Television channel E4 is set to go behind the scenes of a drama school in order to bring viewers an accurate experience of life studying acting, singing and dancing. The show is expected to be all-singing and all-dancing – like a reality-style Glee – and tell the stories of auditions, love and of course jazz hands. Under the name of Stage School, the television show will be a 30-part series as a form of “structured reality”.
Stage School will be made by Knickerbockerglory, the company behind the television production of Pineapple Dance Studios, which made a star of Louis Spence, the studios’ artistic director. The show will focus on the behind the scenes life of the D&B Academy of Performing Arts in Kent, featuring the ups and downs that are true to life of those trying to make it in the world of show business. E4 will follow the students at West End auditions and showcases, providing an in-depth insight into their stagey lives.
Along with auditions and performances comes the fall-outs and making up that is so common among young people, especially in a close-knit environment such as this one. Interspersed with breaking out into singing and dance routines, the pupils will receive further performance opportunities on television in addition to their day to day lives. Stage School will chart this and play back to an audience including many others who also want to become superstars. The show will aim to capture the drama, hard work and talent of the pupils.
Singing throughout the show may not be everyone’s preference, however for the producers it is a natural next step on from rehearsals and performances, cutting through the reality for the experience of the viewers.