Directed and Choreographed by Louise Denison - Musical Direction by Jim Lunt

Audition F.A.Qs

Following the great successes of Evita,School of Rock The Musical and West Side Story, Wakefield Youth Music Theatre will stage Guys and Dolls at Theatre Royal Wakefield in August 2025.

Considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy, the award-winning Guys and Dolls first opened on Broadway in 1950 and has been entertaining audiences ever since. The story follows long-term gambler, Nathan Detroit, as he tries to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town under the noses of the local police; meanwhile, his girlfriend and nightclub performer, Adelaide, laments that they've been engaged for fourteen years. Nathan turns to fellow gambler, Sky Masterson, for the money, and as Sky gets embroiled in the scheme, he finds himself courting the affections of the strait-laced missionary, Sarah Brown.

Guys and Dolls takes us from the heart of Damon Runyon’s gritty New York City with its gangsters and gamblers to the colourful cafes of Havana, Cuba with Frank Loesser’s brassy, immortal score driving the story on to its fabulous finale. Featuring the audience favourites Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat, A Bushel and a Peck, Guys and Dolls, and Luck Be a Lady, there is plenty for our chorus and named characters to have fun with.

This document outlines everything you will need to know about the Guys and Dolls audition, rehearsals and performances. Make sure you fill in our ONLINE AUDITION REGISTRATION FORM before the audition so that we have all your details (see page 4 of this document). Once signed up, you will receive the preparation materials as soon as they are available.

The deadline for the audition registration form to be filled in is Monday 3 March 2025.

We will not be able to accept any registrations after this date.

So, get preparing. Research the show itself, its musical numbers and characters. Think about how a particular character might sing and move and keep checking your inbox for further information and preparation material. There are many great cast recordings of the show and a Guys and Dolls film.

Please be aware that the story of Guys and Dolls includes some adult themes and some mild adult language.

OPEN AUDITIONS

We are hoping to audition as many young people as possible from across Yorkshire.

You must be aged 12-23 years old to take part.

This means you must be at least 12 by Wednesday 20 August 2025 and no older than 23 up to and including Saturday 30 August 2025.

Auditions will be held on Sunday 9 March at Theatre Royal Wakefield.

Registration is at 9am for a 9.30am start.

There will be points in the day when those who have not been successful are able to go home – these timings can vary.

4pm is the aim for the final finish time – some young people will be with us all day.

When are rehearsals?

Main rehearsals will be happening during the summer holidays 2025. Please see the schedule below.

Before auditioning, please make sure you are available for ALL rehearsal dates:

**The Technical and Dress Rehearsals are absolutely essential – you MUST be available for these to be able to take part. To comply with the Theatre’s Health & Safety Policy every participant must take part in a Technical Rehearsal before being allowed to perform. Please note the rehearsal schedule may vary slightly once rehearsals begin.

When is the show on?

Before auditioning, please make sure you are available for ALL performance dates:

If I’m successful, do I have to pay to take part in the show?

The fee to take part in this production is £195.

If you are successful a non-refundable deposit of £97.50 or the full fee should be paid by Wednesday 30 April 2025, with the outstanding balance of £97.50 being due by Monday 30 June 2025. Further details will be available in the cast information pack.

As ever, financial support is available for those who may have a genuine difficulty in paying the fees, but these places are limited. Please contact Janine Johnson (01924 330 065) or email janine.johnson@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk to find out more about financial support.

Tickets

We encourage you to tell family and friends about the show. Tickets for Guys and Dolls are already on sale and are available from Theatre Royal Wakefield’s Box Office on 01924 211 311 or at

https://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/events/guys-and-dolls-2025

AUDITION DETAILS

When is the audition?

The audition will be happening on Sunday 9 March 2025 at Theatre Royal Wakefield.

Registration is at 9am for a 9.30am start.

There will be points in the day when those who have not been successful are able to go home – these timings can vary.

4pm is the aim for the final finish time – some young people will be with us all day.

A more detailed schedule for the day will be sent out nearer the time to anyone who has already registered.

Timings may change if audition numbers are higher than expected. We may let participants go in phases, so parents/carers of those aged 13 and under (and also those aged 14-17 without permission to go home alone) must be contactable in case their child needs to leave earlier.

We will endeavour to let people know casting choices as soon as we can after the audition but some decisions may be unavoidably delayed. Please be aware that for past productions we have sometimes needed a recall audition. A provisional recall date has been set for Friday 21 March 5pm-9pm.

We may not make final casting decisions until after this date but will be as clear as possible about this process.

Where is the audition?

Theatre Royal Wakefield, Drury Lane, Wakefield WF1 2TE (see further information at the end of this document)

What are the age restrictions?

You must be aged 12-23 years old to take part.

This means you must be at least 12 by Wednesday 20 August 2025 and no older than 23 up to and including Saturday 30 August 2025.

What do I need to do to attend the audition?

If you would like to attend the audition, then please fill in the web form linked below by 10pm on Monday 3 March or let Janine know if you need the form sent as a Word document in good time for you to be able to return it by Monday 3 March.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE AUDITION REGISTRATION FORM.

You can contact Janine by email if you have any questions at janine.johnson@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk

We will let you know of any changes to timings etc. and can pass on any further information you may need (including preparation materials) nearer the time.

What are we looking for?

You must be aged 12-23 years old to take part. This means you must be at least 12 by Wednesday 20 August 2025 and no older than 23 up to and including Saturday 30 August 2025.

We are looking for young people with dedication, stage presence and personality.

A complete commitment to the rehearsals and performances is essential.

This is a large-scale production and its success depends on everyone dedicating themselves to its delivery.

Ideally, we are looking for performers who can act, sing and dance but there are roles to suit everyone so please do sign up and come along even if unsure which role to go for.

There are characters in the show who are members of a Salvation Army band. If you are a performer who also can play a brass or silver instrument we would love you to bring your instrument along to the audition as we would prefer those characters to be able to play (or mime playing) believably on stage.

We will be looking for our cast to represent the Global Majority.

You will be expected to audition with an American, ideally New York, accent so do practice.

When will I know the outcome?

We will endeavour to let people know casting choices as soon as we can after the audition but some decisions may be unavoidably delayed. Please be aware that for past productions we have sometimes needed a recall audition. A provisional recall date has been set for Friday 21 March 5pm-9pm.

We may not make final casting decisions until after this date but will be as clear as possible about this process.

What do I need to prepare in advance?

Please fill in the web form linked below by 10pm on Monday 3 March or let Janine know if you need the form sent as a Word document in good time for you to be able to return it by Monday 3 March.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE AUDITION REGISTRATION FORM.

You can contact Janine by email if you have any questions at janine.johnson@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk

We will let you know of any changes to timings etc. and can pass on any further information you may need (including preparation materials) nearer the time.

We usually send out song lyrics and tracks to practice with before the audition, as well as some character information. When this material becomes available it will be sent out to everyone already registered.

What might I need to bring?

Please bring plenty of water and food, as the audition may be quite physical and you may be with us for a long time on the audition day.

Please wear clothing that will be suitable for dancing in (i.e nothing that will restrict movement) and bring dance shoes if you have them. If not, please wear shoes comfortable for movement.

Please also have a notebook and pen to hand.

What if I am under 18 years old?

If you are under 18 years then we will need your parent/carer to fill in the permission section of the AUDITION REGISTRATION FORM for you to be able to take part.

You must be signed out when you leave by a parent/carer if you are aged 13 or under. Children aged between 14 and 17 can leave on their own as long as a parent/carer has made this clear on the ONLINE AUDITION REGISTRATION FORM.

Please make sure you research the show and characters and speak to an adult about anything you’re not sure about.

What if I am a parent?

Please ensure that you and/or your child have filled in the ONLINE AUDITION REGISTRATION FORM including any necessary permissions BEFORE 10pm on Monday 3 March.

We ask all parents and/or emergency contacts to be contactable during the audition day and that they are available to pick up their children when required.

Any child aged 13 or under must be signed out by a parent/carer before they can leave. Children aged between 14 and 17 can leave on their own as long as a parent/carer has made this clear on the AUDITION FORM. Timings can vary.

Please read the form carefully and tick all relevant boxes in the permission section.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR ONLINE AUDITION REGISTRATION FORM.

What if my question hasn’t been answered here?

If you require any more information then please contact Janine Johnson by phone: 01924 330065 or by email: janine.johnson@theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk

Directions

Theatre Royal Wakefield

Drury Lane

Wakefield

WF1 2TE

You will be entering and exiting the building via our Box Office entrance on Westgate.

You can visit our website here for directions

https://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/visiting/getting-here

You can also find out more about access to our building by clicking this link:

https://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/visiting/accessibility-information