Cairns’ youth will have an opportunity to shine in bold new professional theatre production. Auditions are now open for young female actors of Cairns and Far North to join the chorus of an exciting new regional touring co-production, O, Ophelia, premiering in March 2025.
The audition process involves participation in free acting workshops. Ms Grossmann said the free workshop series staged throughout November at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre in Cairns is a fantastic opportunity for young actors to develop their skills and have a chance to secure one of four coveted chorus roles of the production.
“For the chorus roles, we are looking for young women and female-identifying persons, school leavers or anyone interested in immersing themselves into the beautiful, diverse and creative world of theatre.”
All chorus members will receive a paid mentorship to work with Ms Grossmann to develop the chorus before the rehearsal phase leading up to O, Ophelia’s performance season from 7 to 15 March 2025.
O, Ophelia will officially open at Bulmba-ja Arts Centre Theatre in Cairns on International Women’s Day before embarking on a regional tour of Queensland.
Written and directed by Amber Grossmann, the founder of emerging youth theatre company Overall Arts, O, Ophelia has been developed from ‘the seed of an idea’ into a full-scale touring production thanks to support and a unique partnership with JUTE Theatre Company.
“I am incredibly excited to co-produce and tour this work, a story of our times about relationships and self-worth. I know it will resonate with audiences, and I cannot wait to ‘get the show on the road’,” said Ms Grossmann.
JUTE Theatre Company’s Artistic Director and CEO, Suellen Maunder, said Amber Grossmann is a shining light for the intergenerational growth of Queensland’s regional theatre industry. “For JUTE, developing new Australian stories and supporting a new wave of theatre makers like Amber and Overall Arts is a pinnacle achievement for the company and one which we are inordinately proud of,” Ms Maunder said. “It is because of this relationship with JUTE that we have chosen to extend the mentorship element of the work further – allowing young creatives across many disciplines to undertake a paid internship. There are few opportunities for professional development in regional theatre, but this is one of them,” she said.
O, Ophelia is a modern tale of co-dependent relationships that explores themes of coercive control and emotional abuse in young relationships, shedding light upon these critical themes.
Through the DARTS touring initiative—a platform facilitating tours of regional works hosted by regional companies—audiences in additional regional centres will experience O, Ophelia, broadening the engagement, reach, and impact of young artists’ work.
A separate call has gone out for experienced professional actors to audition for the lead roles of the same production.
To register your interest in a role in the chorus, click here to fill out a Google Form.
For more details about this series of free workshops and the auditions process, contact JUTE Theatre Company’s Creative Producer Kathryn Ash by email: kathryn@jute.com.au
