No Second Chance
Reviewed by: John Lucey of Stagecoach Galway (03/08/2010)
'No Second Chance' was a big hit and parents commented on the high quality of the script and songs which wont disappoint children and teenagers. The show is intelligent, funy and challenging. It's also simple to black, stage and perform for a workshop or end of term show and with a little imagination, you can design an accessible set using Hollywood and Bond theme memorabilia which won't break the bank!
Looking for Elvis
Reviewed by: John Lucey of Stagecoach Galway (28/08/2009)
'Looking For Elvis' was a real success for our Holiday Workshop in July. We had an audience of over 100 who were bowled over by the end product in five days. Catchy numbers include 'Smile For The camera' and 'Nothing Ever Happens in Acrington Stanley' mixed in with good old fashioned Rock and Roll. One of Tailor Made Musicals' strengths is that they understand children and teenagers and with the show CD, sound effects and clever scripts, it's all there for teachers and directors. We had a wonderful time with this show and created an easy set design with some lifesize cardboard Elvis figures! So thank you Maya!
No Second Chance
Reviewed by: Martha Edwards of Stagecoach Neath (19/11/2008)
The children loved it! they had lots of fun. Teachers were able to adapt the drama part to the age of our children (most of them 10 and under). Parents loved it and we had children signing up for the school. I definitely reccommend it!
No Second Chance
Reviewed by: Natalie Slater of Stagecoach Henley (10/09/2008)
No Second Chance went down really well at Henley. The kids loved it and all of the parents who had children with me for last years High School Musical workshop said that this was better! They said they really enjoyed the story with its slightly dark humour and the characters. .....................................................the songs went down well and I think the children were delighted to get their teeth into something original rather than try to imitate a big show that everyone knows. So thank you and I shall have a look at the site again next time.
Looking for Elvis
Reviewed by: Martha Edwards of Stagecoach Neath (12/04/2008)
We put on Looking for Elvis for our first Easter Workshop. It was fantastic.
The athmosphere during that week was vibrant, all the children enjoyed rehearsals. I think they felt a real sense of achievement on Friday.
I also think the teachers enjoyed it too, it was their first time working together towards a performance and everything went really smoothly and they were very pleased with the finished product. The children we have are very young as we are a new school and the teachers were able to adapt the script to our children's needs.
Last but not least, the parents were very impresed and all we had were positive comments which was the icing on the cake.
We are now planning our end of year performance and we are starting Trinity exams. I am looking forward to a similar experience.
Thank you Maya
On The Roof
Reviewed by: John Lucey of Stagecoach Galway (21/12/2007)
As a new school in Ireland and aware that your second term is crucial for student retention levels, we were delighted to perform On The Roof. The students really enjoyed all the songs and the script which were challenging enough without being too ambitious from week 6. This is a modern, gutsy childrens show with both a humerous and slightly dark side also and relevent to the world we live in. I highly reccommend it!
On The Roof
Reviewed by: Sam Holloway of Stagecoach Rickmansworth (12/11/2007)
We performed "On The Roof" for our last Summer Workshop and found it very easy to rehearse and perform: the script was perfect - just the right length with a few juicy scenes for the problematic Stage Threes and fun, short and sweet for the Stage Ones!
I usually find original songs a bit dull but Jon Boden's song writing skills are great with nice easy to learn, catchy tunes.
The costumes are very simple as are the props and set requirements. The way Maya presents the script is very user friendly with cast lists, props list, score, a video of the show etc. - she was also very helpful with all enquiries and questions I had. I am now looking forward to working on "No Second Chance", also written by Maya and Jon Boden, next term.
On The Roof
Reviewed by: Joy Clarkson of Stagecoach Truro (12/11/2007)
We used "On the Roof" by Maya Sprigg and Jon Boden for our five day summer workshop, although the cast would have been ready to perform by day four.
It was both a huge success during rehearsals and the performance. An original and captivating production with limited sets and user friendly costumes - they can wear what they like! "On the Roof" has an interesting twist and the comments from parents as they left were quite overwhelming.
On The Roof
Reviewed by: Beverly Hyman of Stagecoach Borhamwood (12/11/2007)
'On The Roof' was a massive success. I had a lovely bunch of kids and my teachers worked well as a team (they were my term-time staff).
I was nervous about how it would work out but I had done a detailed rehearsal schedule for every day so all went smoothly.
The kids really enjoyed themselves, the parents were blown away by what we'd achieved in a week and I felt that the show was perfect for the occasion.
My husband commented that the balance was good - quiet, contemplative sections and riotous songs.
All the students enjoyed the music in particular.
On The Roof
Reviewed by: Craig Falkner of Stagecoach Maccelsfield (10/08/2007)
I just wanted to let you know that On The Roof was a real success. The parents were so complimentary about the childrens' work and quite a few said that it was one of the best things that they had seen the children do. I was being told by parents just how much their children had been loving the workshop all week.It was so easy to rehearse and the staff said that they really enjoyed the week. Everybody had their moment which is not always easy to find in a show. The songs and suggested dance routines worked really well.
I would happily recommend On The Roof to anyone. It is a lovely show and I was really touched by the students' sincerity in their final presentation. In previous years I had done things like Guys and Dolls Junior- they were great but they were extremely expensive to produce. Up On The Roof was very good value for money and meant that I actually made money on the workshop this year. A couple of students who left us at the end of last term have asked to come back at the end of the workshop- you cant get any better recommendation than that.
No Second Chance
Reviewed by: Unknown of Leicester Mercury (15/11/2006)
Young Stars 007 Show Is A Real Thriller!
Young actors demonstrated their talents by taking part in a spoof play about James Bond. Children who attend Stagecoach Theatre Arts School Leicester put together a production called 'No Second Chance.' The show is a musical comedy about the filming of a 007 movie. A cast of 45 youngsters aged between 6 and 16 performed the show at Guthaxton College. All of the children involved were presented with certificates from the musical department of Trinity College, University of Cambridge, whose representitives were invited to watch the show.
No Second Chance tells the story of actors struggling to make yet another film about Ian Fleming's fictional spy. Youngsters in the show took on the roles of 007, the Bond Girls, and the various "bad guys" who have appeared in the popular films over the years. Terrie Dodds, who runs the Stagecoach Theatre Arts School, said: "All the children did fantastically well and they all received certificates. We had three separate performances of it and all the parents of the children were able to watch the show. The performance was all about the filming of a James Bond movie, with comedy parts for the children"
In Your Dreams
Reviewed by: Christopher Gray of Oxford Mail (30/08/2006)
IN YOUR DREAMS: STAGECOACH OXFORD
From the The Oxford Times, first published Wednesday 30th Aug 2006.
From a first sight of the script on Monday morning to a full-scale performance on Friday night - such was the remarkable speed at which 58 youngsters of Stagecoach Oxford worked on the musical In Your Dreams. Maya Sprigg, the principal of this part-time theatre arts school, was so sure of success that she invited The Oxford Times to review the finished spectacle before rehearsals had properly got under way. Mind you, she had written the script and been involved with others in a year of preparation; she had a good idea, too, of the talent available to director Rebecca Roberts during Stagecoach's five-day summer school.
In the event, her confidence was justified. The show proved an exciting and amusing 80 minutes of entertainment for the audience (mainly proud parents and siblings of the cast) in the splendid theatre at Headington School. It turned out to be morally instructive too, if that isn't a rather po-faced way of saying that it carried a valuable lesson for us all about the need to live in the real world rather than a land of dreams.
The show's focus is on three fantasists. Under-confident teenager Elliott (Sebastian Heffer) is tongue-tied and terrified in the presence of his beloved Angelina (Laura Chaitow) and can only relate to her in a version of her conjured in his dreams (this time played by Georgia Bliss, an impressive ballet dancer).
His pal Sam (Sam Johnson), meanwhile, explains away (and simultaneously glorifies) an absent father by claiming he is a Mafia crime boss Don Corleone (Thomas Bayliss) with a big slice of the European mobile phone industry. For Angelina's sister Jessica (Jessica Ockenden) make-believe comes in the form of an imaginary friend Little Emily (Eve Freeman) and a bevy of Barbie dolls. These colourful toys, and their attendant Action Men and GI Joes, provided an opportunity for members of the chorus to shine; likewise Don Corleone's Sicilian henchmen and a group of real-life bullies. These last had a habit of picking on Joe - until a dream encounter with Darth Vader proved him a force to be reckoned with.
Looking for Elvis
Reviewed by: Caroline Clarke of Stagecoach Colechester (18/07/2006)
Looking for Elvis is a fabulous show, full of fun, excitement and vitality from start to finish. The students loved the story - rather reminiscent of ET - and there are plenty of interesting parts for all three Stages. The script is witty and also quite challenging (there is a lot of dialogue), which I feel is important when your school has been running for several years and the students need something a little more tricky to work on. There are two alternative endings and even an opportunity for audience participation! Jon Boden's songs are a real delight - catchy and fun to learn - and the dance routines are all to your favourite Elvis tracks - a joy!
Not only does the show come with full score, backing tracks, prop lists etc. but you can also hire the classic Elvis costume from Maya, along with 17 mini suits for the little Elvi, who just steal the show! My Stage Ones adored their outfits and their surprise appearance generated a great burst of laughter and cheering from the parents!
All in all an excellent show, thoroughly enjoyed by students, teachers and parents alike. In fact, the only unexpected problem we encountered was about half way through the rehearsal period when one little girl in Stage One put up her hand and asked "Who was Elvis Presley?"
On The Roof
Reviewed by: Pat Stovell of Stagecoach Stratford-Upon-Avon (30/01/2004)
'I can certainly recommend On the Roof, on two counts - an excellent vehicle for all three Stages for performance or for examination purposes (we did Trinity) but perhaps more importantly it is something the students actually enjoy and tackle with enthusiasm.
The script and songs lent themselves beautifully to division between the three Stages.
Stages 2 and 3 sang "On the Roof" by way of introduction, together with script from the two main characters. The line, "You know, just like the pantomime I was telling you about" led seamlessly into Stage 1's pantomime drama, with singing and dancing to "Mean Step-mother".
Stage 2 continued the story with Scenes 3 and 4, with song and dance built into the Party Scene. The song "Dumped" then led into Stage 3's appearance in the Roof and Neighbours scenes.
Stage 3 certainly rose to the challenge of creating their own monologues. We had some great contrasts here, ranging from comedy to tragedy. "On the Roof" is geared to young people's age group and language. Many students are from broken homes, so there might have been some therapy in exploring the challenges in the script. As for Stage 1 - well! Slapstick and Pantomime Dames? - Need I say more?!!!
Both Trinity Examiners thought it a good choice - and, gratifyingly, our results were outstanding!!!'
On The Roof
Reviewed by: Sheryl Datta of Stagecoach Swindon (07/12/2003)
On The Roof was a successful Autumn Term Presentation at my school. The songs are particularly good, catchy and inspiring for choreography. It made light work for me as a ready made package: script, score and backing, already adapted to Stagecoach needs.