Performer Callout - The Royal Christmas Pudding

The Story Museum, Renata Allen, and Little Seeds Music are looking to cast two performers for their upcoming family festive production, 'The Royal Christmas Pudding'.

This will be a musical production and, as such, we are looking for actor-musicians who are also very strong singers. Experience working in children's theatre is not essential, but would also be a plus. Rehearsals will commence in November, with the production running from December 2022 to the beginning of January 2023.

The production requires one male and one female identifying performer to play brother and sister. The Story Museum welcomes applications from groups currently under-represented in the cultural sector workforce particularly individuals from the Global Majority.

As live music will be a key component to this production, we are open to working with musicians who may have not had any formal theatre training, but still have an innate talent and ability to connect with an audience.

Throughout the production, the performers will enjoy a close storytelling musical relationship based on the following concept:

'For as long as anyone can remember, the Royal Cook has made the Royal Christmas pudding, but now he’s retired, his son has taken over the job. However, there’s just one problem… his son is hopeless at cooking! It’s up to the Royal Cook’s daughter to save the day. Together, brother and sister set out to make the perfect pudding, save Christmas and make their wishes come true. Featuring traditional stories woven together with original songs and music, this festive treat promises to give even the hungriest of appetites a happy ever after.'

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Dates:
16 - 30 November 2022 (rehearsals) 1 Dec 2022 - 1 Jan 2023 (run)

Location:
The Story Museum, Oxford, United Kingdom

Contract:
This is a fixed period contract based on Equity ITC Rates.

AVAILABLE ROLES

BROTHER (MALE IDENTIFYING PERFORMER, 18–40 YEARS)
The brother is ambitious to be a famous musician, and he has decided that his best route to fame and fortune is to become the Royal court songwriter. Although he loves his sister their relationship is comically fractious, and they frequently squabble and fall out. However, when the chips are down, she's the one that he always relies on to sort out the mess (which is most likely of his own making!).

We're looking for a performer with very strong musical skills, who is a confident and dynamic singer and can play an accompanying instrument (ideally guitar and/or piano) to a very high standard. They should enjoy communicating and improvising with an audience of young children and families in an intimate studio theatre environment. We welcome applications from global majority actors.

SISTER (FEMALE IDENTIFYING PERFORMER 18–40 YEARS)
The sister is ambitious to be a successful and respected chef, and has always dreamt of following in her father's footsteps, to become the official Royal Cook. Although she loves her brother their relationship is comically fractious, and they frequently squabble and fall out. It's often up to her to sort out the sticky situations he gets into, which she does with impressive guile and cunning.

We're looking for a dynamic and versatile performer who can inhabit numerous roles within the different stories that she and her brother share with the audience. The ability to sing and play an instrument at a performance level is not essential but would be a great advantage. They should enjoy communicating and improvising with an audience of young children and families in an intimate studio theatre environment. We welcome applications from global majority actors.

HOW TO APPLY

Send an email to Ameneh Enayat at programming@storymuseum.org.uk by 6pm on Monday 11 July with the following information:

● What instruments you play, your vocal range and your experience.

● A self-tape no more than 3 minutes in total, which includes a 1 min monologue and 1 min song either acapella or whilst playing an instrument.

● You may wish to first introduce yourself, tell us what instruments you play, your vocal range and your experience.

● Video links should either be via Youtube or Vimeo. Please make sure links are either public or unlisted so we are able to view them.

● We are unable to accept any links that require a video download