Children’s Musical Theatre Classes in South Tyneside

What is a musical theatre class?

Musical theatre brings singing, dancing and acting together to tell a story and prepare performers for the stage.

At STAMP, all of our weekly groups include these core areas, but the balance varies from week to week depending on what members are learning and which productions they are preparing for.

A session might concentrate more heavily on singing, choreography or acting, while other sessions bring those elements together as members rehearse scenes and full company numbers.

Our aim across all three groups is to develop performance skills, build confidence and give members opportunities to put what they learn into practice on stage.

STAMP's weekly musical theatre classes

STAMP runs three regular performing arts groups from our studios in Frederick Street, South Shields.

All three combine singing, dancing and acting, with the content and approach adapted to the age of the group.

Minis

Minis is for children aged 3–6 and runs weekly on Saturdays and Sundays.

Sessions introduce younger children to singing, movement, acting and performance in a fun, age-appropriate way. Creative activities and arts and crafts can also form part of Minis sessions.

No previous performing experience is required and children do not audition to join the regular weekly group.

Check the Minis class page for current session times, fees and availability.

Blue Group

Blue Group is for children aged 7–12 and runs weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Sessions include singing and vocal work, dancing and movement, acting and drama, performance skills and preparation for upcoming productions.

Members do not need previous performing experience to join the regular weekly group.

Check the Blue Group class page for current session times, fees and availability.

Green Group

Green Group is for young people aged 13+ and runs weekly on Mondays and Thursdays.

Sessions are performance-focused and include singing and vocal work, dancing, acting, ensemble work and preparation for upcoming productions.

Newcomers are welcome and regular weekly membership is not audition-only.

Check the Green Group class page for current session times, fees and availability.

What happens during the classes?

STAMP sessions vary from week to week rather than following exactly the same format every time.

Singing, dancing and acting are at the heart of what we do, but sessions are also shaped by the productions members are currently preparing for.

As a production approaches, members may spend more time rehearsing songs, learning choreography, developing characters, blocking scenes and bringing different parts of the show together.

Minis follows the same broad approach at a lighter level, with additional creative activities including arts and crafts.

This means members are not simply learning individual performing arts skills. They are also learning how those skills come together when preparing to perform on stage.

Read What Happens During a STAMP Class? for more information.

Beginners and nervous children

Your child does not need to arrive at STAMP as a confident performer.

Some members join with previous experience, while others have never attended a performing arts class before.

We encourage members to challenge themselves and take new opportunities where possible, but we also respect what each person is comfortable with. There can be as much or as little opportunity as a member feels ready to take.

For some children, the first achievement might simply be joining in with the group. Over time, they may feel ready to sing a line, perform a small speaking part, audition for a role or take on a bigger challenge.

If your child is completely new to performing arts, read Musical Theatre for Beginners.

If they are nervous about joining, read Classes for Shy Children.

Performance opportunities

Performing on stage is an important part of STAMP.

Regular members are given opportunities to take part in productions and performances, allowing them to put the singing, dancing and acting they learn in weekly sessions into practice.

For most Blue and Green productions, auditions are held for individual roles.

We use auditions as part of the learning experience. Members are encouraged to research the production, prepare for the role they are interested in and experience the type of audition process they may encounter elsewhere in performing arts.

Specific roles are not guaranteed, but members continue to have opportunities to perform as part of the wider production and ensemble.

For Minis, casting is more relaxed and age appropriate. Younger members are still encouraged to try small speaking or singing parts where appropriate, helping them gradually become more comfortable performing in front of an audience.

Read more about Student Performance Opportunities or see our current productions.

Professional productions

STAMP stages productions for paying public audiences, giving members experience of taking work from the rehearsal room through to a fully staged performance.

We also bring in professionals from different areas of theatre and live production to support our shows. Depending on the production, this can include professional expertise in areas such as technical production, lighting, costume and scenery.

This allows members to experience more of what goes into producing a show than simply learning their own songs, dances and scenes.

Our recent productions include Disney's Frozen: The West End Musical at Brinkburn in May 2026, with Rapunzel – The Panto being staged in December 2026.

Current productions and tickets are available through our Box Office.

Choosing the right STAMP group

The starting point is your child's age.

• Minis: ages 3–6
• Blue Group: ages 7–12
• Green Group: ages 13+

From there, think about what your child wants from the experience.

A younger child who enjoys music, movement, stories and creative activities may enjoy Minis.

A child aged 7–12 who wants to develop singing, dancing and acting while working towards performances may be suited to Blue Group.

A young person aged 13+ looking for more performance-focused musical theatre and production work may be suited to Green Group.

If you're unsure which group is right for your child, contact STAMP and we'll help.

Where STAMP classes take place

Weekly classes are held at:

STAMP Studios
5 Frederick Street
South Shields
Tyne and Wear
NE33 5DY

Our studios are on the first floor and do not currently have step-free access.

Parents do not stay in the studio or wait with their child during normal sessions. This forms part of our security and safeguarding arrangements and also helps members settle into their group and concentrate on the session independently.

If your child has an access requirement or there is something we need to know before their first session, please contact us before attending.

Read more on the STAMP Studios venue page.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding should be an important consideration when choosing any activity for a child or young person.

STAMP has named safeguarding leads and appropriate DBS arrangements for relevant members of our team working with children and young people.

For productions involving children, STAMP uses licensed child chaperones. Our voluntary licensed chaperones follow the appropriate application process, including enhanced DBS checks, safeguarding training, references and licensing through South Tyneside Council.

You can find current team roles and confirmed credentials in our Team Directory.

Fees and joining

Current fees, session times and availability are published on the individual STAMP class pages.

We keep these details on the live class pages because they can change. This means parents can check the latest information rather than relying on an older guide, social media post or search result.

STAMP uses ClassManager for member registration when joining or trial places are available.

Regular weekly membership is not audition-only. Auditions for individual roles in productions are a separate part of the STAMP experience.

Visit our Classes page to compare the groups or read How to Join STAMP for the joining process.

What should I look for when choosing a musical theatre class?

When comparing performing arts groups, look beyond photographs from finished productions.

Consider what your child will actually experience each week.

Ask whether singing, dancing and acting are genuinely part of the programme, whether beginners are welcome, how children are supported to build confidence and whether there are real opportunities to perform.

It is also worth understanding who teaches the sessions, how safeguarding is managed, what the fees include, where classes take place and whether the practical arrangements work for your family.

At STAMP, we aim to make that information clear so families can decide whether we're the right fit before joining.

Why choose STAMP?

STAMP has been providing performing arts opportunities for children and young people in South Tyneside since 2006.

From our studios in South Shields, members can develop singing, dancing and acting skills, build confidence, make friends and work towards performances for public audiences.

More than 1,000 young people have come through our doors during STAMP's first 20 years.

Some members stay because they simply love performing. Others go on to further training or careers in the performing arts, and some former members have returned to STAMP as teachers, choreographers, directors and members of our creative team.

Children do not need to know where performing arts will eventually take them before they start.

They just need somewhere they feel able to learn, take opportunities and enjoy being part of the experience.

Explore Minis, Blue Group and Green Group to find the right starting point and check current availability.