AUDITION NOTICE: Curtain Up!
WT is committed to being a diverse and open organisation. Auditions are open to anyone, regardless of background or experience, and we particularly welcome those who have been traditionally under-represented in theatre.
We’re giving you a sneak preview of the first of the new season’s shows, which will be holding some auditions before our 2023-24 season is announced on Friday 21st April. Peter Quilter’s Curtain Up! will be our September show, directed by Sophie Pierce.
Imagine a group of people, all absolutely dedicated to ensuring the success of a local theatre incredibly close to their hearts. Sound familiar? Fancy recreating the experience on stage? If so, Curtain Up! could be for you.
From the author of Glorious and Duets, Curtain Up! is a jolly, warm-hearted comedy about five women who inherit a dilapidated old theatre from Michael, the recently -dearly-departed man in all their lives, and dream of restoring it to its former glory.
They try various fundraising schemes but their most ambitious by far is to host a concert with a world- famous headliner who, to their shock, agrees to appear for no fee. However, as we know all too well, sometimes even the best laid theatrical plans don’t always go our way.
The action takes place entirely inside a theatre, swapping from the lobby in the first half to the front stage in the second. It will feature some movement requirements from our actors, as there is a set aerobics style dance sequence, but we shall embark on this with much hand-holding and laughter along the way! Movement pieces should form part of the physical comedy of the show, rather than being highly polished performances (although the cast will need to be comfortable learning a routine).
This is a fantastic, all female five-hander character piece, with pure joy and love for theatre at its heart.
Characters
| Character | Playing Age | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Theresa | Mid 20s to early 30s | Michael and Pam’s daughter, a little bit naïve who gets wrapped up in the nostalgia of the theatre and throwing her- self into its restoration in honour of her dad. |
| Sharon | Mid 20s to early 30s | Michael’s former PA, Sharon is quite eccentric and a bit punky, very bubbly and enthu- siastic with little social filter. |
| Pam | Late 40s, to late 50s | Theresa’s mum, Michael’s ex wife. A little bit frumpy and uptight, still bitter about her divorce from Michael and jealous of Jackie, the woman he left her for. |
| Jackie | Late 30s to mid 40s | Michael’s second wife. Very glamorous and sporty, likes the finer things in life and being very well presented, which often causes tension between her and Pam. |
| Betty | 60s to 70s | Theresa’s nan and Pam’s former mother-in-law. Betty is harmlessly scatterbrained for the most part, with bursts of embarrassing lucidity and the ability to deliver a withering putdown, usually aimed at Pam. |
Auditions
The read-through is on Thursday 13th April at 7.45pm in the Luke Room of the Bradbury Centre in Rose Street.
Auditions are on Tuesday 18th at 7.45pm in the theatre auditorium and Tuesday 25th April at 7.45pm in the Bradbury Centre’s Mark Room.
Anyone who wishes to audition but is unable to make one of those dates should email Sophie to find an alternative time.
Rehearsals are expected to take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, starting from mid May, likely to move to three rehearsals a week closer to the performance.
The show dates are Wednesday 6th to Saturday 16th September.
Sophie Pierce
Director
sophie.j.pierce@gmail.com
Alan Long
Production Manager
alan_long1@sky.com
Sophie Vallely
Stage Manager
s.lane260@ntlworld.com