Tag: young performers

  • Diary of a Young Performer: Auditions and Rehearsals

    Diary of a Young Performer: Auditions and Rehearsals

    Maggie Livermore takes us behind the scenes of the audition and rehearsal process for ‘Till the Stars Come Down’ at the National Theatre. Young performer Maggie Livermore was thrilled to get her first stage role in Till the Stars Come Down. She played ‘Sarah’ at the National Theatre from 24 January to 15 March 2024,…

  • Tips for a Successful Drama School Audition

    Tips for a Successful Drama School Audition

    The Spotlight Prize 2024 winners and finalists share their top tips to help you prepare for your drama school auditions. Many acting careers start with a pivotal choice: should you go to drama school or not? While training at drama school is not essential for a successful career, your time there will definitely help you…

  • Emma Stafford’s 11 Essential Tips for Young Performers

    Emma Stafford’s 11 Essential Tips for Young Performers

    Emma Stafford, the casting director of ‘4 O’Clock Club’, ‘Biff and Chip’ and ‘Pip and Posy’, shares her self-taping tips and what parents and young performers should know about the industry. As a parent, I get that it may seem frustrating when you’re trying to understand the industry. You may sometimes wonder why you’re paying…

  • Casting Directors’ Self-Tape Top Tips

    Casting Directors’ Self-Tape Top Tips

    The casting directors of ‘Paddington 2’, ‘Sex Education’ and ‘Father Brown’ share their top tips for preparing for, filming and sending off your self-tapes. Between them, casting directors Hannah Simons, Lauren Evans and Emma Sylvester have cast a variety of commercials, films and television shows, including: Paddington 2, Sex Education, Father Brown, Sister Boniface Mysteries,…

  • My Casting Story: Evie Templeton in ‘Return to Silent Hill’

    My Casting Story: Evie Templeton in ‘Return to Silent Hill’

    Evie Templeton shares her experience working on horror film ‘Return to Silent Hill’, plus her top tips for dealing with nerves on set and how to stay disciplined with your schoolwork. At just 15, young performer Evie Templeton already has a career spanning across theatre, television and film and was a finalist in the first-ever…

  • Is Drama School the Right Path for You?

    Is Drama School the Right Path for You?

    The Spotlight Prize 2024 winners and finalists share why they went to drama school and how you can tell whether this is the right path for you. It’s no longer the case that you need to have gone to drama school to have a successful acting career. Drama school can equip you with useful and…

  • The Spotlight Podcast: Thriving During and After Drama School

    The Spotlight Podcast: Thriving During and After Drama School

    Advice for making the most of your time at drama school, including common mistakes and how to avoid them and improving your acting skills after graduation. In the final instalment of this two-part special of The Spotlight Podcast, we talk to Charleen Qwaye (Co-founder and Director of Training, Fourth Monkey), Stewart Nicholls (BA Musical Theatre…

  • ‘Into the Spotlight’ Young Performers Competition 2024

    ‘Into the Spotlight’ Young Performers Competition 2024

    It’s time once again to shine a spotlight on our younger members for the ‘Into the Spotlight’ Young Performers competition! We have new themes, new judges, and exciting prizes to be won – a year’s Spotlight membership, £100 worth of camera equipment, a career advice session, a Spotlight goody bag and more! All you need…

  • My Casting Story: Laura Dawkes in Disney’s ‘Frozen the Musical’

    My Casting Story: Laura Dawkes in Disney’s ‘Frozen the Musical’

    Performer Laura Dawkes on playing ‘Anna’ in Disney’s ‘Frozen the Musical’, and going straight from drama school to the West End. Laura Dawkes has had an exceptional start to her career. Within weeks of graduating from Emil Dale Academy, she was cast in the lead role of ‘Anna’ in Disney’s Frozen the Musical on the…

  • Peter’s Hunt for Hollyoaks’ Finest Young Performers

    Peter’s Hunt for Hollyoaks’ Finest Young Performers

    Casting director Peter Hunt CDG shares his casting process for ‘Hollyoaks’, what he looks for in self-tapes and how parents can support their child’s acting career. In his long and illustrious career, casting director Peter Hunt has worked on various award-winning dramas, films, theatre shows, music videos, comedy series and commercials. He received the Tony…