Why Choose STAMP?

Why families choose STAMP

Choosing a performing arts group is a personal decision.

You want somewhere your child will enjoy attending, somewhere they can develop their skills and confidence, and somewhere you feel comfortable leaving them in the care of the team.

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

From our studios in Frederick Street, South Shields, we bring together singing, dancing, acting, rehearsals and live performance as part of one musical theatre community.

Here are some of the things that make STAMP what it is.

Singing, dancing and acting in one place

STAMP is centred around musical theatre.

Rather than concentrating on only one discipline, our regular groups bring together:

• singing and vocal work;
• dancing and choreography;
• acting and drama;
• performance skills;
• ensemble work;
• rehearsals for productions.

The balance changes depending on the group and what members are currently working towards.

That makes STAMP particularly suitable for children who enjoy several areas of performing arts or who haven't yet discovered which part they enjoy most.

A child might join because they love singing and discover they enjoy acting.

Someone interested in drama might discover a love of dance.

Others simply enjoy bringing all three together to perform in a musical.

If you're specifically looking for graded ballet or dance examinations, one-to-one singing tuition or an acting-only programme, our regular musical theatre groups may not be the right type of class.

You can explore Minis, Blue Group and Green Group to see what each group offers.

Beginners are welcome

Children don't need previous performing experience to join STAMP.

They don't need to have taken singing lessons, attended dance classes or performed in a show before.

Regular weekly membership isn't audition-only either.

Some members arrive already confident performers. Others are trying musical theatre for the first time.

Our role is to help them develop from wherever they're starting.

Read Musical Theatre for Beginners to find out what starting at STAMP can be like.

Performance is part of the experience

One of the biggest parts of STAMP is taking what members learn in rehearsals and putting it onto a stage.

Regular members are given opportunities to take part in productions and performances.

As a production develops, members can experience the journey from learning individual songs, scenes and choreography to seeing everything come together as a complete show.

Specific roles aren't guaranteed.

For most Blue and Green productions, members have opportunities to audition for individual characters and roles, while Minis casting is approached in a more relaxed and age-appropriate way.

But a production isn't only about principal roles.

Ensemble singing, dancing, acting and company work are all important parts of creating a show.

Read more about Student Performance Opportunities.

Fully staged productions for public audiences

STAMP productions aren't simply presentations at the end of a class.

We stage productions for paying public audiences.

Members can experience costumes, scenery, lighting, sound, backstage arrangements and the excitement of performing as part of a complete theatrical production.

We also bring in professionals from different areas of theatre and live production to support areas including technical production, lighting, costume and scenery.

This gives members an opportunity to see how lots of different people and skills come together to create a live show.

You can see our current productions or explore previous shows in the STAMP Archive.

Building confidence without expecting everyone to be the same

Confidence is an important part of the STAMP experience, but we don't expect every child to arrive confident.

We also don't believe confidence always means being the loudest person in the room or wanting the biggest role.

For one member, progress might be joining in with an ensemble number.

For another, it might be singing a line on their own.

Someone else might decide they're ready to audition for a principal role.

We encourage members to challenge themselves and take opportunities where possible while respecting what they're comfortable with.

There can be as much or as little opportunity as someone feels ready to take, with the team encouraging members to develop their confidence over time.

Read Building Confidence Through Performing Arts or our guide to Classes for Shy Children.

Part of South Tyneside since 2006

STAMP was founded in 2006 and has now been part of South Tyneside's performing arts community for more than 20 years.

More than 1,000 young people have come through our doors during that time.

We've seen members grow up at STAMP, perform in productions, move on to further training and careers and, in some cases, eventually return to the organisation.

That history isn't just something in an archive.

Some of the people teaching, directing and creating work with today's members first came to STAMP as young performers themselves.

You can discover more in our STAMP History.

A team with different skills and experience

Putting together musical theatre requires people with different areas of experience.

Across STAMP's teaching and creative teams, people contribute to areas including:

• singing and voice;
• acting;
• dance and choreography;
• directing;
• costume and wardrobe;
• technical production;
• safeguarding and chaperoning.

Each group has its own teaching team, and members can also work with other members of STAMP's wider creative and production teams as they prepare for performances.

Some of our current team were once STAMP members themselves.

You can meet the people working with our members and read about their roles and experience in the Team Directory.

Our own studios in South Shields

Our regular weekly classes have a permanent home at STAMP Studios on Frederick Street in South Shields.

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

Having our own studio base gives our groups a familiar place to meet, rehearse and prepare for productions.

The studios are on the first floor and do not currently have step-free access, so families with an access requirement should contact us before attending.

Productions can take place at other venues around South Shields, depending on the show.

Safeguarding

Parents need to know who they're leaving their child with and how safeguarding is approached.

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

During productions involving children, we use 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 information and confirmed credentials in our Team Directory.

A community beyond the rehearsal room

STAMP is more than a weekly class.

Members, parents, teachers, creatives, volunteers, chaperones, alumni and audiences all become part of the wider community around the organisation.

Parents and members are kept connected through Spond, which we use as our main communication platform.

Families can receive updates about sessions and rehearsals, see what's happening within their group, ask questions and communicate with teachers and other parents where appropriate.

During productions, Spond also helps us keep families updated about rehearsals, costumes, performances and other arrangements.

Read Meet the STAMP Community to find out more.

Transparent information for parents

We want families to be able to understand what they're joining before they commit.

Our class pages show the current information for each group, including session times, fees and joining availability.

We keep changing information on the individual class pages rather than repeating old prices or availability throughout the website.

That means you can check the current information when you're actually ready to join.

Visit our Classes page to compare the groups.

Three groups for different ages

STAMP currently has three regular weekly groups.

Minis

Ages 3–6

A lighter introduction to performing arts through singing, movement, acting, creative play and arts and crafts.

Weekly sessions run on Saturdays and Sundays.

Blue Group

Ages 7–12

Singing, dance, acting and performance skills with opportunities to work towards productions.

Weekly sessions run on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Green Group

Ages 13+

Performance-focused musical theatre combining singing, acting, dance, ensemble work and production rehearsals.

Weekly sessions run on Mondays and Thursdays.

Current session times, fees and availability are available through our Classes page.

Is STAMP right for my child?

STAMP won't necessarily be the right performing arts group for every child, and we think parents should choose the environment that suits their child.

STAMP may be a good fit if your child:

• enjoys singing, dancing, acting or musical theatre;
• wants to try more than one area of performing arts;
• would enjoy working as part of a group;
• wants opportunities to perform on stage;
• is a beginner looking for somewhere to start;
• wants to build their confidence;
• enjoys productions and the process of putting on a show.

They don't need to arrive confident.

They don't need previous experience.

And they don't need to know whether singing, dancing or acting is going to be their favourite part.

They can discover that as they go.

Come and discover STAMP

The best way to decide whether STAMP feels right for your child is to look at the group appropriate for their age and see the current joining options.

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

You can also read How to Join STAMP for a step-by-step guide to getting started.

For more than 20 years, STAMP has given children and young people in South Tyneside somewhere to sing, dance, act, rehearse, perform and be part of a company.

If that sounds like the experience you're looking for, we'd love to welcome your child to STAMP.