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Open Casting Call for Young Performers at the National Theatre

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We are looking for young performers who are excellent actors and singers for a new production of Roald Dahl’s The Witches at the National Theatre.

 

We are currently looking for three roles:

Luke: Male, playing age 9-11, must be a confident actor and solo singer. An adventurer who is brave and cannot wait to grow up and make his own decisions.

Bruno: Male, playing age 9-11, must be a confident actor and solo singer, tap dancing experience is a bonus! A very smart and funny character, he always manages to get what he wants. Likely to grow up to be Chancellor of the Exchequer!

Ensemble: Looking for fantastic actors, singers and dancers for this brilliant new show. Looking for really characterful young performers who’ll enjoy the challenge of creating a new musical! Open to all age 9-12.

To apply for this opportunity you must:

  • Live within 1 hour travel time of the National Theatre, London (SE1 9PX)
  • Be aged between 9-13 years on 4 September 2023
  • Be fully available to be part of a production between September 2023 – February 2024

If you fit the brief and would like to apply please complete this form by 10am on Monday 1 May with your details and a private YouTube link.

We will get back to all respondents by the end of June. We’re anticipating a high volume of applications and are really looking forward to hearing from you but please only apply once. If you applied via the open call in February you do not need to apply again. Unfortunately, we will not be able to consider applications made via email or post.

We’d love to hear from young performers from all backgrounds.

What to film for your video

For the video, we’d like to see you do two things:

Reading a story

  • We’d like you to record yourself reading a bit of a favourite story – ideally something that is in the first person.
  • We’d love to see you really enjoy the storytelling and share it like it’s your story, and that what happened in it has happened to you.
  • This should be somewhere between 90 seconds and 2 minutes.

Song of choice

  • We’d also like to hear a bit of a song. It can be anything from pop music to musical theatre, just something you enjoy singing and feel comfortable with.
  • We don’t need to hear the whole song, a verse and chorus is probably about right, it doesn’t need to be more than 1 minute.

Tips for your video recording

  • Ask a parent or guardian to check they’re happy for you to apply
  • Pick a story and song that you love
  • Get an older sibling/parent/guardian/friend to help film your story and song
  • You can tape this using a video camera or the camera on a phone or laptop
  • It does not need to be professional quality, but the sound and image need to be clear
  • If filming on a phone be sure to film in landscape and not portrait, and make sure the room you’re in is bright enough to see you clearly
  • Ensure background noise is kept to a minimum, so we can hear you clearly and that the camera is at eye level
  • Please film in a mid-close shot, this means we should be able to see from your chest to the top of your head
  • You’re welcome to sit or stand, whatever feels comfortable for you
  • Try to find a plain background to film against
  • You do not need to have learnt the lines and you’re welcome to have your book in front of you

FAQs

Why do I have to be between 9-13?

Why do I have to live within an hour of the National Theatre?

What does ‘fully available’ mean?

Will I have to miss school?

Do I need professional experience?

When do I need to apply by?

How do I upload my video?

If I have an agent, should they apply?

When will I hear back?

Do I need a work permit or license?

Will I need a chaperone?

If I’m successful, how much time will I need to be at the National Theatre?

Will I be paid?

GDPR privacy statement

At the National Theatre, we take your privacy seriously and will only use the information collected in this form in relation to your application for this call out.

By submitting the form, you consent to your data being stored in accordance with the National Theatre privacy policy.

Your information will be securely held on record for a period of 1 year, after which it will be removed.