Squamish parents of four to six-year-olds will soon be able to watch their little ones perform in childrens' musicals.On Sept. 19, StageCoach Theatre Arts Schools is opening a new facility in Squamish. Details on the location have yet to be confirmed, but principal Hilary Wight said the program has many places to choose from, and hopes to establish the right one in the next few weeks."I am very excited to be doing this in Squamish because I live in Squamish," said Wight, who has been running two Vancouver StageCoach schools for the past two years.The program, called Early Stages, will be offered on Fridays, beginning Sept. 19, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Students will participate in three 30-minute sessions, each focusing on singing, dancing and acting. But as Wight explains, there is so much more to learn than just music, dance and theatre."We teach them life skills, like how to speak confidently," she said. "We raise their level of confidence and help them learn how to perform. We do not reward students for talent. Instead, we reward perseverance and effort."Classes will be kept to a maximum of 15 students, with two instructors in each class. Wight will teach singing and acting and another instructor, yet to be determined, will teach the dancing component. The program was designed to complement the regular school system, said Wight. Classes will run for 11 weeks at a time and at the end of each term, students will perform a short musical, like Mary Poppins."Everyone gets a fair turn on stage no matter what their ability," said Wight, who admits that trying to give each child an equal amount of time on stage can be challenging. StageCoach schools have been in existence since 1988, and this year marks their 20th anniversary. The schools first began in the UK and have expanded to over 600 schools in nine countries. Wight comes from an extensive background in music and theatre, having been a professional singer in the UK for 10 years, and having taught musicals for several years more. She first brought StageCoach to Canada two years ago by opening a facility in Vancouver. Living in Squamish, Wight said she always wanted to open a location near home, but was unsure if there was a need. It was only when a parent contacted her and said she would be willing to drive her child to the North Vancouver school every week that Wight realized how much of a demand there was for a StageCoach school. Wight said she hopes to offer the main school program, which offers three-hour sessions for six to 16-year-olds, in the next few years.For more information on the StageCoach school opening soon, please contact Hilary Wight at 1-877-78STAGE or by email at [email protected].
