On Saturday, July 27ᵗʰ, Wayward Improvised Theatre is holding auditions for Red Tape, an improvised comedy set in the federal public service and we'd love to see you come out!
We are so excited to put on this show! We all had a blast putting on Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience, and Red Tape will kick off our first season as a proper theatre company. We're eager to come out of the gate with an original work that is specific to Ottawa, and we'd love for you to come to auditions or interview for tech (or both! both is great).
What is this show?
Red Tape is an hour-long improvised play set in the federal public service. It's a comedy that gives the audience an official-sounding story about how a team accomplished a task, and then goes behind the scenes to show how it really went down. It aims to capture both sides of government work — both the frustration of office culture and the pride in doing good things for Canadians.
How many people are you looking for?
We are looking to bring on eight to ten actors, and two or three techs.
What are you looking for from actors?
Apart from the generic/unhelpful "be good at improv" 🙂, we are looking for the following:
Narrative skills: specifically, defaulting to liking your fellow characters and taking things slowly, giving yourself time to focus on each offer, develop it, and react to it.
Character work: specifically, being able to establish a strong and heightened character, play that character consistently, and still find a variety of emotions to play and a variety of attitudes to take on while not dropping that character's "deal".
Taking direction: specifically, when side-coached, being able to incorporate direction into your performance quickly and effectively.
What are you looking for from techs?
Tech experience is great, but enthusiasm is great, too. We're looking for people who are excited about learning how to tech a show. More than on-stage experience, we're looking for strong instincts for how a story is put together: When does a monologue need a musical soundtrack? When is the right time to call a scene? When should the lighting get ominous during a conflict? These are the sorts of calls techs make.
What will auditions be like?
Improv auditions are (perhaps surprisingly) relaxing and pleasant. Actors will be placed with a group of about five other players and we'll run you through some improv setups — most likely monologues, two-handers, and group scenes. Each slot runs about 25 minutes.
Techs don't audition, right?
Right. Our TD, Lindsey McGowen, will contact tech applicants, chat with them about tech stuff, and make a decision based on that.
Can I tech the show and act in it?
Alas, no.
I have more questions! Where can I send my questions?
Please email us at hello@waywardimprov.com with any further questions, and we'll be happy to help you out.
Where can I apply to audition?
You can apply to audition here. This is also the form to use if you're interested in joining the crew and helping Lindsey with tech.
Applications are due by 11:59pm EDT on Monday, July 22ⁿᵈ.
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