Jane McGowan meets the former child performers committed to finding Surrey’s next young stars.
Noel Coward once quipped, “Don’t put your daughter on the stage Mrs Worthington… the profession is overcrowded and the struggle is pretty tough!”
And while the song may be 85 years old, the message is the same for today’s youngsters who flock to stage schools or TV talent shows in their thousands for a shot at stardom.
However, Weybridge twins Emma and Laura Jane (LJ) Keston have devised a new concept that gives hopefuls a serious chance of success, as well as the opportunity to learn from the very best in the business.
Founded in 2015, Stagebox is a membership-based programme that offers training from some of theatre and film’s biggest names, alongside a mentor and management scheme that has placed children in theatres across the country, not to mention the West End, as well as Hollywood movies and countless TV programmes.
“We weren’t really looking to start a business, we just came up with it on our university summer holidays,” explains Emma. “We were based in Leeds at the time and wanted to give children outside London the opportunity to train and perform.”
The girls, who as young performers themselves had starred in stage shows including Annie and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, as well as hit TV show Mr Selfridge, devised a one-off workshop aimed at introducing interested children to professional performance.
It sold out in a matter of days, and the girls realised there was a market for this particular brand of coaching.
The model, which the twins describe as a “training platform”, differs from the typical stage school in several ways.
Following a rigorous audition process, successful applicants sign up to one of the pay-per-month membership opportunities.
Training in acting, screen and musical theatre takes place during holidays with sessions culminating in a professionally filmed, fully-staged performance.
Past productions have so far racked up more than 15 million views on the Stagebox YouTube channel.
The team’s excerpt from Annie was spotted by an ITV executive who then invited the cast to perform on television, while Stagebox’s version of Hamilton was used by the Disney+ channel as a teaser ahead of its much-awaited broadcast of the multi-award-winning musical.
These shoots act as a showcase for talent spotters with several performers going on to feature in shows and big and small screen roles.
“It’s a different type of training, which is led by world-class experts,” says LJ. “For example during the lockdown, our students worked with Dexter Fletcher (director of Rocketman and forthcoming Sherlock Holmes 3). We offer the premier league of training.”
Watching the finished productions it’s clear to see how talented the Stagebox students are and the twins are honest about the standard required to make their team.
“We are auditioning thousands of children each year for just a few places,” reveals LJ. “It’s a competitive industry and our creative team and coaches work hard to make sure those who are looking to make this a career are properly equipped.”
From its beginning in Leeds, Stagebox is now international, and the girls have relocated to Surrey with an easy commute to their office in White City.
They have also moved into the world of casting direction as Keston & Keston, becoming the talent spotters of choice for such shows as Nativity, Mame, The Grinch and The Little Princess.
“Through Stagebox we have got to know which children just have what directors are looking for,” says Emma. “We always tell children it’s not ‘better than’ or ‘not good enough’ it’s about just being right for whatever that director or producer’s idea of the part is.
“Parents can worry about the rejection element but we are careful to work on our pupils’ self-confidence. Sometimes you just have to let them have a go – it’s like swimming or riding a bike if they want to you have to let them try.”
For more information, or to sign your child up visit: stagebox.co.uk
Should your child fancy treading the boards, there are lots of local schools offering a mix of styles for all abilities...
- Stagecoach: Classes across south-west London & Surrey. Contact: stagecoach.co.uk
- Guildford School of Acting: Offering Saturday classes for children aged 5+. Contact: gsauk.org.uk
- Surrey Academy of Ballet & Performing Arts: Contact: surreyacademyofballet.co.uk
- Helen O’Grady Drama Academy: Confidence building through drama and performance at centres across the area: helenogrady.co.uk
