Casting Breakdown – ‘The Wind in the Willows’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’

We are casting for a run of Christmas shows in the Irving Studio Theatre at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. ‘The Wind in the Willows’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’ will be running from 27th November to 2nd January, and we’re looking for three performers to present these shows. All performers will appear in both shows, and will be required to help with turnaround and reset between performances. Good team working skills are essential, as for this run performers will be working closely with each other and the in-house technician and stage manager. ‘The Wind in the Willows’ runs at 55 minutes, and ‘A Christmas Carol’ runs at 70 minutes. There will be a total of 65 performances (combined) over the course of the run, with a maximum of three performances in one day.

The Wind in the Willows

Aimed at young audiences aged 3+ and their families, ‘The Wind in the Willows’ is a reworking of our popular adaptation with a Christmas twist. As Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad prepare to celebrate, they reminisce about past adventures on the River Bank. This is a fun, colourful show with songs, original music and lots of puppetry. There is some gentle audience participation, as children are encouraged to join in with songs, call out responses, etc. In order to show things at different scales, main characters are played by both puppets and humans.

A Christmas Carol

Our version of ‘A Christmas Carol’ is an original adaptation with an imaginative, versatile set and a brilliant original soundtrack, featuring lots of large puppets. It’s an incredibly well known story, so we aim to tell it in a fresh and engaging way, with a few fun tricks and surprises throughout. One performer operates puppets, another plays Bob Cratchit, Belle and others, and the third plays Scrooge.

Roles

Performer 1 – We are looking for a strong, energetic performer for the roles of Mole (and various) in ‘The Wind in the Willows’, and Bob Cratchit / Belle / Fezziwig / Fred / Ghosts in ‘A Christmas Carol’. These roles require some singing, good movement skills, and puppetry experience is preferred.

• Female presenting, playing age any.
• Must be a great team player, willing to help with turnaround of shows and resets.
• This is a demanding role in a cast of 3, where all performers are on stage throughout the show.

Performer 2 – We are looking for a strong, charismatic performer for the roles of Ratty (and various) in ‘The Wind in the Willows’, and Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’. These roles require some singing, good movement skills, and puppetry experience is preferred.

• Male presenting, playing age 30+.
• Must be a great team player, willing to help with turnaround of shows and resets.
• This is a demanding role in a cast of 3, where all performers are on stage throughout the show.

N.B. The Irving Studio at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham is an intimate venue. Performers must be comfortable with close audience proximity and audience interaction.

Dates:
1st round auditions self-tape
Recalls w/c 29th June
Rehearsals start 9th Nov; 1st show opens 27th Nov; Run closes 2nd Jan 2027.

Weekly Wage: £601

Holiday Pay

Accommodation allowance: £235 (where performer does not have a base within reasonable commuting distance of the theatre) Performers are required to arrange their own accommodation in the Cheltenham area for the duration of the contract. 

How to apply:

Please send a CV and covering letter to: submissions@boxtalesoup.co.uk with the subject heading ‘Christmas Casting’ and your name. 

Deadline for submissions: 25th May ‘26