The New Wolsey Theatre is looking for a professional female actor of African/ Caribbean or mixed heritage, for our upcoming Primary Schools Tour of Grandad Anansi by Elayne Ogbeta.

GRANDAD ANANSI by Elayne Ogbeta

‘Grandad is as smart and mischievous as the wily spider Anansi, but as they tend the flowers in his beautiful garden can he find a way to tell his granddaughter Abi about his plans to return to his homeland in the Caribbean? Filled with original songs and classic Jamaican folktales, Grandad Anansi is an uplifting tale of love, courage, and the power of letting go.’

Casting:

Abi – Playing age 11yrs old. Intelligent, playful and curious, Grandad Anansi is Abi’s whole world and her best friend. Together, they tell Annasi stories to each other and to the audience as Abi tries to workout what her Grandad is keeping from her….

Requires an actor who can sing and follow simple choreography.

The Grandad Anansi company will consist of a stage manager and two actors. You will tour across Suffolk and the whole company will be responsible for loading/unloading the van and putting the set up/taking it down, at each school. Bringing the magic of live performance to young audiences is incredibly rewarding, but schools touring can be demanding and requires someone who is a resilient team player with a good sense of humour.

Actors will need to hold an Enhanced DBS to undertake this contract. If you do not currently hold an Enhanced DBS dated within the last 3 years, we will raise one for you.

To be eligible for this opportunity you must be aged over 18 years and have trained as an actor or have professional (paid) acting experience. As part of our commitment to supporting and developing local theatre makers, we are particularly interested in hearing from actors with a strong connection to the Eastern region.

Dates

Rehearsals take place in Ipswich, Suffolk from 30th March – 14th April 2026.

Performances in primary schools and community settings across Suffolk from 15th April – 8th May 2026, with final performances on 9th May 2026 at the New Wolsey Theatre.

Fees and Contract

This production is paid at an MRSL Grade 2 Subsidised Theatre rate of £562 per week and artists will be engaged under the terms and conditions of the UK Theatre/Equity Subsidised Theatres agreement, T.I.E. Variation.

Relocation allowance

If the artist normally resides 25 miles or more from the theatre, they will receive a subsistence payment of £235 per week to relocate to Ipswich for the duration of the contract. If they reside 15-25 miles from the workplace, during rehearsals and performances, they will receive a weekly travel allowance, amount TBC.

For artists in receipt of the relocation allowance reasonable travel costs will be paid at the start and end of the contract, to cover their travel costs to and from their home base and Ipswich.

Auditions

The first round of auditions will take place on-line in the week beginning the 26th January 2026. Second round at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich in the week beginning 2nd February, TBC.

How to apply

To be considered for this role, please email Sam at admin@wolseytheatre.co.uk with the following:

1. A copy of your C.V or a link to a website that hosts your C.V (e.g. Spotlight)

2. A short self-tape that includes:

• An introduction that includes your name, contract details (or agent contact details), and a couple of sentences about why you’d like to be involved in Grandad Annasi.
• A short speech of your choice.

Once you have emailed Sam, please complete our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Form Online by clicking here.

Submissions will close at 5pm on Friday 23rd January.

In our pursuit of creating a diverse and inclusive production, we welcome applications from people who identify as deaf and disabled people, neurodivergent people, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Please let us know if you have any access requirements or if you need us to make any adjustments to allow you to fully participate in this casting process.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Tony Casement at tcasement@wolseytheatre.co.uk