West End Troupe

What is troupe?
We assemble an elite troupe to perform at various events. Our next event is at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, where we will perform an 8-minute musical theatre piece on stage, alongside lots of other Stagecoach schools from around the country. It's not a competition... but obviously, we are the best!!

In all seriousness, these showcases are an amazing demonstration of what Stagecoach students around the country can achieve. It's no surprise that so many Stagecoach students go on to perform professionally when they're older.  The level is always extremely high, and I do think our school was right up there with the very best in 2024. It's also lovely for our students to meet other Stagecoach schools - the atmosphere and camaraderie is always fantastic to witness at these events.

Who can apply?
Due to the demanding nature of rehearsals and the event day itself, only Stage 3 & Further Stages students can apply for troupe. We might, however, open a junior troupe in future for younger students - we will keep you posted.

What is involved?
Firstly, students take part in an audition. During this, we will teach them a complex dance piece and the aim will be to assess their technical skill and see how quickly they can pick up choreography. We will also be auditioning for vocal solos.

We have a limit of 22 students that we can take to the West End. We will let everyone know the outcome of auditions the following day.

When are auditions/rehearsals?
Auditions are at 9am on Saturday, January 11th. Rehearsals take place every Saturday morning 9am-10am between 18th Jan and 22nd March (including half term). It's important that students are available for all rehearsals - there's a lot of information to retain and even one missed rehearsal can be tricky to catch up on.

What if a student misses a rehearsal?
They will need to catch up in their own time. We reserve the right to remove any students that miss more than 2 rehearsals. 

What is the cost?
£175 per student. This includes all extra rehearsals, coach travel to and from the theatre for the student, an event t-shirt and a digital download of the performance. Extra spaces can be purchased on the coach for parents/guardians to travel.

After students have been chosen following audition, the event fee is payable. You can pay in one lump sum, or pay an initial deposit of £50 with the remainder payable by March 1st.

When are payments due?
If students are successful at audition, a £50 deposit is due straight away (please do not pay anything until we have confirmed the outcome of auditions).

The remainder is then payable by March 1st.

What happens on the event day?
We leave Weston on the coach at 9am. This takes us directly to the theatre where we'll have a briefing and a rehearsal on stage. The show starts at 7pm with performances by Stagecoach troupes from around the country. We perform in Act 2.

The show finishes at 9:30pm and we're back on the coach at 10pm. We arrive back in Weston around 12:30/1am. It's a long, demanding day, and as such is only suitable for our senior students (Stage 3 and Further Stages).

Parents are encouraged to travel on the coach with the students if possible - however, they will not be admitted into the theatre until the doors open at approx. 6pm. They will need to be self sufficient in London from arrival (approx 12/1pm) until this time.