The New Wolsey Theatre is looking for highly-skilled actor musicians for all roles in this year's panto, Beauty and the Beast!

You must have had professional training, or professional actor or actor-musician experience, ideally in a musical or pantomime.

You must be able to play two of the following instruments (highly skilled including but not limited to Keys, Drums, Trumpet, Trombone, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar). Please list the relevant instruments when applying.

The New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich, Suffolk (an hour away by train from London) is looking for highly skilled actor-musicians for our 2025 pantomime, Beauty and the Beast – a contemporary, anarchic and pop and rock infused take on this classic, written by Olivier Award-Winning Vikki Stone.

The New Wolsey Theatre’s pantomime is a much-loved, record breaking pantomime that is a significant part of the cultural identity of the town. Our 2024 pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, is nominated for Best Script and Best Contribution To Music at the UK Pantomime Awards.

The New Wolsey Theatre was nominated for the UK Theatre Most Welcoming Theatre of the Year award and we won a UK Pantomime Award – Best Digital Panto – for the live stream of our pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk.

We do not currently have a casting breakdown, and in the first instance we are looking for actor-musicians of any playing age, appearance or gender-identity, who would like to be considered for any role.

Links to self-tapes must be sent for consideration – please see casting information for details.

This production will be paid at the 2025/26 MRSL Grade 2 Subsidised Theatre rate and artists will be engaged under the terms and conditions of the UK Theatre/Equity Subsidised Theatres agreement.

In our pursuit of creating a diverse and inclusive production, we welcome actor-musician applications from people of all backgrounds, especially from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse backgrounds, those who identify as deaf and disabled people, neurodivergent people, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and those who grew up or live in the East Anglian region.

Please let us know if you have any access requirements or if you need us to make any adjustments to allow you to fully participate in this casting process.

Casting Info:

To be considered, please send links to a self-tape that includes a short statement outlining why you would like to be considered, a video of you singing a musical or pop song that really shows your range and also tapes of you playing your highly-skilled instruments. We are happy to receive links to existing tapes, where appropriate.

Please send links to Sam Bates, Administrator at admin@wolseytheatre.co.uk with the subject heading ‘Beauty and the Beast.’

The deadline for submissions is 10am on Monday 7th April.

Please note, we cannot consider submissions unless they have sent self-tapes to the above email address.

Second round auditions will take place in London in-person with the director.