Audition Details

 

Vocal Auditions: Friday 4th October (Evening) and Saturday 5th October (All Day)

Ballet Girl/Debbie Wilkinson Auditions: Saturday 5th October at 9am to 12pm (Group Auditions)

Dance Auditions: Sunday 6th October 

• 9am to 10:30am: Group 'Billy/Michael' Dance Auditions

• 10:30am to 1:30pm: Group dance auditions except ballet girls, Debbie Wilkinson, Billy & Michael

Rehearsals Commence: Sunday 20th October at 1pm

Performances: 16th to 25th January 2025

Age Requirements: All ages listed below and elsewhere in the audition material represent the general age the actor can ‘play’ on stage (e.g. if the actor is 35, but they are still able to pass for 29). As there are parts for children in this show, we are asking that children be no younger than 9 years of age
at the time of auditions.

Coarse Language Warning: This show does include frequent coarse language. Parents need to be comfortable with their children hearing and being exposed to strong language as it is part of this script.

Inclusive Casting: The creative team is committed to casting practices that advance diversity and inclusion. All ethnicities, types, and abilities will be considered for every role with the exception of roles on which the storyline is dependent on a particular race. The genders listed in the breakdown below are specific to the pronouns used in the script and the script cannot be changed; however, the creative team may consider any gender identity for roles provided that the performer can execute the vocal requirements.

 

Available Roles

​Billy

A boy who stumbles upon a ballet class and develops a passion for dance. To him, dance is a way to feel whole and free himself from the problems of life. He finds himself stuck between appeasing family and chasing his newfound love.

Character: Male

Age Range: 10-13
Vocal Range: Alto (hit top C)

​

Michael Caffrey

Billy's fun-loving and carefree best friend. He is happy in his own skin and lives in the realm of expressing his individuality, going so far as to commonly dress in women's clothing.

Character: Male

Age Range: 10-13
Vocal Range: Alto (hit top B)

​

Debbie Wilkinson

The ballet teacher's daughter. Brazen and confident.  Can appear argumentative. Her childhood crush on Billy leads her to constantly belittle and discourage him.

Character: Female

Age Range: 9-12
Vocal Range: Female voice

​

Dad (Jackie)

Billy's stoic father. Full of working class pride. A widowed miner struggling with maintaining a household in lieu of the lengthy miner’s strike.  He is still deeply scarred by the death of his wife. Billy's dancing initially sends him into a rage but he learns to support his son and even though it is deeply uncomfortable for him, he is ultimately willing to sacrifice everything for Billy.

Character: Male

Age Range: 40-50
Vocal Range: Baritone/Tenor

​

Tony

Billy's outspoken older brother. A passionate miner with a visceral hatred of the ruling class. Hotheaded and scrappy, he resorts to violence during the strike and shows raw aggression when Billy's secret dance lessons are revealed.

Character: Male

Age Range: 20-26
Vocal Range: Tenor

​

George

A miner who also teaches the local boys to box.  Frank, foul mouthed and questionable teaching techniques.  Easily frustrated by Billy and Michael’s efforts.

Character: Male

Age Range: 40+
Vocal Range: Male voice

​

Mrs Wilkinson

The chain smoking, straight talking, local ballet teacher who eventually becomes Billy's mentor. Hardened and mouthy, she actually has capacity for caring when she sees promise in Billy. She believes in the power of personal expression through dance.

Character: Female

Age Range: 35-50
Vocal Range: Alto

​

Linda Elliot (Dead Mum)

Billy’s beloved mum who died 2 years previously but appears in Billy’s imagination.  Kind, caring with a strong emotional rapport with Billy.

Character: Female

Age Range: 35-45
Vocal Range: Female voice

​

Grandma

Billy's eccentric grandmother who has a penchant for mouldy pasties.  She is forgetful and a little aloof. Despite her inattention, she harbours a bitter resentment towards her dead abusive husband but has found solace through dance.

Character: Female

Age Range: 60-75
Vocal Range: Alto

​

Posh Boy/Kevin

Multiple roles.

Kevin: an older local boy who was friends with Billy until his father became a ‘scab’ during the miner’s strike. Posh Boy: a rich boy from the south   of England that Billy meets during his audition for the Royal Ballet School and has no comprehension of the difficulty Billy has faced to get there.

Character: Male

Age Range: 14-16
Vocal Range:Male voice

​

Petunia (Clipboard Woman)

Chief secretary to the panellists during the Ballet Auditions at the Royal Ballet School, London.  Takes her job very seriously and enjoys keeping things running smoothly. Very well spoken- RP Southern English accent.

Character: Female

Age Range: 30-60
Vocal Range: Female Voice

​​

Ballet Girls​

Over excited, very  eager, members of Mrs Wilkinson’s dance class.  Full of energy and constantly seeking rare praise from their dance teacher.​

Character: Female

Age Range:10-14
Vocal Range:Girls voices

​

Male Adult Ensemble: Miners (including, Big Davey, Scab) Police officers

Proud, tough, working class men.  Left school at 15 years old and went ‘down the pit’.  Strong ‘Geordie’ accents.  An unbreakable loyalty to their community.

Sent from London by Maggie Thatcher to keep the peace during the strikes.  Middle class. Act more of an irritant.

Age Range: 16-60
Vocal Range:Tenors, Baritones, Basses

​

Female Adult Ensemble (including Lesley)

Members of the close working class mining community.  All their male family members are miners.  Just as tough and resilient as the men.  Just as dedicated to the success of the strikes.

Age Range: 16-60
Vocal Range: Sopranos and Altos (Soprano 1 require top A)