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My dd's school has decreed that pupils in year 12 are to go forth and find themselves a person to 'shadow' within the area which said pupils are hoping to make their future career.( Apparently shadowing is a bit like work experience except rather than getting general experience with employees working within an organisation, they are supposed to find an individual to trail around and annoy for a week.)

Finding anyone prepared to allow dd to do this is proving very difficult, especially as the school have specified the last week of term. So not only do I have to find someone prepared to let her shadow them, but they have to be available for the last week of term ! Just to make things more difficult, my dd's hoping to make a career in either Opera or in Musical Theatre !

Ideally I would like to find someone directing a show or play, or filming something, who might be prepared to let her watch them and help out for a week !
Has anyone got any ideas at all, I'd be grateful for any suggestions. We are in striking distance of London.
She may have to contract a mystery illness for the last week of term at this rate !

Don't you just love it when schools have "good" ideas like this I would imagine your best bet is to try getting in touch with as many small theatre / TIE companies as possible and see if any of them can help. Hopefully some other NAPM-ers will have some better ideas for you! Hope your DD manages to sort something worthwhile out

I know all the big London theatres do work experience programs which usually take place at the end of the summer term. It isn't quite shadowing but it gives the participants the chance to see what happens 'behind the scenes' at the theaters and maybe talk to some of the performers about their work. It also provides them with connections to the theatres which could be useful. My friend who wants to work in stage management did this, she got to work on Shrek and Legally Blonde.
Also if you can find a performer willing to let your DC shadow them during the summer holidays the school might let your DC do this and have the assigned shadowing week off as a holiday instead?

Hope that helps.

Thank you both. I hadn't really thought about the TIE companies, I'll give that avenue a go ! Not terribly hopeful at this late stage though !