Episode 8 School for Stars

Millions dream of fame, success, and life in the spotlight.

But few realise what it takes to make it to the very top.

We're back inside one of the most famous stage schools in Britain.

Can we take it from the top please, and give it EVERYTHING!

We'll be taking you behind the scenes as we follow

all the highs and lows of the summer term.

It's heart, it's passion!

And show you what life's really like for those heading for the big time.

# You're taking my heart... #

-High five!

-Up, up, pick it up.

This is the School For Stars.

Coming up...

Estelle hits rock bottom over her exams.

I just can't do it any more, I can't, I'm really struggling.

Jordan gets a taste of the big time.

Fantastic!

And Karen loses her patience with Max and Luca.

I don't want to see you AGAIN until you can put some work in to it!

In this school, it's everyone's ambition to hit the big time

and be the next rising star in blockbuster films,

pop music, and the West End stage.

For one Year 8 pupil, this has already become a reality.

Last year, Jordan secured his first ever role in a West End musical.

You have got...

the role of a munchkin! SHE SQUEALS

And now with over 100 shows under his belt,

he's an up-and-coming West End star.

This year he's performing three shows a week

in another high profile musical, Matilda.

On the back of his success, Jordan's been on a photo shoot

for a top theatre magazine,

along with some other West End performers in the school.

Caty and Tilly are in Billy Elliot,

and Ed is in Singing In The Rain.

Great!

Today is his big photo shoot reveal,

but he's not too impressed with the results.

I just went to a local shop and I found this.

This is The Stage.

When Tilly, Ed, and Caty and I went to the photo shoot.

My photo's all right.

It's all right.

Not very happy with his picture,

Jordan must be hoping no-one in school sees it.

But Mr Vote has other ideas.

Right, good morning, everybody.

ALL: Good morning, Mr Vote.

OK, there is a buzz about the room

because The Stage is running an article

on kids in West End musicals.

Five of the six featured are Italia Conti pupils,

which I think is absolutely fabulous.

Congratulations to all of you.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

I think it was slightly embarrassing when Mr Vote read it out.

Me and Tilly were like, "Ahh!"

The rest of the school are really impressed.

Oh, amazing! Is this yours?

But Jordan is finding it difficult to take the praise he deserves.

It's amazing! You should be proud!

And there's another drawback to his success.

Because he'll be performing at the night of the end-of-year show,

Jordan can't be involved,

and has to sit out while all his friends rehearse.

THEY SING TOGETHER

I can't do Seussical so, like,

when everyone's rehearsing, it's a bit, like...

you're a bit lonely.

Yeah, I'm pretty, like, upset that I'm not going to be in the show,

but I guess it's just, would I rather be in Matilda for the six months

or do the show for that night?

I would like to do them both but, obviously, I can't.

It seems Jordan's paying a price for being successful.

So as the rest of his class rehearse,

all he can do is sit and dream of the West End.

But as Jordan sits it out,

the rest of the school's rehearsals are becoming more intense.

With the end of year show's opening night now less than two weeks away,

show director, Karen has decided to double the number of rehearsals.

3, shoot it up!

She wants perfect performances from everyone,

and right now, it seems like her cast are letting her down.

We are a team and we are only as strong as our weakest link,

and so if we've got one person in this group that doesn't know

the choreography, then that weakest link is going to affect

the whole company, and it can bring a show down.

In Seussical: The Musical,

Max, Luca and Ross play three cheeky monkeys

called the Wickersham Brothers.

And today the focus is on their routine.

Make sure you take your time coming in. You shouldn't even be there yet!

But Max has had an eventful term.

Since splitting with Jade, he's been putting all his efforts

into starting a band with Luca.

OK, I'm going to stop there, OK, stop there for me.

Boys, I need to see this section again.

But has Max been too busy busking to practise his part?

# Like the Wickersham brothers... #

Stop. That's wrong.

OK, again.

The boys' timing is off, and Karen isn't happy.

# Biggest blame fool in the jungle of Nool

# And monkeys like us should know... #

Right, that's terrible!

Would you like have a look in the mirror and see how bad it looks?

6, 7, 8.

# Cos he's the biggest blame fool in the jungle... #

OK, I never, ever choreographed that.

No, I didn't. I'll tell you what I choreographed.

# Cos he's the biggest blame fool in the jungle of Nool. #

Remember? Hmm?

That's what I choreographed.

You weren't doing anything like that.

7, 8...nope, again.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6...

As the rehearsal continues, Karen starts to single Max out.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7...

Max, now you don't even know what you're doing.

Again, effort please.

And 1...nope.

OK, let's go again.

Step, side, step and hold your trousers!

1 and 2 and 3 and 4.

That is SO lazy!

Karen is furious with the boys monkeying around...

I don't want to see you AGAIN until you can put some work in to it!

..and sends them off with their tails between their legs

for extra rehearsals with tough choreographer, Sharleen.

You could do it better.

Let's go. 5, 6, 7, 8 and drop.

Watch. Watch.

What am I doing?

I don't know, but it's wrong. 5, 6, 7, 8.

The pressure is relentless.

I'm starting to lose my patience.

And Max can't take it any more.

OK, stop. Go again.

Listen, you've got no time to get angry with yourself.

You can do this, you step every day of your life.

All right? Do not worry.

Focus on me, OK? Let's go again.

6, 7, 8.

But he refuses to give up.

Let's go again.

5, 6, 7 and 8 and 1, 2 and 3...

With Karen wanting to see the routine again

at the end of the week,

Max has his work cut out

to pull himself together and impress.

School can be tough for everyone,

but sometimes it's the things outside of school

that affect us the most.

In Year 10, Estelle is determined to do well in her upcoming exams.

Getting good grades in my GCSEs is important

as I'll probably want to go on

to a sixth form and do my AS levels.

But her grades have been falling since last year,

and it's undoubtedly due to tragic events at home.

I've always been really close with my dad,

and last year he came down with brain damage

and now he can't even remember who I am.

Despite doing well in a recent modern dance exam...

The exam went really well.

It's the best that I've ever done it.

..Estelle's still struggling to get her academic grades back up.

At school, my focus, concentration, I feel has gone.

# Sleight of hand... #

My brain is all over the place at the moment.

She has a GCSE science exam in a few days,

and right now, she's feeling far from ready.

I just can't do it any more. I can't.

I'm really struggling with science.

I'm really stressed.

And it's today that I'm feeling the stress a lot more.

I don't want to come out with a fail.

Can Estelle find her focus and get the grades she needs?

You're so smart, you'll be fine.

I can't answer one question.

All these questions, they've just come straight from the answer book.

Just revise it, take it in little bits.

It's for my, like, my sixth form.

I have to get 8 As and Bs.

I can't get a C.

You've just got to do what we all do.

You've just got to work as hard as possible,

because no-one else is going to get you an A in science.

You can only get yourself an A in science.

Yeah.

Now it's kind of up to me.

I just want to get that kind of top grades,

and I know I need to put my head down,

but I've also got to prove to myself as well as my family

that I can still do it, regardless of all this.

Up-and-coming West End star, Jordan,

has been getting a taste of what every student strives for. Success.

But it's been coming with a price.

I can't do Seussical,

so when everyone's rehearsing you're a bit lonely.

But his time waiting on the sidelines

has come to an end for today,

as he leaves school for his dream job in the West End.

Jordan is six months into a ten month run at the theatre,

and it's become like a second home.

This is the stage.

Here are all the wings where everyone gets ready before we go on.

As you can see, it's pretty cool.

One of the best stages I've ever seen.

It's amazing. All the colour and everything.

Jordan is in the musical for nearly the whole show,

and that means lots of eyes watching his every move.

It's really fun performing in front of around 1,200 people

and, like, you normally get really nervous,

but once you get used to it, it's so fun.

# This time it's all I've ever wanted... #

These are all the seats that people come and sit in.

They're not just only kids because it's Matilda.

There's families and adults and...

yeah, they all really enjoy it.

It's a big variety of people, really.

With over 50 performances of the show under his belt

and huge audiences watching him perform,

Jordan's hard work seems to be paying off.

I'm really glad to be part of this industry.

I know tons of kids that really want to be here

and to be here instead of them is quite big and I'm really proud.

One person that's been struggling with her dream is Year 10's Estelle.

Ready for today?

No! I don't want to do it!

It's a big day for Estelle,

as her dreaded GCSE science exam has arrived,

and she's aiming for top grades.

My head's still all over the place, if I'm honest.

But I've done a lot of revision.

I don't want to say I'm ready.

When I go in there, the only thing I can answer is my name!

That would be terrible!

Really, really, really nervous, yeah.

With exam time approaching,

Estelle and classmates Reece and Natasha

are having a last minute revision session.

What is meant by a "balanced diet"?

THEY GIGGLE

But there's one problem...

That's the metabolic rate, isn't it?

-No, it's not!

-Yeah, it is!

..they can't seem to agree on any of the answers.

We're all talking at once!

I have been revising with Estelle and she's been making me

more confused than ever,

because she's got completely different answers.

She is getting it all wrong!

What ever she says, I know to do the opposite.

So that's a good thing in one way, I guess.

There's no time to figure out who's right,

as science teacher, Miss Avaries ushers everyone up to the exam room.

My pencil case is so much better than yours!

But just moments before they're due to go in,

Estelle realises she's forgotten one important piece of kit.

You are allowed a calculator, pencil case, ruler, rubber...

I need to get a ruler!

You don't have a ruler?!

Aargh! I don't have a ruler!

That's a protractor.

Ruler!

Ruler!

Ruler in hand, Estelle makes it back to the exam room

with just enough time to calm her nerves.

You'll be fine.

My legs are shaking!

And reveals one edge she might have over Reece.

I put my science book under my pillow, though.

Did you? Why?

You put your science book under your pillow, it goes in to your head.

Because you know you lay with your...I don't know.

-I just did it anyway.

-Obviously, that's just a myth.

Reece doesn't seem too impressed.

Good luck.

-But as she's called in to the exam...

-Estelle.

..it's time for Estelle to try and forget

all about her problems at home and focus on doing the best she can.

The end-of-year show is drawing closer, so rehearsals have moved

out of school and into one of the school's theatre spaces.

Show director, Karen, is running all the numbers

to see how they work on stage.

It's a big day for everyone, and especially Max, Luca and Ross.

Last time the boys performed their routine,

it was pulled apart by Karen.

That's terrible! Would you like to look in the mirror

and see how bad it looks?

And Max crumbled under the pressure.

If we mess up today, I won't be very pleased with myself

and neither will the guys, I'm sure.

And Karen won't be very happy either.

So, yeah, we really don't want to mess up!

And today, Max has more reason than the others to impress Karen.

Today's really special because it's my birthday

so I don't want to get on the wrong side of Karen on my birthday.

So hopefully, as a nice present,

she'll hopefully be really happy about it

and yeah, hopefully, it'll go really well.

Max is certainly very hopeful.

So the boys sneak in some last-minute practise

away from watching eyes.

How low are we getting?

Really low.

Your legs have to be really wide and you literally have to be down.

-You need to have your hands on your trousers.

-Oh, yeah, yeah.

But it seems they can't escape Karen, wherever they hide.

I'll be seeing you later.

As they're called down to the theatre,

can the other Wickersham Brothers' help

give Max his ultimate birthday present?

# Looking down on him... #

KAREN: OK, guys, can we run the first section, please?

# Ha, laughed a voice

# Ha, laughed some others

# Ha, ha, ha, laughed the Wickersham Brothers... #

-The boys perform confidently.

-# Talking to a speck

# Talking to a speck, to a speck of dust

# In the jungle of Nool... #

But what really counts is impressing Karen.

My Wickersham Brothers...

if ONLY it was like that last week!

I wouldn't have had to pull you over to one side

and give you a little chat!

That is the level up here that I should have seen last week,

so as we can build on it.

-That will never happen again, will it?

-No.

-Max, ever?

-No, no, it won't.

-OK, because it's so close now,

and we just need to make sure that it's even tighter.

Thank you, boys,

but don't EVER drop that level again. Well done.

It looks like Max has got the present

he was looking for, after all.

Well done, guys! Nicely done!

Estelle's GCSE science exam is over

and it looks like it wasn't nearly as bad as she thought.

There wasn't anything in there that I didn't answer or revise.

Everything in there I revised and I kind of knew.

Even if I answered it wrongly, I still knew what it was.

Hello, Mum? I've done my exam.

I'm thinking maybe... a high C or a B.

I was able to answer every question in that exam,

even though I found some harder than others.

I'm hoping it'll pay off in the grade

that I should get at the end of the year.

Seems like the book under the pillow did the trick,

or maybe it was the hours of revision...

Another person dreaming of success is Year 11, Steph.

She lives to dance

and has big dreams to become a choreographer

for the likes of Beyonce.

She is such a wicked dancer

and the choreography that she's given is insane

and I'd just love to work with her one day.

At school, Steph is always keen to help out her dance teachers.

Everyone's hooking it and then going down.

-Hook it and then step it out.

-'Steph is on it.'

She's good at picking up things that I don't see.

She's great.

Guys! Please, please, stop talking.

I know I'm only a year above, but I do want to try and help you.

And today, she's got a huge challenge ahead of her.

She's performing at the school's annual barbeque in Kent

and of the eight girls in the routine,

Steph is the only one who is also

assistant choreographer to teacher, Jo.

-I have a feeling it comes in faster.

-Do you think?

I think it's just 7, 1,

2 and a 3 and a 4.

Let's do it as it is, like that.

7, 1.

Me and my teacher, Jo, have choreographed this together

and it's kind of hard to see what's going on because I'm in it, as well.

And it's not always easy being in charge of your friends.

1 and 2, 3 and 4.

I just enjoy teaching because,

obviously, I've had teachers growing up.

The only hard thing is there's three of my best friends in that class.

So they just take the Mick out of me,

or laugh at stuff that I do.

So it can be quite hard, but we have a laugh and it's good.

Shall we run it?

There's a bit that I want to clean on all this section.

OK. 5, 6, 7, 8.

But soon there's a problem for the rookie choreographer.

Is Naria there?

No, she's there.

One of the dancers is missing.

OK, hopefully she comes quickly. So where is Naria now?

-She was there.

-As in, where she stands?

Opposite Chloe.

Without knowing if the missing dancer will show

for the performance, Jo decides to change the routine.

And she's trusting Steph to put it all together.

OK.

I could always take them into the conference hall.

-Are you happy to do that?

-It's cool.

Yeah.

With only two hours to go,

it's now down to Steph to take charge of her friends

and re-choreograph the routine.

On this bit, I think we should just stay with our head up,

so we don't put it down.

So we just literally go, boom...OK?

Teacher, Jo, has no doubt she can do it.

She's just a great motivator, she just gets people up.

No matter whether they're getting it or not,

she just pulls them together and really gets the best out of them.

7, 8, 2, 3, 4, explosion, and...

But just as things are starting to come together...

-I'm so sorry!

-It's OK.

..the missing dancer shows up.

Shall we reset it?

Looks like it's back to plan A.

6, 7 and 8.

This bit is now only 1,

to go straight into the boom, tap, cap.

5, 6, 7, 1.

But does Steph have enough time to get her routine looking good?

We're the last number,

so the thing people are going to see last.

So we have to make it memorable

and make sure that everything is perfect.

I'm excited, but I am a little bit nervous.

I think that's a strut.

Shall we try from the beginning again?

In central London Max and Luca have taken time out

to see their friend starring in the West End,

and their expectations are high.

If I was him, I'd be nervous knowing that two friends have come to watch me.

It's really cool, Jordan, like, cause he's basically...

-His name's on the board and stuff.

-..kind of famous, yeah, I guess.

It's really cool, having your name on a board of a worldwide show.

That's pretty cool, yeah.

I wouldn't mind having that!

With the boys feeling a bit star struck,

they head in to wish Jordan good luck before show time.

Good luck for tonight. Look out for us.

Where are you? In the stalls?

I think so, yeah. Somewhere like that, yeah.

Cool, see ya.

Back in Kent, the school's annual barbeque is starting to sizzle.

The crowds are arriving and show time is almost here.

Backstage, the clock is ticking

for Steph to repay the faith that Jo has put in her.

We're in between those.

She's in charge of the routine,

so this is her chance to prove

she has what it takes to be a choreographer.

Jo has given me the opportunity to teach choreography.

It's the first time I've done it. If I mess up, it's going to look bad

and I'll make everyone else look bad, which I don't want to do.

I'm a bit nervous, but...

just that I'm going to get stuff wrong,

because I know everyone else is going to do really well.

It would be embarrassing if I got it wrong.

As the crowd takes their seats,

word has spread backstage that the event is bigger than expected.

I just hope I don't fall off the stage!

I thought there was 50 people coming but there's 260 out there. Great(!)

Steph has to hide her own nerves

and lead her team of dancers in one final practise session.

1 and 2, wait for me.

# I am just too close to love you... #

I'm really nervous!

Mmm!

# There is nothing I can really say... #

Put your hands in.

The girls are called to stage.

But will the crowd like the routine Steph has put together?

SCREAMS AND CHEERS

# Girls! Who run the world? Girls

# Who run the world? Girls

# Who run the world? Girls

# Who run the world? Girls

# Who run the world? Girls

# We run the world

# Who run the world? Girls. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Steph has done it. The crowd are loving it.

THEY CHEER AND SCREAM

It went really well and I'm really happy,

and we got loads of cheers

and I think everything went well. The energy was good.

Everyone came off smiling

and we've already had people say that they liked it.

So I'm really happy.

The crowd may have loved it,

but what did Jo think of her up-and-coming choreographer?

So good! Really, really, really good!

'Steph and the girls did absolutely brilliantly.'

The crowd loved it and I'm so proud, so proud.

But does Steph have a potential future as a choreographer?

I think Steph's definitely got a future.

She's got great ideas.

She uses the music uniquely,

she looks at the words, mixes the lyrics with the beat,

and it's really her style.

She's got a very unique way of looking at things

and I think it's really great.

With positive feedback from her mentor,

there's only one way to celebrate a successful show...

5, 6, 7, 8!

..and that's with a good old belly bump

Steph's not the only one to have finished a successful show.

In London's West End, Jordan has finished

another performance to a packed theatre.

So has he done his friends proud?

Here he is!

Jordan! THEY CHEER AND APPLAUD

Mate, you were sick!

It was absolutely brilliant!

It's like, you can't put it into words.

It was absolutely fantastic.

I don't think you can top that.

It was probably THE best musical I've ever seen

and Jordan really, really did us proud.

That was amazing.

Your hair is mental!

Jordan was amazing.

Like, like, really, really good.

It was so good seeing him on the stage, as well.

When he first came on I was like, 'Look, Luca, look! There's Jordan'.

Mate, that was wicked!

That was so good!

I was really good coming out of the show

and seeing my mates, because normally

I don't see any people that I know watching the show.

So it was, like, really good fun, and the show was good as usual.

-It was, like, insane!

-Let's go.

It was so good!

Back at school, can Year 10, Estelle,

turn her traumatic time around?

Estelle has been battling to get her grades back up

after some devastating family news.

I don't want to come out with a fail.

She felt positive coming out of her GCSE science exam.

There wasn't anything that I didn't answer or revise.

But she's about to find out how she's doing

in all her other subjects.

Sorry to interrupt, Miss Makis.

Could I borrow Estelle for a few minutes, please?

Headmaster, Mr Vote, has the results of her GCSE mock exams

and wants to see her in his office.

It's time for our exam review.

Estelle needs As and Bs to get into the college she wants.

Right, do take a seat.

But is she back on track or not?

Right, first things first.

How do you think you got on?

Erm...yeah, OK.

I think I've put in a lot of effort.

But has all the hard work paid off?

Well, I have to be honest with you. To be perfectly frank...

..I'm actually very, very pleased.

Because you've actually gone from Cs to As

and you are well on your way to going to where you want to go.

It's great news for Estelle.

Her grades are back up and Mr Vote is thrilled with her efforts.

Thank you very much indeed!

OK, thank you, Mr Vote.

'I'm trying to do everything to kind of make my dad proud.'

If he knew what I was doing now, he would be proud of me.

I'm over the moon. Absolutely over the moon.

Life can be hard sometimes when the pressure's on.

And it's easy to let yourself crumble.

But remember, it's not how you fall down

but how you get up again that really counts.

Next time, Reece goes up for the biggest audition of his life.

This is what can happen. If you want it, show it. Give it to me, yeah?

It's finally prom night for Georgia.

I'm really nervous!

-And rehearsals get intense for Mia.

-What's the point in you doing that?

You're wasting your own time, and mine.

This is life at the School For Stars.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd