CASTING NOTICE
Collected Grimm Tales
Adapted By Carol Ann Duffy
Dramatized by Tim Supple
“Adroitly adapted by Scottish poet and playwright Carol Ann Duffy and dramatised by English theatre and opera director Tim Supple, Grimm Tales is everything it should be – by turns wondrous and frightening, magical and inventive and very, very funny.”
THEATRE THOUGHTS
VENUE: Ad Astra - Galaxy. 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane.
DIRECTED BY: Prue Robb and Bradley Chapman
PERFORMANCE SEASON: 3rd – 19th December 2026
PERFORMANCE DAYS & TIMES: Thur - Sat evenings and Saturday and Sunday matinees.
REHEARSALS: Weeklyfrom30 Aug,Mon & Wed 6:15pm to 9:30pm, Sundays 10am to 4pm
PAYMENT: This is a co-op production, all get a share of ticket sales after expenses.
AUDITIONS DATES AND TIMES : Monday 24 August, Tue 25th Aug.
CALL BACK DATES AND TIMES : Wed 26the August if required
To apply, please fill out this google form OR emailcollectedgrimmtalesadastra@gmail.com with your current CV (in Word or Google Doc only) as well as a RECENT headshot. Please make sure you specify the role/roles you will be auditioning for.
CREATIVE TEAM
Co-Director – Bradley Chapman
Brad is a Dhanggati theatre-maker, playwright, and dramaturg based in Magandjin/Brisbane, with cultural heritage connected to Country in northern New South Wales. A multiple-award-winning practitioner, his practice centres on verbatim theatre, queer dramaturgy, and First Nations storytelling. His work is shaped by a conviction that the stage is among the most honest places to affectively witness difficult truths. Brad's most recent work is his playscript-dissertation Straight and Narrow: Staging the Testimonies of Conversion Survivors, for which he was awarded a Master of Theatre and Performance from the University of New England. Previous theatrical appointments include Crete Street Theatre, Z-PAC Theatre and The Brolga Theatre. By day, he is an educator and academic, and currently leads the Drama department of one of Queensland's most prestigious schools.
Co-Director – Prue Robb
Prue is an award winning Meandjin-based director who is passionate about bringing new opportunities to emerging and re-emerging artists. She has a flair for bringing creative new visions to life and a strong love for contemporary theatre.
Prue has worked across a diverse range of theatrical productions with several South East Queensland theatre companies, the most recent 3 productions being with Ad Astra. She has experience in musicals, jukebox musicals, full-length plays, one-act plays and puppetry. As a writer, director, producer and performer, she brings a versatile and collaborative approach to every production. This breadth of experience has shaped her dynamic directing style, combining strong storytelling with a keen eye for visual theatre, while fostering a creative, inclusive and supportive rehearsal environment.
Ad Astra Theatre Company
Ad Astra started in 2018 in a converted 1970s two story brick office block at 57 Misterton Street in Fortitude Valley - called the Satellite Theatre. It has a vibe very similar to the cool small theatres of LA, London and NYC. From humble beginnings, it has grown to take its place amongst the best independent theatre companies in Brisbane. It has seen hundreds of emerging and re-emerging amazing creatives showcase their talent on a professional stage. Many have been nominated for Matilda awards over the years. Ad Astra receives regular critical acclaim for its productions from both reviewers and audiences alike. In 2024 we have kick started Astra Nova, which is a program for emerging playwrights, who get to work with a mentor over a six month period to help bring new local plays to a professional stage. Next year, we will open our second venue, the premiere space there is the Galaxy Theatre . The new venue will offer spaces for rehearsals, performances, film events and so much more.
ABOUT THE PLAY
Grimm Tales is an acclaimed stage adaptation of classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales by British poet Carol Ann Duffy, dramatized by Tim Supple. The folk classics Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin and others from the brothers Grimm are presented here with a fresh, vigorous, and often darker theatrical flair, capturing the magic, humour, and cruelty of the original stories.
We will be performing 2 versions of the play, the full version for a15+ recommended age, and a shorter modified version suitable for children of all ages.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
Actors with:
Have strong acting and storytelling skills.
Can create distinctive characters using voice and physicality.
Are comfortable with movement and ensemble performance.
Can portray both comedy and darker dramatic moments.
Are willing to collaborate and support fellow cast members
.
Actors of all backgrounds, ethnicities and body types are encouraged to apply.
Characters :
This is a true ensemble production, with all cast members playing multiple roles throughout the performance. Characters include heroes and heroines, princes and princesses, kings and queens, witches, wolves, animals, villagers, narrators, magical creatures and many other fairy tale figures.
What do we require of you for the audition?
The storytelling of Grimm Tales is fluid, requiring actors to morph from narrator to character, often within a single line. Fairy tale characters are often drawn two-dimensionally, meaning the script itself offers little insight; it falls to the cast and creatives to make the artistic choices that bring them to life.
With this in mind, we'd like auditionees to relay an excerpt of a fairy tale of their choosing, no longer than 2 minutes. The excerpt should include at least one character in addition to the narration, to allow for the vocal shift described below. This can be a learned recitation or ad-libbed from memory. The tale itself doesn't need to be obscure, we're more interested in the choices you make with it than the story you pick. Auditionees are welcome to move and gesture as the piece calls for it.
We are looking for the following skills:
The ability to engage the audience through narration, and invite them into the world of the tale.
The ability to switch vocally between narrator and character (please choose an excerpt that allows for this).
The ability to create a clear mood through delivery alone.