Stage and Company Management: An Expert Talks on Working with Children

This session is a 90 minute video discussing the facets of managing children and chaperones on a live performance. For company and stage managers.

How many performances can a child do in one day? How many chaperones do I need on my production? Can a child’s parent also be a chaperone? Working with children adds a whole new dimension of management and logistics to any production process. From UK Law and licensing, to industry best practice and chaperones, join children’s casting director and celebrated author, Jo Hawes to discuss working with children.

Jo Hawes

​​​​​​​Jo Hawes CDG trained at LAMDA and began her career at the Theatre Royal Windsor in Stage Management. In London she was part of the stage management teams for Annie, The Pirates of Penzance, On Your Toes and La Cages Aux Folles. Following several years as a theatrical PA, she became the Children’s Casting Director for Oliver! at the London Palladium in 1995. Many spectacular shows have followed and current productions (prior to lockdown) include Les Miserables in London and on tour, Mary Poppins, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, The Sound of Music tour and Identical. Jo recently cast a very exciting workshop of a new reworking of Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Jo runs a variety of courses and classes for children in the UK and abroad including Masterclasses in the Art of Auditioning, Performing Arts Holiday Courses with Mark Hedges and Carrie Grant and Mental Health Courses for chaperones.

In 2012 she was commissioned by Oberon to write Children in Theatre – a guide for parents who find they have a performing child in their family.

Jo has been married to Tim, a trumpet player for 34 years and she is proud that all their children are involved in the industry.

She is thrilled and honored to have been awarded the 2020 Olivier Special Recognition Award.