We interviewed our director Emma Louise McCauley Tinniswood to find out a little bit more about our upcoming production of Goodnight Mr Tom.  Emma has been teaching, directing, writing and producing for 20 years and is artistic director and founder of Step On Stage.
 
Why did you choose to do Goodnight Mr Tom?
I’ve always loved the book Goodnight Mr Tom, and especially the movie with John Thaw. I’m fascinated by stories set in World War Two, probably because of the things that my mum, who was a little girl in the war, and my grandma told me.  I really enjoy stories set in this period, but that aren’t solely focussed on the war but explore life at the time instead.  This has also been the inspiration for my own writing.  I love the relationships and friendship between Mr Tom and William and the other villagers.  I think there’s an important lesson about how children and adults can both learn from each other.

What is your favourite thing about working with young people?
I love working with young people because of their enthusiasm, passion and energy.  I love bouncing ideas and we have some good laughs in lessons and rehearsals.  It's great to see students getting involved and excited over projects.  I love the theatre and history and I am very passionate about sharing this love with others.  I think the theatre and arts are a great way to teach history.

How did you set the play?
There are a lot of scenes in this play in a lot of different locations, so trying to find a set that works and a set that can change very quickly has been a challenge.  Also, with an ensemble cast playing different roles planning out the costumes and quick costume changes is always a bit of a challenge too.  We therefore opted to have a set which could turn into several locations quickly and easily.  We then add chairs, tables and simple props to suggest the location along with the lighting design to create a sense of time and place. 

What is your favourite part of the play?
It got to be when William says, ‘I love you Dad’, this gets me every time.  But I also love the moments when William develops his friendships with the other children and adults, as these are probably the first relationships and friendships that he has ever had.   I think it's particularly poignant in the scene with his surprise birthday party, you can see how genuinely happy he is, but also how overwhelming it is as well.

Why did you choose to include ensemble sections?
I love ensemble theatre and I really like the work that can be created through a whole company working together in an ensemble way.  I’ve always been interested in Greek theatre and their use of the chorus.  I enjoy the work that develops and the ideas that can be created when a group work together and I often will see shows at the theatre specifically for ensemble work.  There’s so much scope for the images that can be created on stage, as well as the scenes and the world that can be created.  I very much enjoy productions which have ensemble casts and I tend to use them in the productions that I direct, but also in the plays that I write as well.  I recently saw Medea at The National Theatre which I loved, as well as a play called Common which had a big ensemble.  But it can also be a challenge, working with so many people all the time.

How did you decide to do the costume?
Myself and the costume designer, Trudie, have spent a lot of time looking at pictures of the period, cottages and villages over the last few months.  As the majority of actors play lots of different roles, we need to find a costume that can easily be changed, for multiple characters and quick changes.  So many have a basic costume that we then add different coats, jackets, hats, scarves and bags to.  We wanted to make it historically as accurate as possible, so we are using some lovely vintage pieces from the 1930’s and 1940’s as well, including a real 140’s gas mask and a real 1940’s haversack for Mr Tom.  Its fun searching ebay but also raiding charity shops and getting pieces specially made. 

Why did you decide to double cast the production?
I wanted to double cast some parts to allow for more people to have the opportunity of taking on a larger role, but also in case of illness then we had cover for the principal roles.
 
We also asked Emma about her work in the theatre since leaving University!

Emma started dancing when she was 3 at the Elmhurst School of Dancing.  She has spent her life involved in the arts ever since – dancing, music and theatre.   She studied Drama and Music at Royal Holloway University as well as the Central School of Speech and drama.  She is a qualified teacher and also has a Masters degree in History - so life is never dull! 

She founded Step On Stage in 2005 and the youth theatre company in 2008.  Emma has over 20 years of experience working in theatre as a teacher, director, producer and performer and has directed over 150 youth theatre productions including Annie Get Your Gun, The Merchant of Venice, Oliver, Alice In Wonderland, The Waterbabies, Look Back In Anger, My Mother Said I Never Should, Little Shop of Horrors and Romeo and Juliet, to name just a few.  Emma also writes for theatre has several published monologues and duologues, including pieces for LAMDA.  She writes regularly for youth theatre and Step On Stage Productions have performed her plays for examinations as well as the Leatherhead and Woking Drama Festivals.  The plays are often inspired by historical events or time periods.  Emma is currently working on a collection of monologues and duologues for young performers, and two new plays – Hope set in WW2 and Sing Little Cuckoo about the life of Nellie Bly.

When Emma is not in the theatre she is doing historical research, researching genealogy and house histories, writing articles for history societies and publications as well as travelling and taking thousands of photographs for her travel blog.

by Scarlett, Hope, Andrew and Jasmine - SHAZ Marketing 

Many students have continued onto Drama school including the Arts Educational School, Italia Conti, The Brit School, Central School of Speech and Drama and have also gained scholarships to local schools including St Catherine’s, LEH, Surbiton High School and Priorsfield.  Many students have also worked in theatre, Film, TV, Commercials and Dance performances with students performing at Sadlers Wells, Richmond Theatre and the Royal opera House.  A number of cast members were also involved in the recent film 'Patrick'. 

My grandmother and I love going to the West End to watch musicals. This summer we saw 42nd Street, on the first day of opening, and a little later we saw Kinky Boots.  Over Christmas we saw School of Rock, the Musical. Even though these shows are all in the West End, and are musicals, they are not the classical Andrew Lloyd Webber shows you would normally associate with a West End show.



​I really enjoyed 42nd Street. It is a good old school show but so wonderful to watch. I loved all of the songs and the story line but most of all I enjoyed the tap dancing. The speed and precision was amazing – I was mesmerised. Later in my tap class we started to learn one of the dances, as my tap teacher had been to a master class with the choreographer. How fortunate was I to be learning one of the actual numbers!

Kinky Boots... What a show! It was really funny to see all the men in bright red, knee-high, high-heels dancing and prancing on the stage. Not something you see every day. The characters are unlike other shows I have seen and the plot is so unique.  I loved all of the songs as they are very upbeat probably because Cyndi Lauper, an 80’s pop singer, wrote the score. If you love fashion, especially shoes, music and a sense of fun, I would recommend a visit. As all the reviews have said ‘There’s no business like shoe business’.

​School of Rock, the Musical is very similar to the film but you appreciate the talent of the children when you sit so close to them. It was really fascinating to know, and see, all of the children were playing their instruments. There were electric guitars, bass, keyboard and drums not to mention the singing – all such high standard. All actors gave 150% and really got into the ‘rock’ spirit. You left the theatre upbeat and wanting more. As if you had actually been at a concert. It is definitely in my top 5! 

13 year old Francesca attend weekly Musical Theatre and Tap classes as well as Dance and Acting summer schools.  She's been a member of Step on Stage for 2 years now. 

Alex is 14 years old and attends Drama classes at Step On Stage.  In the past she has also been a member of our Musical Theatre department and she also regularly performs as part of our youth theatre.  Alex wrote this piece early in September.

Summer has been and gone. Being bored because you had nothing to do, to now being bored because you find the class hard; having all the time in the world, to now having to cram a week’s worth of homework into one night; spending all night on your phone, to wishing you had got more sleep. These are the pros and cons that our generation struggle with on the first couple of weeks back to school.

Most of us would have spent our 6 weeks of holidays going abroad or having fun with friends or even staring aimlessly into space contemplating life.  But not me. I decided to fill my spare time with old school, retro films as well as new blockbusters. Yes that’s right. I had a 6 week movie marathon! The thing I like most about movies isn’t the actors playing the characters - as half of the old school ones I didn’t even recognise, but it is the stories which actually haven’t changed over time. There is still the one hero or the girl next door or the funny naughty boy and the high school drop-out. In fact that you don’t even have to watch a film in English to cry (that may have happened to me)! 

But what fascinates me the most, is when you watch a film that is an adaptation of a book you have read. These films are normally, in my opinion, one of the best as you already have in your mind what the characters will look like and you feel a strong connection with them but now you have a personality and a voice to go with it. This is also how I like to choose my favourite actors - the ones who can play multiple roles but who play them the way they were supposed to be, or at least how I imagined them to be.

One of my favourite childhood books, Wonder, is about to premier in the UK soon. The enthusiasm amongst my friends that their childhood hero, Auggie, can be loved by future generations as he is firmly immortalised in film is enormous. Jacob Tremblay, who is starring as August, now has over 1 million Instagram followers just because people were amazed at how someone so young can act better than they ever imagined. Another example is one of my other all time favourite books, To Kill A Mockingbird. The film is in black and white but watching it now, teleports you right there and it almost makes it worse seeing poor Tom Robinson. These are two examples of when ‘page to picture’ has succeeded but we all know the horror stories of when a book you truly enjoyed has been made into a film which didn’t get the message across the way it should have been. I mean, we have all angrily tweeted a director or at least seen the tweets!
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What I am trying to say is that not only is acting itself an art but the production of a film and keeping the audience intrigued is so much more interesting than everyone makes out. From a teen in this day and age who loves watching Dirty Dancing and The Breakfast Club but does enjoy a modern rom-com, I can confidently write that there is a secret to getting a ‘page into a picture’ and it only is a certain few can do it well … 

Hi I’m Scarlett and I’m 8 years old. I started dancing when I was 3 and musical theatre when I was 5.
 
I have musical theatre on a Saturday morning and I also learn tap, modern and ballet during the week. I like playing the piano too, I’m on grade 1. When I’m older I want to be a dancer, singer and actress. Or maybe a safari ranger. I love to watch musicals at the theatre and one day I want to be in one!
 
Last year I played one of Annie’s siblings in Annie get your Gun which was on at Hampton theatre. For the audition we had to learn and sing some songs from the show, I was nervous but so happy when I got the part! Being in the show was so much fun and I felt like I was part of a big family. The stage was amazing and my favourite song was ‘There’s No Business Like Showbusiness’ which was the finale. I loved my costumes and I can’t wait to try for the next one.

​In January I auditioned for an associate ballet place at BBA which is held in the Rambert dance studios in St Margarets. I’m so lucky to live so close to it as some dancers travelled for two hours to get there!
 
I was really nervous when we walked in because I didn’t know anyone there and I was one of the youngest. They had a pianist and the studio was made of glass, it was really lovely. We did lots of barre exercises and center work. I was so excited when Mummy got the call to say I had a place! I go there for two hours every other Sunday as well as my syllabus classes once a week with Miss Kate at Step on Stage.
 
For my next LAMDA exam me and my Step on Stage group are doing Oliver!  I was so happy when Emma said I was going to be Nancy. Then when she said I had to sing a verse of Oompah Pah all by myself I was super excited!!!!!!! I can’t wait to do my exam on the stage this Summer. I wonder what my costume will be like?

At the beginning of April my LAMDA duologue partner Darcey and I performed a scene from Wind in the Willows together at the Richmond Performing Arts Festival. I play Mole and Darcey plays Rat. We took part in the Year 6 and under duologue category so we couldn’t believe it when the adjudicator called our names out as the winners. We cried lots of happy tears and then we had an ice lolly as a treat! After the festival had ended we also found out we had won the Adjudicators special award – not bad for our first drama festival!
 
I work very hard and I love everything I do, I’m not sure I could choose my favourite thing. I love being part of Step on Stage – I’m sure you would too!

We are Lizzie and Olivia, both in Year 10, and for the past two weeks we have been doing work experience at Step on Stage. On our first day, we were nearly late- as the train didn't take Oyster cards and we walked in the complete wrong direction but still managed to make it on time! When we arrived, we did different jobs- Olivia stayed with Caroline and sorted uniform, and Lizzie went to the costume store with Emma and organised and labelled the hundreds of costumes to get them all organised for the forthcoming productions, summer schools and events.

For the next two admin days, and Monday and Tuesday of the second week, we started work on the Portfolios for the Trinity Musical Theatre Exams- Cats, Oliver and Little Shop of Horrors. For these we had to put together cast lists, lyrics, script, costumes, projection images, plot, rehearsal images and set design.

After 3 o'clock everyday we helped with drama and dance classes. In drama, on Mondays and Tuesdays, we helped prepare students in the Act 1 and 2 classes for their upcoming LAMDA exams and their poems for the Richmond Festival. In the ballet, tap, modern and mini jazz classes on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays we watched and went through the steps with anyone who wasn't sure of them or needed to practise.

Another side of the company we explored was social media and marketing. Everyday we tweeted, using photos, hashtags, quotes - popular methods to get people interested in the classes and workshops we were advertising. We also prepared letters to go to every primary and secondary school in the area with flyers and information about the Summer Schools and Easter workshops.

One thing we really enjoyed was helping with the classes because we got to work with all the little children who were really enjoying their lessons. We also enjoyed the themed drama classes because we did things like pretending to be crocodiles in a special pirate themed lesson which they really enjoyed, and it was something fun and different. 

On the second week of mini drama classes it was National Poetry Day, so Maria and Olivia's group did Easter bunny themed poems, and Emma and Lizzie's group did poems based on the five senses which the children wrote and then performed to the rest of the class.

Another thing we enjoyed was designing bags, notepads, pens, hats etc which may be coming soon to Step on Stage!
Overall we enjoyed our work experience and learned a lot about how Step on Stage runs and we didn't realise how much work they have to do and how much they have to organise!

Ballet Associate Auditions - My experiences this year by Taryn

Hi I’m Taryn and I’m 11 years old.  Last year I attended Cecchetti Associates.  It was every month and each class there was a forty-five minute ballet class and another class of something new each time such as character, Irish dancing, hip-hop and lots of others. You do Associates classes in addition to your normal dance classes. This year I auditioned for two more prestigious Associate schemes including Central School of Ballet, Tring Park School of the Performing Arts as well as Cecchetti again.

To prepare for the auditions you just need to work hard and stretch as much as possible. Sometimes you have to take photos of yourself in different positions such as arabesque, plié, and just standing straight to send in with the application (this is one of the photos I had to send to Central).

The auditions aren’t that hard because there are a range of ages and abilities. In each class at the audition there are about thirty children. You normally have a chance to warm up and stretch before you go in.  The audition itself normally contains barre work, centre work and a flexibility test.  I was quite surprised that none of the auditions I went to asked for the splits (thankfully). At first the auditions are quite scary but the more you do the better you will get.  Even if you don’t get in just think of it as a great class with an amazing teacher. If you make a mistake don’t stop smiling, smile even more, if you do they might not know you made a mistake!   
 
This worked for me, I hope it will work for you.