For the academic year of 1996-7, when I was in Year 5 at Prior’s Mill Primary School, in Billingham, Trudy, or Mrs Hindmarsh as she was to me then, was my teacher. As the story goes…one day I went up to her and told her, I had a dream. When she asked me what my dream was, I replied that I “to have drama lessons”.
Then, sometime in 1999, after Trudy had left teaching to open Stagecoach, she saw me in the street with my mum and my sister, and invited me to join Stagecoach.
Having joined in September 1999, I have just received my certificate and bronze pin for eight years attendance, and have no intentions to leave yet.
Stagecoach is one of the biggest opportunities I have ever been given and has made a major contribution in my life, allowing me to build up my confidence, in not only my performance skills, but as a person as well. I have made numerous friends over the years and enjoy spending time with them every week.
One of my favourite things about Stagecoach is that I know that, unlike school, everybody wants to be there and therefore, commits to working together to produce the best work we can. I look forward to coming to Stagecoach every week and to improving my skills, but primarily, to knowing I am going to have a good time.
I have so many memories of Stagecoach; too many to even begin to list them, however, I will always remember my first ever term, when we did ‘The Rainbow Juggler’. I played the ‘MC’, which involved introducing Josh Mason, who was playing Giovanni, the rainbow juggler, and then ridiculing him in front of the audience when he was unable to complete his act because he kept dropping the ‘balls’, referring to him as being ‘a little under the weather’, which, for some strange reason, I found quite amusing(?).
Consisting of all of Trudy’s schools, which were, then, a few less than she has now, we performed the show at The Oakwood Centre, in Eaglescliffe, somewhere that eights years later - there we are again - all of Trudy’s schools together.
I am extremely grateful to all of the staff who have helped me other the years and to Stagecoach for providing me with so many opportunities such as LAMDA and Trinity exams, and STARE, but in particularly, for informing me of the audition for ‘Oliver’, with Dionysis Theatre Company, back in 2002, which allowed me to go on to win the role of Oliver himself, which was my first role outside of Stagecoach.
However, most of all, I would like to thank Trudy, who gave me my first opportunity in allowing me to achieve my dream (now, how cheesy does that sound - ha ha) and supporting me throughout - thank you!
Best Wishes on your tenth anniversary, Stagecoach - something I feel very honoured to be part of, and to the many more to come…
Tom xx
