Support & Training

Stage2 offers full support for anyone who wants to take their interest in drama further, advising members about auditions and interviews for the National Youth Theatre (NYT), National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT), Drama School and University. Numerous Stage2 members have joined the NYT (past London productions featuring a Stage2 Macbeth, Romeo and Puck) and our success rate for drama school entry is extremely high.

We are often approached by casting directors interested in auditioning members for TV and film roles. During their time in Stage2 members have appeared in Anita and Me, The Grimleys, Angels and Insects, Doctors and as a presenter for CITV. We also help older members to get paid work or unpaid experience in various organisations including Theatre in Education companies, Arts Centres and Drama Schools etc. After leaving Stage2 many of our members have gone on to professional work, playing Buddy in "Buddy the Musical" ‚"Lord of the Rings the Musical"; ‚"Guys and Dolls"; "Shaun of the Dead"; and working at the RSC to name but a few.

The vast majority of our tutors are ex-members who after gaining professional qualifications or working in their chosen field come back to work for Stage2 - this is fantastic for us as they understand the ethos and standard of Stage2's work. Stage2 has several training positions within the company that are currently funded by The Big Lottery, where current company members take on projects and work along-side other practitioners in drama, admin and project management.

Every member of Stage2 has the opportunity to apply to join the Tutor Training Programme as a Company Assistant, Workshop Assistant, Mentor Leader, Technical Leader, Trainee Tutor, or a Workshop Leader. Once on our Tutor Training Programme members can attend courses such as First Aid, Creative Play, Communication, Moving and Handling, Risk Assessment, as well as our huge internal training programme shadowing tutors and professionals.

Our aim is to help every child that passes through Stage2 find their own niche and their own way to succeed. We strive to cater for everyone as an individual while still working tightly as a company and having fair and consistent expectations and rules.

Stage2 provide practical theatre experience for young people

Stage2 is a well-established youth theatre based in the heart of Birmingham. With nearly two hundred members and countless five-star reviews, this company is packed with opportunities for any young person, especially those with an interest in a career in theatre. This is the time for many 16 year-olds to choose which subjects they would like to study at college, and for some of them, theatre looks to be the way forward. Stage2 strives to offer wider experience for all of its members, and with opportunities such as work experience, one-on-one tuition, teaching in life skills, business practice and emotional support, potential theatre candidates would be wise to consider joining this amazing company.

Everyone has to start somewhere and if you begin with Stage2 you are clearly in with an excellent chance of making a good start. There are a front of house team, a Marketing team, a Fund Raising team. There is Mentoring, Technical Training, leaflet design and distribution. Above all there is professional discipline." Evening Mail

For many college students, wider experience in synoptic exams is crucial. For the actors and English students, Stage2 provides workshops paraphrasing every word of Shakespeare plays and regular productions of set texts give a firm footing for exams and coursework. As well as these, Stage2 also offers world class LAMDA examination tuition for anyone in the company: this greatly improves every actor's knowledge and practical skills, looks great on a CV and higher grades count towards UCAS points.

Meanwhile, Stage2 also offers training in technical roles which most establishments are unable to give: for each of Stage2's three productions each year, all technical roles are carried out by members of the company, this means that the members of the Technical Team run every show with practically no need for help from adults. This invaluable experience would set any candidate apart with so much knowledge and practical familiarity.

If you're thinking about technical training you should join Stage2 since it's fun, you make loads of friends on the way and you learn a lot.

Caitlin (14)

The opportunity to perform and run professional standard productions would give any student a major boost in practical experience: Stage2 has a track record of propelling young actors and practitioners to successful careers in the theatre industry, and is always welcoming new members and helping them to achieve their goals; in theatre or in the wider world of work. To find out more about Stage2, visit www.Stage2.org or call them on 07961018841- they look forward to seeing you there!