BEFORE WE SLIP BENEATH THE SEA
Audition Information
ABOUT THE SHOW
Before We Slip Beneath the Sea is a new play written and directed by Cassandra Tse. It was recently awarded Runner-Up and Best Play By a Woman Playwright in the 2024 Adam New Zealand Play Awards.
On a small island off Wellington’s north coast, the local community have gathered for the last time in the wake of an impending evacuation due to rising sea levels. When one community member decides to take a stand against the evacuation, the community is divided, long-buried tensions come to the fore, and everyone must decide how to cope with change, loss and forces far greater than themselves.
This play was written for Immersive performance. Audiences are free to roam around the performance space as multiple scenes play out concurrently. Although the play is scripted, performers will need to be able to think on their feet and adapt to ever-changing performance conditions. Experience in improv, live action or table-top role play, or other Immersive performance are not necessary, but will be a great help.
Rehearsals will take place outside of 9 - 5 work hours, on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons at Toi Poneke Art Centre. Rehearsals will take place between 5 August and 12 October, with shows on 12, 13, 19 & 20 October. This is a development production with only four performances, but there is a possibility for the show to return in future.
All members of the cast and crew will receive an even division of profit share on top of a $500 base fee.
ABOUT THE CHARACTERS
Red Scare Theatre Company welcomes actors of any ethnic or racial background to audition for all roles.
Note: All roles except Kip may involve light intimacy (kissing, no nudity).
BREE – she/her, 30s. Sister of Carla. Bree is a wallflower who has always lived in the shadow of her more gregarious sister. Smart, shy, hard-working, she is both afraid of change and desperate for it.
CARLA - she/her, 30s. Sister of Bree. Carla is extroverted and bubbly; she inherited the pub as a young adult and has worked there ever since. Still holding a candle for her teenage crush, Marty.
CLIVE - he/him, 50s +. Husband of Maggie. A mild-mannered former second-hand bookstore owner who loves to bake. Reserved, empathetic, self-sacrificing to a fault.
EDEN - they/them, 30s. An artist who lives off-grid on the island. Independent, no-nonsense, opinionated, they're not afraid to call out bullshit when they see it.
KIP - he/him, late teens. Son of Marty. Still grieving the recent loss of his mother, Kip is angry at the world and everyone around him. He has a keen sense of justice and is willing to stand up for his beliefs.
MAGGIE - she/her, 50s +. Wife of Clive. Currently running for city council, Maggie is ambitious, smart and stubborn. Her strong personality often clashes with others.
MARTY - he/him, 40s. Father of Kip. The life of the party, charming and genuine, a life-long resident of the island. His cheerful demeanour masks a deep sadness.