Auditions & performance opportunities
We are aware that some casting websites and agencies, copy our casting calls out to their clients. That is absolutely fine, but please ensure that all relevant information (dates, locations, rehearsals, profit share, etc) are also shared and not altered. Our castings as laid out in this website section, are the correct official version, this is our official website. If you have questions, that are not answered here, please email us. Thank you.
This production company has signed up to the Protecting Actors Fringe Charter, helping to ensure all cast and crew involved operate under safe and fair working conditions.
Protecting Actors : SHIELD:11581
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(When attending an audition please bring comfortable clothes, a pen, your diary, a comprehensive list of dates that you are not available for rehearsal or performing, and your completed audition form.)
We do not charge membership or audition fees. We do however operate with a strict system of performers contracts. |
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1307 (theatre, radio, film)
This drama, centering on theories and legends surrounding the inquisition against the medieval Knights Templar.
We are working from the same script; to perform a full length theatre show, as well as recording a radio drama, and dramatising part of the script into a 10 min film. Margery is a confident young girl in medieval Bristol, in 1307, aged 18-25. Daughter of a local workman, she is in a very innocent "young love" relationship with a young Knight Templar, Arthur -, though they both know it cannot go anywhere due to his vows and commitments. Caught up in the intrigue surrounding the end of the Knights Templar and the accusations of heresy, she ends up on the run with Arthur and others. This is a medium size role, the actress will also be asked to appear in crowd scenes in other parts of the production; eg the fall of Acre and the arrests at the Paris Temple. This is not a combat role, although Margery is involved in a tavern brawl scene as a non-combatant. There is no nudity or physical intimacy required. Script, costume, etc all supplied. * Nb, we do require that the successful performer is based in the South Devon area, because of the logistics of attending rehearsals and performances. REHEARSALS____________ Wednesdays 6.30pm - 9.30PM & Sundays 12.30pm - 4.30/5pm in Brixham, South Devon. Rehearsals are already underway so someone who can join us promptly, is preferred. Good attendance is required. THEATRE SHOWS___________ Fridays-Sundays (currently being booked) Mid June- Mid July, around South Devon at various venues. Photoshoot and location based video trailer to promote the theatre show taking place at the end of April, in Torbay. One of these will also be filmed as an entry to a theatre festival competition in New York, USA. FILM___________ There will be a short spinoff film based on the latter part of the script, filmed later in the summer, in South Devon, dates to be agreed with cast and camera/sound crew. REMUNERATION_____________ - Equal share of profits; that is ticket sales less venue hire, alongside the other cast and crew. The film, as a short, will be equal profit share from any festival prize money or any distribution. We do not have funding in order to manage more, sorry. - Character and promo photographs - Copies of any and all publicity featuring your character - film footage from video trailer plus film footage of theatre production, and film footage from short film. - Lots of free teas and coffees in rehearsals and shows TO APPLY_________________ You can PM me here on facebook (I am the director), or email us direct on southdevonplayers@gmail.com. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to come and meet us at one of our rehearsals, do a brief audition, and will be informed if successful or not as soon as possible. (within 24 hours). ------------------- *This project takes three forms with the same script and cast: 1- Full length scripted theatre drama for stage This is to be performed in and around Torbay, and Plymouth, in earlyt summer 2018. We are also looking into the possibilities of performing in Bristol, where part of the drama is set. 2- Full length scripted and dramatised radio drama for local radio Recording to take place on at local radio station for subsequent broadcast. This will then pass back to us for online distribution, to create (we hope!) profit shares for everyone. This will be a single day, or two half-days of audio recording in Paignton, Devon 3- Short 10-min film (adapted from the above script) We are using part of the script, from the 1307 dawn raid on the Paris Temple, onwards, to create a short film, This will be filmed on location in Devon and Cornwall, with one short additional scene in Bristol. Actors doing the theatre show and radio play have priority on these roles, but if not able to appear in the film, we will be open to casting differently for this. Nb: with this project, we do need the full length cast to be the same for radio and theatre. Ideally we would like to cast the same actors in the same roles for the short film, but are open to changes if someone is unavailable for filming. ****Synopsis of production**** In October 1307, an inquisition was called against the powerful, and international organisation, which had grown up from a religious order of warrior monks, during the medieval Crusades, who are now famed in legend as the Knights Templar., or more properly “The Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon”. Accused of heresy, and confessing under torture, their Grandmaster , was burned at the stake in 1314. In the centuries since, myths, legends, theories and questions grew and remain. Were the Knights Templar heretics? They certainly had secrets, with guarded secret initiations; but what was their secret? Were they simply fanatical medieval Christian crusaders who had grown too powerful for their own good, around whom a mythos had grown? Were they guardians of an ancient Holy secret that the church in Rome needed to destroy? 1307 is based on those legends, and one line of theory. Beginning in the fall of Acre, on of the last Crusader ports, in a dramatic siege in 1291, in what is now modern-day Israel, and continuing to medieval Paris, and thence to England, and linking to legends in the Southwest of England, surrounding the Knights Templar, this drama follows a Templar knight, Hughes, and his secret. This is a heavily researched historical drama, about what might have been. In light of modern-day politics and issues, we want to make it abundantly clear that this production has no intended racial or religious bias, nor will any such inference be tolerated from anyone linked to the production. Characters opinions, allegiances, religious and political beliefs are those of the characters only, and where possible, are the known stances of the historical figures in person, as much as can be ascertained from historical research and records. There is good on all sides and bad on all sides. This production is not linked to any neo-Templar organisations. REHEARSALS Rehearsal dates: Wednesday evenings 7pm - 9.30pm, Sundays 12.30pm - 5pm. at Chestnut Community Centre, 1-3 Poplar Close, Brixham, Devon, TQ5 0SA, the same as the auditions. For this reason, priority will be given to performers who live in the South Devon region. Please note that you will be expected to attend regular rehearsals. |
What happens at our auditions:
Our auditions, unless otherwise stated in audition information, take the form of script readings in groups of auditionees, (scripts provided at audition), in front of a casting panel. If you are auditioning for a specific task such as a singing or dancing role, you will be asked to prepare something of a relevant genre, of your choice to show us at the audition. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by a parent. You will be informed within a stated time, if you are successful. It is only in very rare cases that we accept video auditions, and then only from people whom we already know are reliable. As a rule, we expect you to attend in person. As professionals and aspiring professionals, we do our utmost to ensure that we do our bets to reward the team members from ticket sales, less venue hires. While full amounts can never be guaranteed, the amount, whatever it is, is equally shared among all cast and crew, so that nobody is treated differently than any other. If you have questions, please get in touch via email southdevonplayers@gmail.com. In your audition, we will look at several factors in deciding who gets the role. These include: - Suitability for role and quality of audition given. - Skills in clear speaking, expression, body language. - Good social skills: how you seem to interact with others in the room. - Pleasant, positive "can-do" attitude. - Timekeeping (arriving on time, or communicating in advance if unavoidably delayed. We reserve the right to not audition latecomers.) - Preparation (bringing audition forms, your pen and diary, etc) We do take natural "audition nerves" into full account, but due to only casting for serious performers who, regardless of previous experience, share our career-based ethos, we look for a range of qualities required by anyone who seeks to be a serious performer. THEATRE & FILM The following session, for those selected as cast, will involve a mandatory getting-to-know session, for the team, along with workshops, getting measurements or any especial information relating to the roles, and stating what is expected. All cast and crew will be expected to sign contracts which will then be held by our secretary. A seated script read-through will also take place and you will have the opportunity to ask role or production questions. THEATRE Rehearsals will subsequently take place on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons at Chestnut Community Centre, 1-3 Poplar Close, Brixham, Devon TQ5 0SA. You are expected to attend a minimum of 75% of rehearsals, and to inform the director at once if you find that you are unable to attend a rehearsal. No-showing more than once is likely to result in removal from the production, or in being cast in a smaller role. FILM Rehearsals and readings will take place prior to going on location, at a time and location agreed by the cast. CASTING AGENCY As stated EXTRA TRAINING - SPECIAL SKILLS WORKSHOPS All workshops are free for our cast members. Please see our Training page for information on workshops. Some may be show-specific and only for cast members. Some may be open to the public, for a small fee (in which case pre-booking and payment is imperative). IMPORTANT This may seem very basic indeed but is being noted publicly after a couple of incidents over recent years: If you are joining us as a performer, please be aware that you will be expected to read and learn your scripted scenes, by the deadlines given, attend rehearsals on time, and to keep detailed notes on your blocking (where you are stood on stage, on stage directions) penciled into your script. Joining us as a performer also requires that you have adequate literacy to do this. You are not joining an amdram amateur club, but a dynamic professional team of ambitious, hardworking, career-orientated people. You will also be required to abide by the norms of socially acceptable behaviour towards other members and towards the public, failure to do so, is likely to result in instant dismissal. Notes for all our auditions -
* New performers for our internal shows and films are always welcome regardless of experience. We require that you are reliable, serious, have good social skills, and that you are willing to get involved, and work towards a high quality production, respecting our ethos of safe environment, and of creating professional -grade productions. * Unfortunately, we are not able to cater to "special needs" as that is not our remit, nor do our type of shows provide such facility, nor would someone with such requirements enjoy working with us. Anyone becoming involved needs to be able and willing to work alongside other high ability performers in ambitious, fast moving, professional-level roles. If you are looking for an alternative needs drama club with a more relaxed atmosphere, please contact Roc Creative in Paignton. * Being involved with us allows you access to a lot of perks like: free photoshoots/ video clips/ references / access to castings for local films / professional studio-based actors headshots etc! * Performers are expected to commit to attend rehearsals in Brixham (in Torbay, South Devon) once or twice a week, and therefore must live within easy travel distance for these. Main rehearsals take place on Wednesday evenings, and Sunday afternoons. What we expect from our actors. * If you would like more information about who we are and what our ethos is, see the "about us" page. *Feel free to pass on the casting calls from this page to anyone anywhere who may possibly be interested, but make sure ALL information (including audition details, our website, location etc) is included. Thank you! *If you have a preference for a specific type of role (e.g: large, or small, or dramatic or quiet), do say! We cannot guarantee to be able to accommodate the preference (it also depends on the auditions and suitability for the role) but we try to bear it in mind. *While our shows are suited to audiences of all ages, we usually require our performers to be aged 16+, simply because we are not a "youth" theatre group, and we sometimes perform in pub venues that may be age restricted. Anyone aged under 16 needs to be accompanied, at all times, by a parent or guardian of legal age. Please note that if a show is not listed on our previous shows, current shows, or auditions page, (as relevant) then it is not a show or event connected with the South Devon Players in any way.Thank you. | ||
