Have you ever fancied trying your hand at acting?
If so, the Studio Theatre Company at South Hill Park Arts Centre would love to hear from you!
Actors and actresses, both new and experienced, are being sought for the Company’s production of Hay Fever, by legendary British playwright Noël Coward, which will run from the 21st to 24th September 2022 on the Arts Centre’s Wilde Theatre stage.
Set in an English country house on the River Thames, it blends over-the-top hijinks, satire, and a comedy of manners to present a unique portrait of a wacky and endearing English family.
Each of the four members of the Bliss family has invited a guest to stay at the family estate for the weekend. This sets the stage for a series of raucous misunderstandings that only serve to underscore an unspoken but universal fact: there is no such thing as a normal family!
The play features nine characters – five women and four men – ranging from 18 to 60, so there are lots of opportunities.
In a 2019 interview with Wokingham Today (https://wokingham.today/interview-luke-burton-of-the-studio-theatre-company-south-hill-park/), Creative Director Luke Burton spoke about the Company’s welcoming atmosphere, saying:
“I want to hear from new people; people who’ve never acted before but want to give it a try; people who haven’t acted for years but remember how much they loved it.
There are no membership charges, everyone’s really friendly, directors won’t just cast their friends, and no preference is given to people who have a history here. If you’re nervous, that’s fine – you can just come and watch rehearsals or help out backstage to start with, if you like, until you feel confident enough to take part.
Community theatre can be life-changing. You might laugh but I met my wife and my two best men through theatre! We’ve had people who did one show to get a feel for acting, found a passion for it and then went off to drama school. Other people who are new to the area come along to make friends and have forged links with loads of other local groups, creating a whole new lifestyle for themselves. They all have such a good time that they come back again, so we must be doing something right!”
The auditions will take place on the 10th & 11th May at 7.15pm, with rehearsals taking place on Tuesdays & Wednesdays from 17th May onwards, at 7pm within South Hill Park Arts Centre.
Please contact luke.burton@southhillpark.org.uk for an overview of the characters, to book an audition space or for any questions. Further details can be found at https://www.southhillpark.org.uk/2022/03/auditions-for-the-studio-theatre-companys-production-of-hay-fever-by-noel-coward/
