Stage School Australia facts for kids

Stage School Australia helps young people learn about performing arts. They have schools in Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia. It used to be called the Children's Performing Company of Australia (CPCA).

The school started in 1984 as the Victorian Children's Theatre. Now, Stage School Australia includes several groups. These are the Young Australian Broadway Chorus (YABC), the Australian Youth Theatre (AYT), Beginners OnStage, the Talent Company of Australia (TCA), and The Australian Boys Dance Academy (ABDA).

Stage School Australia has grown a lot. It now has twenty-four locations around Melbourne. This makes it one of the biggest performing arts schools in Victoria. In 2022, they opened in Brisbane. They have four locations there: Jindalee, Mount Gravatt, The Gap, and South Bank.

Learning Performing Arts

Stage School Australia offers different ways to learn. Students can join one or more programs, depending on their age. Most programs have different levels. Students can move up to a more advanced group as they get better.

Young Australian Broadway Chorus

In 1995, Stage School Australia started four theatre groups. These groups focused on musical theatre. By 1999, these groups grew into the Young Australian Broadway Chorus (YABC). The YABC teaches students how to sing, dance, and act.

The YABC's first show was in 1999 at the National Theatre in St Kilda. That show was simpler than the big performances YABC students put on today. As of 2022, YABC classes are also held in four locations across Brisbane.

Australian Youth Theatre

The Australian Youth Theatre (AYT) is the drama part of Stage School Australia. It used to be called the Victorian Children's Theatre in the 1980s. Back then, the classes mainly focused on making up scenes. Later, they added learning scripts and acting for cameras. As of 2022, AYT classes are also available in four locations in Brisbane.

Beginners OnStage

Beginners OnStage started in 2008. It's a program for young students aged 5 to 7 years old. It helps them begin their journey into performing. In Melbourne, classes are even available for 3 and 4-year-olds. They learn the basic skills of performing arts. As of 2022, Beginners OnStage classes are also held in four locations in Brisbane.

Australian Boys Dance Academy

The Australian Boys Dance Academy (ABDA) began in Melbourne in 2014. It's a safe place for boys aged 6 to 18 to learn many dance styles. ABDA teaches students Hip-hop, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary, and more.

The Talent Company of Australia

The Talent Company of Australia (TCA) is Stage School Australia’s professional talent agency. It helps actors, both new and experienced, find work in the entertainment industry.

The TCA started in 2003. It has built strong connections with top casting agents in Australia and worldwide. Actors from TCA have appeared in TV shows, movies, theatre, commercials, and web series. Besides helping students find roles, the TCA also holds workshops throughout the year to build their skills.

Stage School Productions

Stage School Australia also creates its own stage shows. For twenty years, they have put on multiple productions twice a year. They have performed original plays and musicals. They have also staged many classic shows, including:

• The Conference of the Birds
• Godspell
• Man of La Mancha
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
• Oliver!
• Rags
• Salad Days
• Wizard of Oz
• Spring Awakening
• Seussical TYA
• Conference of the Birds
• Disney Alice in Wonderland Jr
• Disney Aladdin Jr
• BABE the Sheep-Pig
• Disney The Little Mermaid Jr
• The Secret Garden ~ Spring Version
• Disney Beauty and the Beast Jr
• Honk! Jr
• Shrek Jr
• Wicked
• Madagascar - A Musical Adventure Jr
• Les Miserables

Tours and Performances

Since 1996, Stage School Australia has taken its students on many tours. They have traveled around Australia and to other countries. These countries include France, Germany, Greece, Singapore, Italy, the United States, and England.

YABC and AYT touring groups have performed in famous places. Some of these include Disneyland, Disneyworld, Disneyland Paris, Theatre Row in New York, Universal Studios, the Smithsonian Institution, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, York Theatre Royal, and Soho Theatre Pegasus Theatre Oxford.

Famous People Who Attended Stage School

Many talented people have trained at Stage School Australia. Here are some of them:

• Bernard Angel
• Deniz Akdeniz
• Alicia Attwood
• Darcy Bonser
• James Bryers
• Samantha Dodemaide
• Andrew Lees
• Rhiannon Fish
• James Frecheville
• Claire George
• Hannah Greenwood
• Tessa James
• Josie Lane
• Adrian Li Donni
• Reuben Liversidge
• Luigi Lucente
• Nikolai Nikolaeff
• Emilio Ramos
• Chris Scalzo
• James Simpson
• Michelle Smitheram
• Caitlin Stasey
• Samantha Tolj
• Alex Tsitsopoulos
• Matthew Werkmeister
• Drew Weston
• Max McKenna
• James Majoos
• Will King
• Brianna Bishop

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