''Backstage'' is a Canadian

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

series about a

performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...

high school created by

Jennifer Pertsch Jennifer Pertsch is a Canadian writer, producer, story editor, and one of the founding partners of Fresh TV, a Toronto-based production studio specializing in teen and family oriented television projects. She began her career as a writer for Nelvan ...

and Lara Azzopardi. The series aired in Canada on Family Channel from March 18 to December 9, 2016, and in the United States on

Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...

from March 25 to September 30, 2016. The series was also released on

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

in early 2017, with season two premiering on the streaming service on September 30, 2017. The series' ensemble cast includes Devyn Nekoda, Alyssa Trask, Josh Bogert,

Aviva Mongillo Aviva Chiara Mongillo (born February 6, 1998), also known as Carys, is a Canadian pop singer and actress. She is known for her roles as Alya Kendrick in the Family Channel drama '' Backstage'' and Juniper in the CBC sitcom ''Workin' Moms''. Af ...

, Matthew Isen, and Julia Tomasone.

Premise

The trials and tribulations of the students at Keaton School of the Arts, which includes dancers, singers, musicians, and artists. The characters frequently

break the fourth wall The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...

, talking to the viewers in so-called "confessionals".

Episodes

Cast

* Devyn Nekoda as Vanessa * Alyssa Trask as Carly * Josh Bogert as Miles *

as Alya * Matthew Isen as Jax * Julia Tomasone as Bianca * Adrianna Di Liello as Jenna * Colin Petierre as Sasha * Mckenzie Small as Scarlett * Romy Weltman as Kit * Isiah Hall as Denzel (season 1) * Kyal Legend as Julie * Chris Hoffman as Park * Jane Moffat as Helsweel * Thomas L. Colford as Beckett (season 2)

Production

Actors in the series are all real dancers and musicians embodying the true spirit of the performing arts. Directors for the series include top music video directors such as RT!, Director X, Wendy Morgan, and Warren P. Sonoda as well as Mario Azzopardi and Lara Azzopardi. The first season production order consisted of 30 episodes. On May 10, 2016, it was announced that ''Backstage'' was renewed for a 30-episode second season for a 2017 broadcast on Family Channel in Canada. On September 30, 2017, the show's cast revealed on social media that the entire second season had been picked up by Netflix.

Broadcast

The series premiered on Family Channel in Canada on March 18, 2016, and on

in the United States on March 25, 2016.

secured the license for the series in several countries in Europe, Africa, and the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

. It premiered on

in the United Kingdom and Ireland on May 9, 2016, and on

in Australia and New Zealand on October 28, 2016. The second season had its world premiere on July 28, 2017 in the UK and Ireland. The entire second season was released in Australia on the

ABC Me ABC Me (stylised as ABC ME) is an Australian English language children's free-to-air television channel owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was officially launched by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on 4 December 2009 as ABC3. Hist ...

app and on the

ABC iview ABC iview is a video on demand and catch-up TV service run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Currently iview video content can only be viewed by users in Australia. As of 2016, ABC iview attracts around 50 million plays monthly and ac ...

on-demand service from September 15 to October 15, 2017. In the United States, the second season was released on

on September 30, 2017.

Reception

Critical

''Backstage'' has received positive, albeit lukewarm reviews from critics.

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

gave the series three out of five stars, saying that while it "doesn't really break new ground", it "does touch on many issues that are worthwhile for kids".

U.S. ratings

Music

* The primary source for performers and writers is the end credits of episodes.

Season 1

Season 2

References

External links

Backstage
at Family Channel (Canada)
Backstage
at Disney Channel (U.S.) * {{Family Channel original series 2010s Canadian drama television series 2010s Canadian high school television series 2010s Canadian teen drama television series 2016 Canadian television series debuts 2017 Canadian television series endings English-language television shows Family Channel (Canadian TV network) original programming Television series by DHX Media Television series by Fresh TV