BE A
DIRECTOR
Calling all directors!
Eltham Little Theatre is always seeking directors for our future seasons. You may express your interest with or without a specific play in mind.
To express your interest, or ask questions, please contact the Eltham Little Theatre Play Selection Committee (PSC) at the following email address:
playselection@elthamlittletheatre.org.au
The current play selection committee membership is:
James Banger (Convenor)
Chelsea Cornell
Alison Jones
Bailey March
Georgina Topp
We would love to hear your ideas. One Act plays, rehearsed play readings, full length plays, choir, dance and any other production ideas you may have.
Email your ideas to the play selection committee including the dates you are available.
auditions
Mr. Bennet's Bride - Season 1, 2027
Written by: Emma Wood
Directed by: Steve Saul
An amateur production by arrangement with Stagescripts Ltd
Synopsis
Mr Bennet's Bride is an original period comedy, based on the characters of Mr and Mrs Bennet from Jane Austen’s 'Pride and Prejudice'. It explores how this ill-matched couple met and married twenty-five years before the novel’s opening.
In the late eighteenth century, marriage was more a business transaction than a love affair. As the play opens, pressure is mounting on the young Mr Bennet to find a suitable match, but his refusal to play by the rules sets in motion a series of events that are both comic and moving.
This play is written by local playwright Emma Wood and makes its London debut in 2026.
Audition Information
Auditions will be open and will ideally involve combining different groups of auditionees reading the same pieces.
Age ranges are flexible to differing degrees for each character. Suitability to character and matching of couples will be primary considerations.
Knowledge of the script is not required.What is important is how people react to the lines and to each other. You may be asked for variations in approach purely to get an idea of adaptability and range.
Ages and genders indicated are those of the characters.
If you have any questions, please email the director at auditions@elthamlittletheatre.org.au
Audition times:
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Sunday 18th October, 7 PM - 10 PM
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Tuesday 20th October, 7 PM - 10 PM
Audition location:
Eltham Performing Arts Centre
1603 Main Road, Research Vic
Book an audition:
To book an audition date, visit our Trybooking page.
Audition format:
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Open auditions. We would appreciate you staying for the whole time if possible.
Rehearsal Information:
All shows and rehearsals will be held at Eltham Performing Arts Centre, 1603 Main Road, Research.
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Read Through - Early June
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Rehearsals Begin - December (date to be advised)
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Performances - February 12-27
General Cast Information
All members of the production will be given access to well-being support, and are encouraged to report any concerns regarding the safety of the cast and/or crew.
There will be a no tolerance policy towards bullying of any sort.
Membership and Fees
All members of cast and crew are required to be members of Eltham Little Theatre. This pays for our volunteer liability insurance during the rehearsal and production period.
For details of membership, please visit our membership page. To become a member, follow our Trybooking link.
All adult members of cast and crew are required to have a current Working With Children (WWC) card. This will be verified prior to rehearsals commencing. Full information and application details can be found here.
Character Descriptions
Robert Bennet
Male, 55-60
Master of Longbourn. Thoughtful, responsible and determined.
James Bennet
Male, 28
Robert’s son and heir to Longbourn. Mischievous, intelligent and avoidant.
Mary Ellingworth
Female, 50-60
Robert’s sister. Decent, compassionate and considerate.
Benedict Collins
Male, 50-60
Robert’s cousin, possible heir to Longbourn. Bombastic, smug and avaricious.
Mrs Graves
Female, 50-70
Housekeeper to the Bennet family. Practical, good-humoured and loyal.
George Gardiner
Male, 45-50
Attorney-at-law. Clever, socially adept, ambitious.
Sarah Gardiner
Female, 40-45
His wife. Foolish, vivacious and excitable.
Mrs Bowman
Female, 40-50
A moderately wealthy woman. Exuberant and sociable.
Clara Bowman
Female, 20s
Her daughter. Warm, sensitive and dignified. Physically unremarkable
Our Town - Season 2, 2027
Written by: Thornton Wilder
Directed by: Claire Abagia
By Arrangement with ORiGiN Theatrical On Behalf of Samuel French A Concord Theatricals Company
Synopsis
Described as ‘the greatest American play ever written’, Our Town tells the story of the small town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, in order to tell us the story of every town, the whole world over. Narrated by the Stage Manager, we follow the Gibbs and Webb families, residents of Grover’s Corners, through twelve years of life changes – from the mundane in Act I, ‘Daily Life,’ to the romantic in Act II, ‘Love and Marriage,’ and finally the devastating in Act III, ‘Death and Eternity.’
Through the young lovers Emily and George, their strong and loving parents, and the many other Grover’s Corners’ locals, Thornton Wilder delivers universal truths about what it means to be human. ‘Oh, earth,’ Emily Webb exclaims towards the play’s end, ‘you’re too wonderful for anyone to realise you.’ With humour, wit, and exceptionally powerful storytelling, Our Town offers a unique opportunity for audience members to make precisely that realisation.
This production will be a fresh take on the classic play, with non-traditional staging and performed on a thrust stage.
Audition information
We are looking for actors who:
● can work together as an ensemble
● have strong stagecraft skills or are willing to develop and strengthen their stagecraft.
If you have any questions, please email us.
Audition times:
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Saturday 21st November, 10 AM -
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Monday 23rd November, 7 PM -
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Wednesday 25th November, 7 PM -
Audition location:
Eltham Performing Arts Centre
1603 Main Road, Research Vic
Book an audition:
To book an audition date, email the director at auditions@elthamlittletheatre.org.au
Audition format:
Auditions are by appointment only.
Rehearsal information:
Read through will be during the week beginning 6 December - day to be determined by cast availability.
Rehearsals will begin on Sunday 14 February.
Rehearsal times:
Tuesday and Thursday 7.00pm–10:00pm
Sunday afternoons 2.00pm–6.00pm, except for the following:
● Sunday 14, 21 and 28 February: 5.30pm – 9.30pm
● Sunday 4 April: 10.00am – 6.00pm
● Sunday 11 April: Teach rehearsal call time TBD.
● Production week (Sunday 11 April to Thursday 15 April) Rehearsals TBD.
Actors need to be able to commit unconditionally not only for an entire performance season but also for all scheduled rehearsals at which their attendance is required.
Actors will be asked to provide details of any dates they are unavailable during the rehearsal process at the audition.
General cast information
All members of the production will be given access to well-being support, and are encouraged to report any concerns regarding the safety of the cast and/or crew.
There will be a no tolerance policy towards bullying of any sort.
Membership and fees
All members of cast and crew are required to be members of Eltham Little Theatre. This pays for our volunteer liability insurance during the rehearsal and production period.
For details of membership, please visit our membership page. To become a member, follow our Trybooking link.
All adult members of cast and crew are required to have a current Working With Children (WWC) card. This will be verified prior to rehearsals commencing. Full information and application details can be found here.
Character descriptions
Note: all ages shown are character ages
Stage Manager
Lead
Gender and age open
This character is the all-knowing narrator who literally sets the stage, describes the action and introduces the actors. Loves people, easy going and grounded with a clear wisdom. Must be a good storyteller, able to command the stage and engage the audience.
This is a very demanding role that doesn’t leave the stage. Must have a strong ability to learn long stretches of dialogue.
This production is looking to cast the Stage Manager outside of the traditional older male, paternal figure, and explore a fresher take on the character by casting more diversely.
Emily Webb
Lead
Female, teens to 20s
Mr and Mrs Webb’s daughter. Sincere and innocent – literally the girl next door. She is an excellent student and a conscientious daughter. The love story between her and George is the spine of the narrative action of the play. After dying in childbirth, Emily joins the group of dead souls in the local cemetery and attempts to return to the world of the living. Looking for an actor that can balance the innocence of youth and the heaviness of Emily’s realisation that human life is precious because it is fleeting (the central message of the play).
George Gibbs
Lead
Male, teens to 20s
Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs’s son. Typical young American boy – literally the boy next door. A decent, upstanding young man, George is a high school baseball star who plans to attend the State Agricultural School after high school. He is an idealist and a romantic. His courtship of Emily Webb and eventual marriage to her is central to the play’s narrative action. Looking for an actor who can capture George’s sensitivity.
Mr. Charles Webb
Supporting
Male, 40s-50s
Emily and Wally’s father. He is highly educated and is the editor and owner of the only local newspaper. Has a strong connection with his daughter.
Mrs. Myrtle Webb
Supporting
Female, 40s-50s
Emily and Wally’s mother. A no-nonsense woman who gets on with things.
Dr. Frank Gibbs
Supporting
Male, 40s-50s
Father of George & Rebecca. He is a doctor and family man. Romantic and in love with his wife.
Mrs. Julia Gibbs
Supporting
Female, 40s-50s
Mother of George & Rebecca. Strong love for her family. A romantic who dreams of visiting Paris. Strong connection with her son.
Howie Newsome
Featured
Male, age open
Delivers the milk, leading the horse and wagon. Sets up important sense of friendliness among the neighbours of the small town. Actor will also play one or two ensemble roles.
Simon Stimson
Featured
Male, age open
Church organist and leader of the church choir but has deep problems and a clear drinking problem. His drinking is the town’s scandalous gossip. Actor who can also play piano preferred. Actor will also play one or two ensemble roles.
Constable Warren
Featured
Male, age open
A local policeman who keeps a watchful eye over the community. His personal knowledge of and favour with the town’s citizens bespeaks the close-knit nature of the town. Actor will also play one or two ensemble roles. Actor will also play one or two ensemble roles.
Mrs. Louella Soames
Featured
Female, age open
Sings in the choir and loves to spread gossip. Actor will also play one or two ensemble roles.
Junior roles
Wally Webb
Featured
Male, 11 to teens
Emily’s younger brother. Wally is a minor figure, but he turns up in Act III among the group of dead souls. Wally dies young, the result of a burst appendix on a Boy Scout trip. His untimely death underscores the brief and fleeting nature of life. Actor will also play one or two ensemble roles.
Rebecca Gibbs
Featured
Female, 11 to teens
George’s younger sister. Has a strong sense of energy and wonder about the world. Actor will also play one or two ensemble roles.
Joe Crowell
Featured
Male, teens
Delivers the newspapers and sets up an important sense of friendliness among the neighbours of the small town. Actor will also play one or two ensemble roles.
YouTH
THEATRE
YOUTH AT ELTHAM LITTLE THEATRE
Eltham Little Theatre has a long and happy tradition of working with youth in the theatre. Since ELT’s inception in 1958 there has been a production specifically for youth performers for nearly every one of those years.
It is only in recent times that we have been able to offer any sort of theatre craft education classes on a weekend. As you may imagine, due to the volunteer nature of our organisation, lessons we are able to provide depend heavily on individual member availability each year.
If you would like to be informed of upcoming youth activities at the theatre please email our youth coordinators.
Youth Classes – General information
Our courses are run for 10 to 18 year olds with separate classes for primary and secondary students. The program explores acting and role play, script reading, monologues and audition preparation. We also look at theatre craft and the importance of staging, lighting, sound, sets, costumes, props and how these things impact an actor’s performance.
When available, classes run within the school term for an average of 7 to 8 weeks in duration. Start times and days can vary but usually classes are held on a Saturday morning between 10 and 12 depending and run for 1 hour’s duration.
Lessons will be focussed on various aspects of theatre work each term including but not limited to the following subjects:
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audition techniques and preparation
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theatre craft
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script reading
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script interpretation
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improvisation
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acting techniques
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musical theatre
