Stagecoach

I told Sally Messham that I  needed a new smily photo of her to announce the news with but I can`t wait!!!!

Sally learned today that she has been offfered a place at RADA - one of the foremost Drama schools in  the world. Yipeee!!!!

Sally has had special gifts ever since she came to us in January 2003 but she has not sat on her laurels but worked like a beaver to win a place at Drama school. Not only did Sally get offered a place at RADA but was also one of only 5 girls out of 5,000 entrants to be offered a place at `The Drama Centre` (another prestigious drama school in London that trained Colin Firth). What a dilemma to be in??

Sally has had tremendous feedback from those in the know. The last time that she sat a LAMDA exam, the examiner said that it was the best portrayal of that character that he had ever seen in his life - and he had just been to see the play in the West End.

When Sally did her last audition at the Drama Centre - they said that it couldn`t be bettered. To me that is unheard of. Someone can always usually find something they want to tweak.

And finally when she got to the final round of auditions at RADA, she was the youngest and the only Northerner. They rang to offer her a definite place ahead of seeing all the other final round candidates - again highly unusual. In itself it is highly unusual for an applicant to be accepted into RADA at eighteen. They usually like their students to have some life experience. It is also highly unusual to get in on the first year of applying. Very many successful students have applied across multiple years.

Needless to say, I am so incredibly proud of Sally, and excited for her -  as, I`m sure are her friends in Further Stages and her staff across the years. I hope people will leave messages of congratulations for Sally under this posting. She deserves every one. A special mention must be given to the help that Jodie Taibi has given to Sally in all the rounds of her application. Jodie met Sally when she was a Drama teacher for Further Stages a couple of years ago. She saw how talented Sally was and encouraged her in her drama school applications, and tutored her on her pieces in London when she got chance. Jodie had applied to RADA herself across several years, so knew the ropes and what to expect. Thanks to her for selflessly pushing Sally forward towards a goal that had once been hers.

Photo will follow when Sal sends me one and I`ll add it at the end here. I think Cheshire Cat grin won`t be in it!!

All the details are known for the Summer workshops 2012.

The Main School Workshop will be working on `PIRATES OF THE CURRY BEAN` - as you might imagine - a comedy - with swashbuckling roles for ages 7 to 16 years.

You need to rightclick over the application form and save it to your computer and then print it out.  Bring it in to Stagecoach, together with the £25 deposit or post to 71 Woolsington Drive, Middleton St George, Darlington, DL2 1UL.

I received this today from Robin Mills - an original student from Saturday PM and Friday Darlington schools. He is nearing the end of his 9 month cruise ship contract. See the photos below his letter

Hey Trudy and all at Stagecoach,

Ahoy there mateys!

I thought I’d give you an update of my travels (sorry it’s been a while)!

I’m currently travelling around the world as a lead singer onboard the MV Azura Cruise Ship for P&O. I have been onboard for over eight months now and am thoroughly enjoying the experience.

I had never really entertained the idea of doing a Cruise Ship however my my opinions have been
completely changed, I’m working in the most technologically advanced theatre I’ve ever been in, let alone had the pleasure of working in. I perform in 8 shows over a two week cruise and perform each show three times a night, so the work load is gruelling but the rewards are overwhelming. The shows vary from a review of the best of British musical films to a Swing show to the best of Westend musicals.

I wake up every morning in a new, exciting and beautiful port. Today for instance I am typing this email in a beach cafe in St Lucia (hard life, but someone has to do it!). I spent five months travelling
round Europe visiting some of the most famous landmarks in the world, The Leaning Tower of Pisa, The Eastern Bridge, The Trevi Fountain, The Colosseum, The Parthenon, The Vatican (and this all happened in one week!). We then sailed over the Atlantic and have been travelling around The Caribbean for the past few months soaking up the sunshine. Sorry to rub it in!

The best part of this job is that I have got the chance to see the world and get paid for it! Sometimes I can’t quite believe they pay me a day rate for some of the fantastic things I’ve had chance to see and do! (River Tubing in Jamaica and swimming with wild turtles inBarbados are very high up on the list!)

I hope this has given you all an insight to life onboard a cruise ship! I will be sure to visit you all in April when I’m back.

Keep working hard for Trudy and all the other amazing teachers you get to work with there.

Robin Mills

Macy Stasiak, was nominated for a `Best of Darlington` award for her success in performing in the West End`s `Billy Elliot`.  Unfortunately, on the night, she did not win the overall award but will have received a certificate to mark her achievement in being short-listed. I was invited to attend as I had nominated Macy but Stagecoach was running so I could not go. Darlington Early Stages teacher Jane Jackson and her daughter Hannah-Lucy (a friend of Macy) went instead to support her. Unfortunately, at the last minute, Macy`s performance schedule was changed so that she could not even attend herself, so her mum had to go alone. Here is the piece from the Echo about the awards night

Macy`s mum has given me the latest performance schedule across the next few weeks for Macy in case anyone is going to see the show and would like to catch Macy in action.

MACY SCHEDULE APRIL

Wed 4th April - MACY SHOW

Thur 5th April - MACY MATINEE SHOW

Fri 6th April - MACY SHOW

Sat 7th April - MACY EVENING SHOW

Mon 9th April - MACY SHOW

Sat 14th April - MACY MATINEE SHOW

Tues 17th April - MACY SHOW

Thur 19th April - MACY EVENING SHOW

Wed 25th April - MACY SHOW

Thur 26th April - MACY MATINEE SHOW

Fri 27th April - MACY SHOW

Sat 28th April - MACY EVENING SHOW

Mon 30th April - MACY SHOW

Sat 5th May - MACY MATINEE SHOW

Annie Hunter of Further Stages has reached the next round of a talent competition `Live and Unsigned`

Annie plays “Live and Unsigned”

Annie Hunter, of Stagecoach Yarm, has been busy.  Having written a number of songs over the
past year, she recently auditioned for “Live and Unsigned”, an organisation that scours the country looking for new musical talent.  “I only had two minutes to impress the panel of judges,” says Annie, “but they liked my song and I passed the audition”.  The next stage is to play before a live audience at the Mill Volvo Theatre in Newcastle on 1^st April.  There is again a strict discipline for that performance.  “I have to perform two songs - one original and one cover - welded together with no
pause in between.” The audience vote so the more friendly faces Annie has in the audience the better!!  So if you can make it the event is :-

at MILL VOLVO TYNE THEATRE, NEWCASTLE (NE1 4AG) ON SUNDAY 1st APRIL at 12.15pm. TICKETS COST £8

I would love to go but I have a Boys Dance Workshop and a party running then.

In the run up to that show Annie is trying to find as many opportunities to perform as possible, and is also hoping that BBC Radio Tees will air her song.