Stage Mum

When Lisa Gee's six-year-old daughter, Dora, goes to an open audition for the West End production of The Sound of Music , it's just a fun way to occupy some time in the Easter holidays. But when Dora unexpectedly lands the role, Lisa soon learns that Dora's brush with fame has less to do with paparazzi and lucrative paydays and more to do with endless rehearsals and outsize egos. Part fairy tale, part cautionary tale, this is the hilarious, engaging account of one child's step into the limelight. From the initial try-out with over a thousand Von Trapp hopefuls to performing on the London stage with Connie Fisher and an encounter with Julie Andrews, mother and daughter navigate the minefield of rehearsals, auditions and fame. This is a heart-warming glimpse into the sometimes not-so-glamorous world of show business and the delicate balance between being proud and being pushy. Stage Mum is a story for every parent who dreams big and every child who dreams bigger. This is a book for every parent who has ever wondered whether to put, encourage or push their children onto stage, television or celluloid; for every grown-up child who wanted to audition and wasn't allowed to, and for anyone interested in the consequences when showbiz happens to nice – or just ordinary – people...Lisa Gee's six year old daughter, Dora, has been playing one of the Gretls in the Connie Fisher production of The Sound of Music in the West End. She had a fantastic time and, Lisa writes, is coming out the other side of this experience much the same girl, though Lisa hints there was the possibility that this might have gone otherwise. Dora didn't attend stage school, and they went to the first set of auditions as a lark, so there is a compelling narrative of the open audition process, from not taking it seriously at the beginning to gradually realising that Dora has won the part. The book is organised by the successive stages of Lisa's own and her daughter's initiation into the trade, to delve into the experiences of other parents and children, not only in her child's cast but in the entertainment industry generally. The thrills were all there, but there were some alarming moments as well. Lisa Gee writes in the first person, in an extremely lively, approachable voice, as far removed from that of the traditional pushy stage mother as you can imagine. A book for every parent who has ever wondered whether to put, encourage or push their children onto stage, television or celluloid. Part fairy-tale, part cautionary tale, this is the most engaging account you will ever read of a child's encounter with show business, told from her mother's perspective