LOSERVILLE Auditions for YMT members

SNOW UPDATE: Loserville auditions are going ahead today. Contact Clara on 07961 568 467 if you have any problems.

The auditions for Loserville are for the professional production taking place at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in May-July this year. A casting breakdown and application form can be downloaded via the links to the right.

The background is that YMT commissioned Loserville from ex-Busted singer/songwriter James Bourne and writer/composer Elliot Davis in 2008. The YMT production took place at Bracknell South Hill Park Arts Centre in summer 2009. You can see the promo video here or on our video vault on the homepage. The production was seen by a West End producer, Kevin Wallace, who then negotiated an option with the writers to produce the show professionally. He has now secured a co-production with West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds (one of the country’s leading repertory theatres) to present the show this summer prior to what is hoped to be a West End opening in autumn 2012. YMT is also ‘on the bill’ as a co-producer of the production although not in ‘a hands on’ way.

The performers in the West Yorkshire Playhouse production will be paid under the relevant British Actors Equity/Theatrical Management Association rates including weekly subsistence allowance for those living more than 25 miles from the theatre. Performers will be required to live in Leeds for the duration of the production. Some places will be available for local actors living within 25 miles of Leeds.

The creative team of the YMT 2009 production (director Steven Dexter, Musical Director Martin Lowe and choreographer Nick Winston) will also be creating the West Yorkshire Playhouse production.

So – the casting team will be looking for strong actor/ singer/ dancers, with a playing age of 17 to 19 years.  You must be available from 14 May to 14 July 2012 for rehearsals and performances. To audition, you must be 16 and above (on the day of the audition).

Auditions for Loserville will be taking place at the same time as the YMT annual Auditions tour but if you want to be considered you will have to audition separately for Loserville. We should make it clear that the standard of applicants will be very high and will include many trained actors, including YMT alumni. If you are a younger actor, you will need to be very sure that your singing, dance/movement and acting are of a professional standard. However, we do hope that the very best YMT performers, whether they are alumni who have already graduated from drama school, are in professional training or are still with YMT do get the chance to be involved in what was originally a YMT production.

The auditions will be workshop style similar to YMT annual Auditions tour. However, some material will be made available in advance which you will advised to learn.

If you wish to take part in auditions (and there will be more detailed information provided within the next couple of weeks), there are three main ways of applying:

1. If you already have a theatrical agent, they can submit your name to the casting director Anne Vosser through Spotlight . There will be one day of agent’s auditions in Leeds and four days in London.
2. There will be a dedicated day of Auditions for YMT company members only in London. This will be restricted to performers who have successfully auditioned for YMT in the last eight years and taken part in a production, so it will include alumni who have left to train professionally. For these you can apply to the YMT office by downloading the application form on the right hand side of this page under downloads and we will forward them to Anne Vosser and Steven Dexter. Here you will also find the casting breakdown.
3. You can apply to one of the two open days of Auditions, one in London and one in Leeds. Instructions as to how to apply for London and Leeds open call auditions will be posted on the West Yorkshire Playhouse web site.

The same casting team will see all applicants, through whichever route they apply. An application does not guarantee you will be seen – all applications will be vetted by the casting director and the director. There is no fee to audition.

On the YMT Auditions in January and February there are two teams of auditioning staff assessing young people for our productions BUT they include the director and composer of Loserville – Steven Dexter and Elliot Davis – who will also be scouting for the professional production and may make recommendations for particularly talented young people to attend the Loserville auditions either in Leeds or in London.

Dates for LOSERVILLE auditions

 

Friday 27th Jan	Leeds	Via agents only
Saturday 28th Jan	Leeds	Open auditions
Sunday 5th Feb	London	YMT only auditions
Monday 6th Feb	London	Open auditions
Tuesday 7th Feb	London	Via agents only
Wednesday 8th Feb	London	Via agents only
Thursday 9th Feb	London	Via agents only
Friday 10th Feb	London	Via agents only
Thursday 1st to Thursday 8th March	London	Recalls