Crossing the Atlantic to bring Stagecoach Performing Arts magic home

New franchisees from Canada have recently swapped maple leaves for the rolling hills of Surrey as they made the journey to Stagecoach Performing Arts’ head office for their all-important initial training. For Matt Dewald, who is launching Stagecoach Calgary East, and Roxanne Richardson, the new Principal for Ajax and Pickering, the trip has marked the start of an exciting adventure – not just across the ocean, but into the world of inspiring local young performers.

For Matt, the Stagecoach opportunity came about thanks to a family tip-off. “My dad came across Stagecoach through a Google search,” said Matt. “He’s a business professor and took the initiative to find opportunities that might suit me at this point in my career. The more we learned about Stagecoach, the more interested we became. Calgary has a tight-knit theatre community, so I was surprised I hadn’t heard of Stagecoach before – but it didn’t take long to see where it could fit in.”

With a background in both theatre and education, Matt knew Stagecoach was the perfect match. “This is exactly the type of business I will enjoy operating. Having the Stagecoach brand and support behind us is invaluable,” explained Matt. Having recently signed the contract for his greenfield territory in Calgary East, Matt is already putting his experience to good use – teaching drama for Stagecoach Calgary North West ahead of opening his own doors in September.

Meanwhile in Ontario, Roxanne first heard about Stagecoach through a friend whose daughter couldn’t stop raving about her classes. “Around the same time, I was looking for business opportunities and, while on the Stagecoach website, I discovered the franchise opportunity,” said Roxanne.

What appealed to Roxanne was Stagecoach’s authentic approach. “While exploring other franchises, I found many were aggressively selling. Stagecoach wasn’t like that at all. It wasn’t mass marketed – it felt like a reputable brand genuinely looking for people who wanted to make a difference.”

For both new franchisees, the trip to the UK was a highlight in itself – and more than worth the miles. “Anytime I get to travel somewhere, I’m thrilled,” said Matt. “The highlight was meeting all the people. It was amazing to connect with so many enthusiastic people with a wide range of skills, all eager to help us on this journey.”

Roxanne agreed: “Head office training was comprehensive and so well structured – end to end, it was amazing. Meeting such a broad network of Principals and head office staff dedicated to my success was invaluable.”

The immersive training, packed with practical insights and connection-building, has left them both feeling ready to get started. “The training covered so much that will prepare us for what’s to come, and it’s given us a community and support system to lean on,” explained Matt. Roxanne added, “Between the training, strong head office support and mentorship, I believe I’m well poised for success.”

Kristi Wenaus, Master Franchisee of Stagecoach Canada, is proud to see new Principals making the journey to Surrey to receive the same gold-standard training as their UK colleagues. “Investing in our people is at the heart of what we do,” said Kristi. “Whether they’re based in Toronto or London, we want every new Principal to feel fully equipped, inspired and part of the Stagecoach family right from day one.

“That’s why we bring our international franchisees to the UK – to build their confidence, connect them with our network and make sure they have everything they need to bring the Stagecoach magic to life in their own communities.”