Current Auditions:
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.
A Christmas Carol
Production Dates: 8th -19th December 2026 (18 performances)
Tech Week: 29th November – 7th December 2026 (tech and dress rehearsal dates tbc)
A Christmas Carol is the greatest Christmas story ever told and this is your chance to tell it as part of the cast of the Crescent’s 2026 Christmas Main House production.
This will be an ensemble production, keeping to the original, Victorian, setting of Dickens’ novella. Everyone cast will have lots to do and, with the exception of the person playing Scrooge, will play more than one part in the show so I’m looking for actors who can effectively create and switch between multiple characters. I’d like to create a fast-moving, physical production that will include some dance and some, simple, choreographed movement. I’d also like to include a little bit of carol singing; it is called A Christmas Carol after all… You absolutely don’t need to be a confident dancer or a great singer, but you will need to be willing to get stuck in, have a go, work hard and have some fun. If you specifically want a very small or non-speaking role as part of the ensemble, we can probably accommodate this too, please let me know on your audition form or tell me when you come to audition.
There are roles for all ages and genders. The adaptation is fairly traditional so most characters will be portrayed and costumed as the gender which Dickens wrote them in his novella but that doesn’t mean that the actor playing the character has to identify as that gender. And as for the ghosts, well, anything goes, and I’ve kept them deliberately ambiguous in the adaptation.
It’s important to note that we do several weekday daytime performances of the show and that adult actors will need to be available for all the performance dates. Please check these carefully before signing up to audition.
If you have any questions about the show, or you can’t attend either audition date but would like to audition, please get in touch: liz.plumpton@crescent-theatre.co.uk
Performance Dates and Times
- Tues 8th December 10.00 & 13.30
- Weds 9th December 10.00 & 13.30
- Thursday 10th December 10.00 & 13.30
- Friday 11th December 19.00
- Saturday 12th December 12.00, 16.00 & 19.15
- Tuesday 15th December 10.00 & 13.30
- Wednesday 16th December 10.00 & 13.30
- Thursday 17th December 19.00
- Friday 18th December 19.00
- Saturday 19th December 12.00 & 16.00
Characters
Playing ages are a guide only
- Ebenezer Scrooge, 50s-70s
- Jacob Marley, a ghost, but Scrooge’s business partner in life, so similar in age to Scrooge
- The Ghost of Christmas Past, any age
- The Ghost of Christmas Present, any age
- The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, any age
- Bob Cratchit, 30s-60s
- Mrs Cratchit, 30s-60s
- Fred, Scrooge’s nephew, 18+
- Young Scrooge, 18-30
- Belle, Young Scrooge’s fiancé, 18-30
- Mr Fezziwig, 40s-70s
- Mrs Fezziwig, 40s-70s
- Charwoman, 40s-70s
- Ensemble/The Carol, any age
There will be separate auditions for children’s roles in the show. Children cast below the age of 16 will be in two teams, each performing in half the shows (9 performances per team).
Intimacy
There are no notable requirements for intimacy in the show. There may be some physical contact between actors as part of the action, including hand holding, hugging and dancing. One scene may include an actor kissing another actor on the cheek or hand (to be agreed/confirmed). This will be choreographed in line with the Crescent Theatre’s Intimacy Guidelines.
Auditions
Auditions will take place at the Crescent Theatre. You only need to attend one audition.
Adult Auditions
- Wednesday 9th September at 19.30
- Friday 11th September at 19.30
Numbers permitting, there will be a short group activity using the extract attached. You will have time to work on presenting this in a small group before sharing your work. You will then be asked to read some short scenes from the play in pairs and threes. Again, you will have time to prepare and familiarise yourselves with these before sharing.
Please sign up to audition here: https://forms.gle/9ijgQbH3oeNGPHb97
Children’s Audition Sunday 13th September at 11.00
A Christmas Carol: Children’s Audition Sunday 13th September 11.00
We’re looking for children and young people to appear in our 2026 Main House Christmas production, A Christmas Carol. Roles include Tiny Tim, the Cratchit children, carol singers, street urchins, Ignorance and Want, Young Scrooge and schoolfriends. This is an ensemble show and everyone cast, including children and young people, will have plenty to do and lots of stage time.
Children aged below 16 are warmly invited to an audition at The Crescent Theatre on Sunday 13th September at 11.00. The audition will last for 90 minutes and will be in the form of a workshop, including some games, scenes from the play and a bit of group carol singing (not all children will need to sing in the show but we do need at least one per team who is confident to sing part of a carol solo). Parents/guardians are welcome to sit in, wait in the bar/coffee area, or drop off at 11.00 and collect their children at 12.30 from the theatre foyer. Our Production Assistant, Beth, will be chaperoning at the audition and will lead on safeguarding children during rehearsals.
There will be 4-6 children performing at each show. The plan is for children to be in two teams, each of whom will appear in 9 of the 18 performances.
Please note that these include weekday daytime performances and that this will require the consent of your child’s school for them to participate. The Crescent will apply for licences as required and provide chaperones for all performances.
Team A performances: Tuesday 8th December 10.00 and 13.30, Thursday 10th December 10.00 and 13.30, Saturday 12th December 12.00, Wednesday 16th December 10.00 and 13.30, Friday 18th December 19.00, Saturday 19th December 16.00
Team B performances: Wednesday 9th December 10.00 and 13.30, Friday 11th December 19.00, Saturday 12th December 16.00 and 19.15, Tuesday 15th December 10.00 and 13.30, Thursday 17th December 19.00, Saturday 19th December 12.00
Parents and guardians can complete an audition form for their child here: https://forms.gle/RPAkLv8dAHQJLE747
Rehearsals
Rehearsals for adults will take place at the Crescent Theatre on Wednesday and Friday evenings, 19.00 – 22.00, and Sunday afternoons, 14.00-18.00.
The first rehearsal is on Wednesday 30th September.
Rehearsals for children under 16 will take place on Sunday afternoons at The Crescent 14.00 -16.00. The first children’s rehearsal is Sunday 4th October.
Children will be needed for some evening rehearsals near to the performance dates, this will usually be a Friday evening from 19.00-21.00 but there may be one Wednesday evening. This will be communicated and confirmed with parents/guardians in good time.
Liz Plumpton
Director
liz.plumpton@crescent-theatre.co.uk