Broadway and West End stars join new coaching platform amid theatre shutdown

Stars of Broadway and the West End are turning their talents to reaching during the theatre shutdown.

The likes of Rosalie Craig, Rob McClure, Hadley Fraser and Savion Glover have joined new digital coaching platform SLOCOACH ARTS which allows anyone to learn from some of the world’s finest artists by taking one-to-one masterclasses online.

And until the end of 2020, SLOCOACH ARTS will be donating all its profits to Acting for Others, a non-profit organisation headed by Dame Judi Dench CH DBE.

Academic students, early professionals and avid amateurs who would traditionally attend physical classes to prepare for exams, auditions and just to improve their skills, can now enjoy personal one-to-one masterclasses online.

Students choose their coaches, submit video footage of their performance and receive a feedback session from their idols. Coaches analyse performances in real time and provide tools and ideas to help their recruits develop.

The main platform feature is Recording Studio where coaches watch students’ videos and record feedback filmed by their webcam. They can highlight parts of the video content and use drawing tools to show posture or alignments issues and even put the video to slow motion. Coaches can also add other media to the lesson for better demonstration.

Stars currently a part of the platform include Rosalie Craig, Rob McClure, Hadley Fraser, Shelby Williams, Cassidy Janson, Savion Glover, Lauren Byrne, Sharon Sexton, Lucie Jones and Jodie Steele.

Derek Hardy, co-founder at SLOCOACH ARTS, said: ““I’ve been in the tech industry for almost 30 years and what always fascinates me is the combination of technology and creativity. We’ve come up with the idea of SLOCOACH ARTS to help people be their best and support the important – and currently struggling – arts industry.

“We are proud to have been joined by some of the most shining West End stars and we admire the work Acting for Others does – it’s a pleasure to be able to support them and help theatre workers in need.”

Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen, Co-Chairman at Acting for Others, added:: “We are very grateful to SLOCOACH ARTS and their brilliant mentors for supporting Acting for Others. It is increasingly important that we keep our creativity alive.

“This is a wonderful initiative which enables performers to keep honing their craft with an array of industry talent, online. From beneficial programmes like these we are able to continue supporting our industry through the crisis.”