Liverpool’s Everyman has announced details for how actors wishing to be part of the theatre’s Rep Company can audition to be part of it when it launches in 2017. The first stage will be a series of open auditions for professional actors from, or resident in, Merseyside that are hitherto unknown to the Everyman team and who don’t have an agent. Professional actors who do have an agent have been asked to contact the theatre’s casting director via their agent.

Everyman & Playhouse Artistic Director Gemma Bodinetz said, “We have been overwhelmed by the positive response to our announcement that we will be forming a resident company of 14 actors at the Everyman. It’s been rather humbling and very exciting. We want brave, creative, generous souls that believe theatre should blow your socks off and has the power to transform our perception of our place in the world.”

Professional actors from, or resident in, Merseyside who don’t have an agent should send CVs with a friendly covering letter to casting director Sam Stevenson on everyman@hancockstevenson.com. If you fit the broad criteria, she will let you know what to prepare and when and where you will be seen for the open auditions which will take place in Liverpool later in the year. Actors who do have representation should contact Sam via their agent. The deadline for submissions is Friday 29th July.

Don’t count yourself out of the open audition if you’re a professional actor who hasn’t worked at the Everyman, are without an agent and you live in Merseyside but were not born here. The theatre still wants to know about you as they consider you to be ‘local’.

The open auditions are only open to professional actors from the Merseyside region. Although the theatres would have liked to open auditions to those without a relationship to Merseyside, such has been the positive response already that widening it beyond Merseyside was unfeasible.

In the terms set by the Everyman, you’re professional if: acting isn’t your hobby it is something you’re paid to do, it’s what you say you do for a living when someone asks and you have an acting CV ready to hand. Those who have graduated from drama school or three-year University drama course this year but have yet to find an agent or a job will also be considered.

Ms. Bodinetz added, “We have only so many days to see people and the open audition isn’t a talent competition, it’s a process that we hope will make sure that we get to see every professional adult actor in or from our region who has made acting their career and would like to be part of the Everyman company. Whilst it would be wonderful, there is no guarantee that actors seen in the open auditions will be part of the Company but it is urgent that we have a true sense of the talent we are unaware of on our doorstep.”

Last month it was announced the Company would return to the Hope Street venue for the first time in 25 years, with the theatre consequently being inundated with enquiries from actors asking how they can be part of it. The Company will consist of 7 men and 7 women, a proportion of which will be local actors but not all, and will be composed of a mix of ages, skills, accents, perspectives and life experiences.

If you do contact the theatre about the open auditions they’ve warned it may take some time to get through all of the applications. During this time the Everyman has advised applicants keep their eyes on the theatre’s website for further news and updates.