Stagecoach Performing Arts cultivate international collaborations
For over 30 years, Stagecoach Performing Arts has been transforming the lives of young people around the globe, thanks to the drive and passion of their 300-plus franchisees. As a testament to the network’s commitment to delivering the best possible standard of performing arts education, the children’s services franchise has cultivated extremely impressive collaborations, with the likes of Disney and Her Majesty’s Theatre. Partnerships like this offer their students the chance to experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities – on an international scale.
A magical partnership
The brand’s collaboration with Disney is perhaps one of the most sought-after partnerships in the world of performing arts and, thanks to the Stagecoach in-house events team, one that schools around the globe are able to take advantage of - whether the franchisee operates in Hamburg, Germany or Perth, Australia. Every July, Disneyland Paris becomes the home of Stagecoach for four amazing days, when students from around the world get to take part in the Dance the Dream and Behind the Magic programmes.
Dance the Dream allows students aged four to 15 to meet their favourite characters and provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in the famous pre-parade performance, dancing down Main Street just before the daily spectacle.
The Behind the Magic programme cultivated for the brand’s older students is just as innovative and exciting as the coveted annual Dance the Dream event. During the collaboration, students aged 16 and over are able to work with industry professionals to encompass singing, dancing, acting, audition skills and stage performance. This experience provides the perfect stepping-stone for the future of all Stagecoach students who take part. Working with the industry professionals to learn how to create the magic of Disney is a truly unique experience.
Showcasing talent
Each year Stagecoach students take part in the summer showcase performance, a professional production that showcases what they have been learning. The 2019 performance saw 77 students from the UK and overseas perform in the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic The Sound of Music at the Rose Theatre, Kingston.
When Stagecoach Performing Arts hosted their ninth annual showcase in Germany in 2019, 225 children from schools across Hessen, Cologne, Frankfurt, Mainz, Darmstadt and Munich took part in the professional performance in the Hessisches, Staatstheater at the Kurhaus in Wiesbaden. Students aged eight to 14 joined together to perform famous musical numbers in front of family and friends. These showcases give students a taste of what might be to come, should they choose to go into the world of professional performance later in life, but also makes them feel valued and part of something much bigger.
Prestigious partnerships
In early 2020, Trafalgar Entertainment, the parent company of Stagecoach Performing Arts, toured a production of the famous stage show, War Horse. The production opened at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne on 10th January and continued until the COVID-19 pandemic sadly halted performances.
Alongside this national tour of Australia, Stagecoach students at schools in Perth were invited to take part in exclusive performance workshops with the cast and crew, giving them a glance into the world of professional stage production.
Since acquiring Stagecoach in 2018, TE has worked with the Stagecoach Educational Programme Development team to offer students one-of-a-kind opportunities.
In May 2020, Trafalgar Entertainment also announced the acquisition of famous Sydney theatre landmark, the Theatre Royal. With plans to reopen the completely renovated venue by August 2021, a new Stagecoach school will be established close by, welcoming students aged four to 18 to take part in workshops and performances at the prestigious location.
Collaborations with an international impact
Andy Knights, Chief Operational Officer at Stagecoach, is delighted to see collaborations having an impact internationally, “We love seeing schools come together through our partnerships. We know that in the UK our franchises in close-knit communities are often in regular contact, but for our international schools, it is these collaborations that bring the schools together and provide the opportunity for great relationships to be built, between franchisees and students alike. We want students to get the most out of their weekly classes, but being able to offer these unique opportunities through our exclusive partnerships is something we also take huge pride in.”
For more information, visit www.stagecoachfranchise.com
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