PD Management is a London-based talent agency representing talented child actors and musical theatre performers, from 4 to 18 years old.
Acceptance is via audition only. From there the youngsters are registered on Spotlight and submitted for work in theatre, TV, film and commercial work.
It’s a long standing and genuine talent agency for kids, earning its place on our list of 20 Reputable Agencies for UK Child Actors thanks to the ongoing success of clients and positive PD Management reviews from parents.
PD Management’s Founder Jo Wellings
PD Management’s founder, Jo Wellings, was a professional dancer. After training at the Central School of Ballet and Arts Educational London, she performed with several prestigious ballet companies including the English National Ballet, European Ballet, and the visiting Bolshoi Ballet.
She founded the Pleasing Dance School of Ballet in 2001. The Royal Academy of Dance registered school operates several branches across London, and provides dance teachers to local schools and nurseries.
Jo Wellings also worked as a choreographer on the BBC’s hit TV Movie Gangsta Granny (2013).
Meanwhile, Jo’s own offspring became child actors. She gained personal experience of juggling family commitments and managing expectations.
Since PD Management opened its doors about a decade ago, it has quietly built a solid reputation as a talent agency representing hardworking and talented youngsters. Moreover, it has great feedback from parents too.
Who Does PD Management Represent?
PD Management represents children and young performers, from 4 to 18 years of age, for theatre, TV, film and commercial work.
The rosters are divided into kids and teens.
It’s a boutique agency, small enough to know each of the youngsters on the books, but large enough to give a chance to a newcomer with bags of potential.
The agency hosts workshops, run by casting directors and other industry professionals.
Applying To PD Management
PD Management are constantly maintaining a spectrum of looks and skills across their roster to meet industry demands.
Casting director briefs are frequently specific about age, hair colour, eye colour, ethnicity, foreign languages and sports skills required, so agencies work hard to balance their rosters to meet these expectations.
That said, the agency is selective so there must be something special about your child to get noticed if they haven’t got any experience or credits yet.
The agency holds audition days twice a year. Every potential performer attends an audition before an offer of representation is considered.
To apply, send in an application to the email address specified on the agency’s website.
Set out details of relevant experience and skills. If your youngster has no experience then set out some reasons to consider them.
Your child’s application must be accompanied by a good, clear headshot in focus. It doesn’t need to be a professional photographer’s picture. A simple home photo, as long as it only shows your child and without accessories, props and hats, is fine.
At the audition, each child delivers a short monologue. In addition, children seeking musical theatre work must perform a song.
Then the team works with the youngsters to see how well they do with improvisation and script work.
Representation By PD Management
All children and teen actors represented by PD Management subscribe to Spotlight, the UK’s premier casting platform for actors. Parents pay the annual subscription fee, which is normal practice across all talent agencies.
Young performers need professional headshots for their Spotlight profiles, updated annually.
PD Management recommends a small group of photographers to parents, who then make their own arrangements for new and updated headshots.
In accordance with normal industry practice, the child actor’s family pays the photographer.
Remember too that casting trips to Central London are usually at the family’s expense. You get little advance notice of castings so you must have flexible family arrangements to work round them.
Find PD Management on Social Media
The agency’s social media accounts show positive interaction with parents. When families feel they’re part of an agency group enough to cheer on the children of others, you know there’s a positive vibe about the work the agency does.
You can find PD Management on:
In addition to the social media pages, you can keep up with news of what PD Management kids are doing through the agency website’s newspage.