Trafalgar Entertainment, the premium international live entertainment group, has acquired the children’s extra-curricular drama specialist organisation, Helen O’Grady Drama Academy. The Helen O’Grady Drama Academy has been in operation for over 40 years and provides education in 36 countries, with over 100,000 students studying one hour of drama each week.
The business will run alongside Stagecoach Performing Arts, the UK’s largest network of extra-curricular performing arts schools for children, with 350 franchises in eight countries, led by Executive Chairperson Helen Enright. Trafalgar Entertainment acquired Stagecoach three years ago, and Helen O’Grady Drama Academy will share the same franchise business model, with expectations to expand globally.
Rosemary Squire, Joint CEO Trafalgar Entertainment said: “The Helen O’Grady Drama Academy ethos of self-development is about boosting confidence and communication skills in children, many of whom seek to improve their self esteem. Sadly, arts education funding is being squeezed from the national curriculum so it is vitally important that a drama provision like this is made available to everyone. Trafalgar Entertainment believes that inspiring children through the creative arts is an important investment for the future.”
Nigel Le Page, CEO of Helen O’Grady said: “I can’t think of a better new home for the Helen O’Grady brand. Our shared vision for the performing arts and development of children means that our franchisees will benefit from the expertise that Stagecoach and Trafalgar Entertainment has to take the brand to the next level.”
Today’s expansion of Trafalgar Entertainment’s portfolio comes after a busy year of acquisitions, including a 70-year lease to run 1575-seat Olympia Theatre which will be the biggest new permanent theatre to open in London since the 1970s, the refurbishment and re-launch of Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End, the acquisition of Australia’s 1200-seat Theatre Royal in Sydney, the acquisition of HQ Theatres and Hospitality including 12 theatres regionally across the UK, and the opening of new luxury members club cinema complex, Chiswick Cinema in London.
Lisbeth R. Barron, and the team at Barron International Group, LLC, acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Helen O’Grady Drama Academy for the transaction.