocal cords properly.” All Stagecoach students have the opportunity to perform in front of an audience at least once a year. “Our performances are so important to us, as that’s when those skills become performance enhanced and the creative courage and the confidence really kick in.”
One of the huge benefits of being part of such a well-established organisation is the additional opportunities children have to perform at some very prestigious venues throughout the year. Stagecoach has a dedicated events team who organise a number of different performances every year which students are invited to participate in. Children even have the opportunity to audition to perform at Disneyland Paris. “We love to provide our students with exciting opportunities on West End stages and in big productions at other large theatres across the country and overseas.”
This year has been more exciting than ever because of the company’s 30th-anniversary celebrations. To mark the milestone, Stagecoach attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest number of simultaneous performances of one show. “It was quite an undertaking - 12,500 students from 200 of our schools across four different countries took part in Beauty and the Beast and we are just waiting to hear if we have been successful.” Another highlight will be the charity gala taking place in London in December where the winner of the first ever Creative Courage Award will be announced. “All year we have been fundraising for the mental health charity Young Minds, to help raise awareness of the troubles and pressures faced by children in today’s society, and we are very much hoping to reach our target of £30,000.”
Find out more at www.stagecoach.co.uk
