Stagecoach

A reminder to the cast members of “Billy of Billies” who are called to rehearsals on March 1st. Please bring any costume items that you have gathered with you.

Well done to all the Further Stages and Stage 3 students who helped out at The Rockcliffe Hall Hotel Christmas Party Celebrations by pretending to be fans and paparazzi to the arriving guests. They braved rain, cold and snow to provide an enthusiastic welcoming party.  Particular thanks go to member of staff Jodie Taibi for being there at all of the gigs - particularly the ones I could not make - and for the “regulars” like Ben Fox, Kim Oxley, Martha Clarkson, Sally Messham, Christian Brown, Adam Sowerby and James Emmerson - (I`m worried I`ve forgotten someone now).

The guests seemed startled but generally pleased, even when they realised that we were not really what we appeared to be. They signed autographs for us and posed for photos. All good fun!

Annabelle Crosby pictured performing  at the recent Anniversary show . Spot her in the other photos on this page too

We have several links to the film and show of ”Billy Elliot” that we are very proud about. Jamie Bell was a student in Stagecoach Yarm, eleven years ago, when we sent him for his audition to play Billy in the film. The role won a BAFTA for him as `Best Actor` and a successful film career (Jamie stars soon in a film series of “Tin-Tin” directed by Spielberg).  One of our girls, Annabelle Crosby,  from Stagecoach Darlington, has just completed a year in the West End, playing the lead girl`s part of Debbie, in the stage show of “Billy Eliot” and one of our Stagecoach Darlington boys got down to the last nine boys to be chosen to play the lead role of Billy himself, in the same show. In addition, three years ago, we started the first “All-Boy Dance Class” in the Stagecoach network and we were given advice and visits from the casting personnel from the West-End “Billy Elliot” show. Imagine our excitement then when just before Christmas we had the very welcome news that we are to be one of a handful of Youth Theatres who have been granted permission to perform “Billy Elliot” - the musical - outside the West End.  It is a very exciting project which involved one of our staff being trained at the theatre in London, where “Billy Elliot” regularly plays. We have permission to perform a shortened version of the musical on 7 occasions between now and the Summer. We also get a chance to perhaps perform in a regional showcase OR in the West End at the Billy Elliot theatre - you can tell why we are so excited!!

Every member of the main schools in Yarm and Darlington will get the chance to perform in one of the shows - including any new students enrolling this term.

Visit the Billy Elliot web site www.billyelliotthemusical.com for pictures and film clips to whet your appetite.

On Sunday morning Yarm AM Stagecoach was pleased to welcome Jean Harding to our school. Jean is the chief of Harding Associates - an independent team of inspectors who inspect each of my schools every year.

The inspector`s arrival is unannounced and therefore provides the most reliable kind of feedback because we cannot put on a “show for the inspectors”. What they see is a normal week in action. Many of the inspectors that we see, are Ofsted inspectors during the week so they know what they are looking for. I have been very touched in the past by how positive has been their reaction to Our Yarm and Darlington  schools

I was very flattered when Jean said that she had been reading a succession of excellent reports from my schools for years and had to come and see for herself.

At the end of the morning, she was very enthusiastic in her appraisal of what she had seen. I quote from her report on the Early Stages class:-

“A delightful school. Students learn well and behave well as a result of the very good teaching. The principal, teacher and helper work very well together, as a result the children enjoy their practice for the show.”

Of the Yarm AM Main school she chose to call the teaching “Outstanding” and said that “the inculcation of creativity is a strength of this school. The teaching is organised and creative. Students respond accordingly and acquire not only very good skills but a `feel` for performance.”

In her summary, she said “This is a super school. Students display a wide range of well-developed integrated skills and also have great fun. They are very well behaved because they are so focussed. Fabulous range of genre. Students LOVE coming.”

This was a particularly pleasing report because Jean is such a senior inspector, with many years of experience to call upon.

In 12 years, I can honestly say that all our reports have been ones to be proud of.  As we get future reports I will post the results to the web site and if I get five minutes might also get chance to post up some past reports too.