NotaPushyMum.Com

Hi. I am new here so I do hope this is the right section to write my comment.
My daughter is 10 and loves performing in musicals. She loves to sing. She wants to do more musicals and various performing roles. I have been advised to get an agent
as then this allows more opportunities. However this is my worry. I have just been reading some of the children who became famous due to performing as children but are sadly no longer with us. I have spoken to some parents who say that their school work suffers as they have to audition a lot through the school year and miss exams etc. This is my worry. I really don't know what to do for the best as my daughter loves school, her friends and everything else she does around school such as guides, swimming, etc. Many people say it is a great commitment as you end up travelling around for auditions.
I am in a dilemma. Do I go ahead and find an agent or just let her do the odd shows in her area.
Any advice would be great.

First of all, welcome to the site. There are many many performing children and the vast majority have an amazing time but do not become "famous". Those are a very very small percentage so do not be put off by the tragic stories you hear. Also, you do not need an agent to audition for Westend shows. Jessica Ronane and Jo Hawes list shows currently auditioning so check them out. There are many people on this site who will be able to offer you first hand experience. Have a look through all the threads on this site and you will find a wealth of useful information about agents etc. Good luck

Hi barmby123 and welcome As caroline A-C said it's rare indeed for a child performer to become so famous their mental health suffers and you are only at the beginning of a long road. I can share my personal experience with you if it helps:

When my DS was 8 or 9 an actress friend of mine, having watched him playing and knowing that he sang and danced already, suggested we should get him an agent. I was amazed - the thought had never crossed my mind. We talked about it as a family - if he were accepted by an agent and if he should happen to get an audition and, even less likely, if he got a job how would we cope? What about my work (luckily I'm self-employed), his sisters school and commitments, his school work etc etc. There is undoubtedly a lot to consider.

In the end we decided - one step at a time - there was no decision to be made until something happened.

Well he got his agent and a week later was asked to audition in Sunderland (3 hours drive), the week after it was London (a whole day out) and so we went on for a few months. We said no when we couldn't get there and school were very supportive - many (thought not all) auditions for kids are held late pm so that they can do a day (or at least a morning) at school first.

Since then he's had 4 TV roles, 2 series of voice over work and has just finished a 6 week run at the Manchester Royal exchange - I think that's not bad going and he's loved EVERY minute. He's learned an enormous amount and his school work has not suffered (he has to work hard though, to keep up).

School, (now secondary) whilst still supportive are slightly anxious about his attendance figures but that will improve now the play's run has finished.

i know he would not want to swap a single moment despite the hours of travel, waiting around, 100s of rejections (or rather - just hearing nothing) he loves it and is prepared to do the extra work outside of school to keep up.

Only you know your child - it's not easy on them, you or the rest of your family but there are compensations - his sister almost burst with pride when showing the review of him off to her friends.

I hope this help a bit with making whatever decision is right for your family - best of luck x

Hi barmby123

Welcome - you are in the right place.

My advice is to create the opportunities that you can, but let your DD set the pace.

By all means, look for an agent for her. There is lots of excellent advice on these threads that is well worth digging through. It might save you a fortune in money and a ton of disappointment because, sadly, there are organisations that seem to exist to rip off unwitting parents who are trying to do the right thing. You don't want to fall into that bear trap. Fortunately there are also reputable agents that want to nurture young talent, so with care and information you can find the right one for your DD.

Local shows and short films are also an excellent learning ground. If you develop your networks you'll find plenty of opportunities for your DD to explore her interests.

But - as I said before - let her set the pace and keep it fun. If it stops being fun, or she doesn't want to put in the time energy effort and emotional commitment that goes with the territory, just ease back or accept that it's not for her right now. Which is absolutely OK.

Fame is a funny old thing. Not many performing kids are truly famous (how many can you name off the top of your head?) but she may have to cope with a degree of local recognition if she is cast in something, no matter how small the part and how local and amateur the production. From what I can tell, most kids who are truly interested in performing (rather than wanting to be a celebrity - that's something else) find ways of creating partitions between their work and the rest of their lives, just because it can get a bit tedious being asked constant questions about roles and productions when you'd rather be playing hopscotch. Also the ratio of auditions to jobs has to be experienced to be believed, so many kids don't tell friends that they are going to an audition because they don't want to deal with the constant 'did you get the part then?' that can go with it.

You'll need to learn to help her with this by knowing who she wants to include and who she would rather not, and respecting her choices. That's one of the benefits of this forum - we can share, laugh, cry and vent with people who know the reality of our kids' interests.

If your DD experiences the opportunities that she will have to perform and enjoys the reality of it all, then you are both in for an amazing time.

Hope this helps - feel free to ask questions, there is a lot of experience on these forums.

And don't forget to let us know how you get on

Deb x

Thank you so much for your positive comments. They have helped a great deal! My daughter is appearing in a musical in March and auditioned for the first time for this role. She came out of the audition and was buzzing! I feel the time is right to look at opportunities and this site is just the beginning. I have contacted an agent I was recommended and I am waiting now for a reply. I will keep you posted and continue to stay in touch on here. Thanks again.