Stagecoach

Below are some comments that came to me at the end of term from a Darlington parent who is happy for me to quote her but I have decided to use initials to mask the identity of the child, in case they would be embarrassed.

I heard your interview on the radio, it was very good. It reminded me of when my child started stagecoach in the term that she was turning four and she cried for the first few weeks (as you will remember). It was a very traumatic time for us.

But after Easter she will have been at Stagecoach for three years and she has gained so much. It was lovely to see her on the
Civic Theatre stage today, at just six years old. The confidence to do that has come from Stagecoach, from you and all the wonderful
teachers she has and we are so very proud of her.

Persisting with Stagecoach at the start was definitely the best thing to do and I am so glad we did as it has given her the lovely quiet confidence she has now. Her teachers always comment on it at school.

She is very happily settled in Stagecoach Main School now and loved the Oscers as did we. The Oscer also went to school and everyone was very impressed with it. It was a fabulous show.

Thank you Mrs P.  I have always taken as much pleasure (if not more) in these smaller weekly triumphs that we see, as in a  performance achievement that we might have, which gains lots of publicity.  Someone sent me a card recently which said that `Success is not counted in the things we gain as much as in the lives we touch` and was kind enough to suggest that Stagecoach therefore had been very successful. I think that is a lovely thought and a humbling one.

Anyone who sees Sally Messham act knows what a special talent she has. And just to prove it, Sally has been riding the crest of a wave of success recently. She has been applying for places at Drama schools for September.  I can only say at the moment that she has found success by getting through into final rounds of auditions at RADA (the foremost Drama school in Europe) and at the `Drama Centre`, where Colin Firth and a raft of other gifted actors have trained. There are only 5 places for girls at The Drama Centre after 4000 have applied.

In addition, Sally applied for a place again on one of the National Youth Theatre`s projects and has recently discovered that she has won a place on the Olympics project which involves performances welcoming athletes to the Olympic Village.  She was also due to go for an audition for a film part that the Stagecoach Agency found for her but it looks unlikely that she will be able to make it because of a clashing of dates. What a year!!

Annie played live at the regional final of  ”Live and Unsigned” on April 1st and I`m delighted to say won through to the next round, which is the area final. This is likely to be in Newcastle again. If Annie can get through this next round then she will be in the finals at the O2 in London. Fingers crossed!! I will post more details as I get them. Please go and support her if you can. The event is on SATURDAY May 12th

This competition attracts 40,000 entries every year so Annie has done amazingly well to get as far as she has.

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.

The all-boy dance group appeared at the Civic Theatre this week to entertain at the `Vibe` Awards, with a contemporary dance from the older boys running into a top hat and cane routine with all the boys.

We received this from the organisers:-
Just a short email to thank you all for performing so magnificently at last night’s show - all of the performances were amazing and the post-show feedback has reinforced that.

Please pass my thanks and appreciation on to all of the young people who performed and all the coaches and parents who supported.

You helped to make it a great show and hopefully we can do the same again next year!

I’ve asked Mike to get DVDs of all performances and we’ll get these to you asap

Thanks again

Mervyn