Current Auditions:
- SHEILA’S ISLAND
- KING LEAR
Want to be involved but don’t want to act? There’s always plenty to do backstage – see our membership page for details.
Non-members are welcome but please read the notes on this page.
Membership Commitment – as part of your membership we expect all members to support the theatre by assisting with our Front of House Operations when the theatre is open for performances by either Stewarding, working on the Bar or Coffee Bar. We term this as a “Duty” and members are expected to do eight “Duties” per membership year.
New Members will be asked to do three duties before the run of any production they are cast in. Existing members should ensure that they have fulfilled their quota of duties before auditioning or they may not be considered for a production. All members should do a minimum of three duties within a four month period.
The Crescent Theatre is committed to the promotion of equal opportunities within the theatre, and affiliated projects, through the way we manage the venue and provide services to the community. No person should experience discrimination or lack of opportunities on the grounds of gender, race, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability. In the provision of services and in regards to the membership and visiting companies, the Crescent Theatre is committed to promoting equal opportunities for everyone. Click here for our Statement of Commitment on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. If you need any reasonable adjustments to enable you to access an audition, you can let us know in advance by filling in an online audition form.
Please note the opportunities below are Unpaid
Please note
While auditions are intended for members, non-members are welcome to attend on the understanding that, if successful in reading for a part, you would be expected to become a member of the theatre. This entitles you to take part in all theatre activities and to concessionary ticket prices. In return you will be expected to attend all rehearsals and performances and to undertake your required allocation of front of house duties. Your membership subscription must be paid by the end of the second rehearsal. Membership fees for a year are £60 (£25 if unwaged). More details on Crescent Membership can be found in the membership pages.
Unless stated otherwise, the venue for all readings and auditions is the Crescent Theatre.
SHEILA’S ISLAND
Directed by Frankie Haydon-White & Kevin Middleton
Contact: sheilasisland@crescent-theatre.co.uk
Please click here to let us know which audition you would like to attend.
Sheila’s Island: think Lord of the Flies but with middle aged women and in the Lake District. It is an incredibly comedic play starring four women who get stranded on an island in Derwentwater while on an office team-building weekend. Sheila has been nominated team leader and using her cryptic crossword solving skills has managed to get her team completely lost. The four heroines find themselves in survival mode, with only the contents of their rucksacks to help them – which includes a selection of spatulas, some plastic plates and a toasting fork. And of course we won’t mention the drama of the one burnt sausage. Questions are asked; truths are told; dirty washing is aired. Is it possible to build an adequate night shelter with a prom dress and a sleeveless jumper? What is Julie’s husband really up to in Aldi? And why are they on this bloody team-building exercise when they could be at a spa?
Sheila’s Island is a really fantastic piece of contemporary comedy with four fabulous roles for women. It is a play that has both heart and humour and we hope will be fabulously fun to work on.
Characters
There are four women who make up the cast: Sheila, Denise, Fay and Julie.
It’s an ensemble piece and the cast stays on for the majority of the show. All four women are well fleshed characters with their own personalities to explore.
The characters are all around middle age so we are looking for actors who present within the range of late 30s-60s.
We are happy for the women to have any accent, although the script has them hailing from the North West.
- Sheila – Trying her best to be a good leader and keep the peace. Sensible and good natured if a little unsure of herself. Intelligent but lacks common sense.
- Denise – She is sharp, sarcastic and cynical and very quick witted. She is very outspoken and not afraid to express her opinion regardless of whether it may be well received.
- Fay – A slightly awkward, deeply religious woman with a history of mental health issues. Tries hard to fit in and be a part of the team but doesn’t seem to quite grasp all the social cues.
- Julie – All the gear and no idea. A rule follower and a bit keen although slightly snooty. Perceived as a bit lame and boring by others (well, mostly Denise).
Intimacy
- All 4 characters start the play wet and will change into their dry clothes on stage using towels and foliage for cover.
Auditions
- Auditions will take place in the Cumberland Room on Wed 31st July 7pm-10pm, Sat 3rd August 2pm-6pm, Callbacks (if needed) Sun 4th August 10am-2pm.
- Please sign up using this link.
- The audition has two parts:
- For the first part you will all come together and have the opportunity to read for the four women in groups and get a feel for their personalities and humour. We will have copies of the text available at the audition and released in advance although there is no expectation to learn them.
- For the second part please prepare a monologue of up to 60 seconds in advance. This could be anything: a monologue from a show, song lyrics, your favourite poem etc. It does not have to be learnt by heart but needs to be very familiar to you at the least. We will ask you to choose one of the women and perform the monologue conveying the personality and voice of your chosen character. You may receive some redirection after this as well.
Rehearsals
- Rehearsals will begin on Friday 16th August and follow a Wednesday evening (7pm-10pm) , Friday evening (7pm-10pm) and Saturday afternoon (2pm-6pm) pattern, with the exception of Sunday 22nd September (2pm-6pm), which replaces Saturday 21st.
Audition Pieces
KING LEAR
| 16th – 30th November |
| Directed by Jaz Davison |
The story of two fathers — one, a King who wants the privileges of Majesty, but not the responsibilities; the other, a loyal Knight in his Court who ignores the deadly dangers his past indiscretions have brought into the open. Each rejects their true-hearted child and places their faith in the very offspring that have practiced all too well the sins they learned from their fathers. My vision is an exploration of the failings of two fathers and the hopeful attempts of at least two of the children to ‘break the cycle’. Rehearsal clothes, continuous action, queer-centric – some characters will be specifically given a sexual orientation: not necessarily spoken of directly in the text but will be essential for character subtext. |
Characters 1) KING LEAR – male, 80 years old: autocratic, failing mental health; reaping the “rewards” of being an absent/demanding father to his two elder daughters, and the push back from training his youngest daughter more in the blunt ways of the son he never had than in the pleasing ways of women. 2) GONERIL – female, 30-35: Lear’s eldest daughter, well organized, very controlling, manipulative, pleasing to a fault – as she has learned at the hand of the father. 3) REGAN – female, 27-32: the middle child, resentful, duplicitous – has not only learned from her father’s actions, but also from observing Goneril’s successes and failures in placating their father. 4) CORDELIA – female, 23-28: youngest daughter, bluntly honest and true-hearted, brought up by her father (after her mother dies in child-birth) in the ways and tactics of men. Devoted to her father and thinks poorly of her sisters. Also to play The Fool – the singing-dancing-clowning loyal companion of Lear, in hopes of teaching her father the error of his ways. 5) KENT – male: Knight in Lear’s court – blunt, opinionated, quick to anger, devoted to Lear enough to stand up to him and defy him. He, too, disguises himself to continue to protect Lear. 6) GLOUCESTER – male: another Knight, naïve, aging, gullible, but ultimately loyal to King and Family. Has loved his eldest child, Edgar, but disapproves of their life choices and instead, he now places his faith in Edmund, his bastard son. 7) EDMUND – male: Gloucester’s bastard son, ambitious, cunning and ruthless. His resentment of society’s prejudice against his improper birth leads him to take advantage of any opportunity to gain and use power. 8) EDGAR – androgynous, possibly trans-sexual: Glocester’s legitimate, elder child – faithful, honest, resourceful, true-hearted to themselves and Family. 9) ALBANY – quietly gay: Goneril’s husband, honourable, self-assured, slow to act, but fearsome when provoked. 10) CORNWALL – bigoted: Regan’s husband, fiery and stubborn, cruel and impulsive. 11) OSWALD – pansexual, non-binary: Goneril’s steward, confidante and occasional lover, ambitious, always looking for ways to ingratiate themselves with the powerful 12) FRANCE, KNIGHT, CURAN, STEWARD, MESSENGER, FRENCH OFFICER, EQUERRY, GENTLEMAN, OLD MAN, PHYSICIAN The twelfth actor will cover these small roles (one has only three words), no audition sides will be used for these minor roles until the call-backs. |
This Production adheres to the Crescent’s Intimacy guidelines and the Equality and Diversity & Inclusion Policy – both available at: crescent-theatre.co.uk Intimacy and Safeguarding Assessment: Brief kissing (forehead, cheek, etc) and hugging between Edmund-Goneril, Edmund-Regan and Lear-Cordelia Additional intimacy scenes may be discussed during rehearsal and included with the subsequent permission of the actors. Brief stage-combat (w/fight advisor) – three short dagger fights Dead bodies are carried off by other actors after the fights |
Auditions
The Playing Script has been trimmed and adapted. Reading copies are available at the Crescent Theatre Offices. One-page Audition-sides are being provided – see the Lear-Audition_Sides.pdf file that accompanies this notice for the complete set. Printed copies will be available for your use on the day, of course. To sign up for the auditions, please use the Crescent Audition Link. |
| Rehearsals Begin Sun 1st September. Taking place on Sundays: 10:00 to 14:00; Tuesdays and Thursdays: 19:00 to 22:00 |
For questions regarding the show, or auditions (including what to do if you cannot attend the audition dates), please contact kinglear@crescent-theatre.co.uk |