P.A.T.A.D.O

For many people, it seems odd that a group of teenagers would want to run a theatre company, and many parents may have worries about their children joining. Below is all the information you should need about our company, and if you still cannot find what you are looking for, please contact us.

Please remember that we are not a performing arts school, such as Stagecoach, we have created PATADO as a sort of 'club' for those who are interested in performing arts to attend.

What is PATADO, and what does it do?

PATADO is a small theatre company in South Buckinghamshire. We aim to get more young people interested in the performing arts, both the performance and creative/backstage sides. We hope to do this by holding regular performances, attending and performing at events, and having regular meetings/workshops. We are sort of like a club, and encourage others to take part in performances and just have an enjoyable time taking part. We hope to give confidence to young people too.

How old are your staff?

The majority of our staff are aged 16-18, but we have some over the age of 18.

Are your staff paid?

No, our staff our not paid. This may seem odd to you, teenagers working for no money (shock horror!), but we all do this because we love the performing arts and want to get other people our age, and younger, interested in it too!

How much do you charge, and what does it cover?

We charge an annual membership fee of £10. This helps to cover costs of:

Hiring rehearsal/performance venues, some costumes and props, interval refreshments for performances, ticket and programme printing.

Is there an extra fee for joining the troupes?

Yes, there is an additional fee of £5 per year. This is because we will be competing in festivals and competitions which charge an entry fee, and we also have to hire extra rehearsal space.

What method of payment do you use?

 Unfortunately, at the moment, we can only accept cash because we have only just become eligible to open a business account. When we finally have it up and running, we will also be able to accept cheques.

How much experience do you have working with children, and in the performing arts?

A lot, and probably too much to list here, so its worth going to visit the staff page where you will find all our experience information. Our main founder, Ziggie, is an assistant and cover teacher for the Musical Kidz Company. She has worked at Lighthouse Childrens Christian Holiday Week as a Lighthouse Keeper for twenty-four seven year olds, and has a lot of experience as a baby-sitter. At Pipers Corner she was the Library Monitor for the Prep Department (7-11 year olds), and she helped her dance teacher, Ninette Hartley, by looking after the Pre-Preps (3-6 year olds) during their ballet examinations, doing their hair, helping them prepare, and chaperoning them. She also helped the Prep Department ballet girls prepare for their ballet exams. She has grown up in a family of performers and has always accompanied her parents to performances and events. As a professional performer herself, she knows what it is like to be a performer on stage, the ins and outs of the performance industry, and she also has experience backstage, as do most of our staff. Liam Nutkins is a trained first aider. The rest of our staff have just as much experience working with children, and have all recieved training in different aspects of the performing arts. The majority of our staff are CRB checked and the rest are in the process.

I am worried about leaving my child in the hands of teenagers. Am I able to stay for rehearsals to check my children are okay?

It saddens us to hear that you do not trust us to look after your children, but yes, you may stay for rehearsals. However, if you do so, we kindly ask you to remain quiet and to not distract your children from rehearsing / learning. But we also would like to reassure you that we are very trustworthy.

Do you hold any teaching qualifications?

At present no, but we are keen members of the performing arts with a lot of knowledge and experience, and we want to pass on what we know to others.

Is there anybody who can reassure me that you are responsible, and that the company is not a fake?

Of course! If you need to hear from our references, or any parents whose children have taken part, or any of our members, then do not hesitate to contact us, telling us what you would like to know, and we will forward you the significant details.