1963 The Musical "A Very British Invasion"
Location: London, Ontario
Auditions
Audition Information & Submission Instructions
SUBMISSION PROCEDURES Online Portal — Preferred Submission Method Actors are strongly encouraged to submit their application through the official production audition portal at: 1963themusical.com/auditions/ The online portal will request a current headshot, resume and relevant experience information, along with any additional materials required for the specific track. Email Submission — Alternative Method Candidates who are unable to use the online portal may alternatively submit their headshot and resume directly via email to: [email protected] Please use the following subject line: CAEA Submission: [Track Number] – [Actor Name] REGIONAL AUDITION DATES & CITIES London, ON: Saturday, November 7, 2026 Oakville, ON: Saturday, November 14, 2026 Stratford, ON: Saturday, November 21, 2026 Exact physical locations and venue addresses will be provided directly to selected talent upon appointment confirmation. Live follow-up callback auditions will take place in early 2027. AUDITION TIMELINE & PREPARATION Review Process The creative team will review all digital submissions. Due to the anticipated volume of submissions, only actors selected for a live audition appointment will be contacted. We sincerely thank all applicants for their time and interest in the production. Appointment Selection Selected talent will receive an email containing a private booking link to schedule a specific audition time slot in their preferred audition city. Options remain open until all available slots are filled. AUDITION MATERIALS Exact vocal preparation guidelines, instrumental requirements and other applicable audition materials including, script sides will be emailed directly to scheduled talent at least two weeks prior to their specific live audition date. Additional audition instructions and musical material will be provided to selected candidates as applicable to their track. INSTRUMENTAL AUDITION REQUIREMENTS — TRACKS 1–4 Candidates auditioning for Tracks 1–4 will be required to perform their assigned instrument live during the audition. This is a mandatory component of the audition. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their instrumental proficiency while integrating live playing with the acting and/or vocal material provided for the audition. No backing tracks, pre-recorded instrumental performances or miming will be accepted. Equipment Provided A professional drum kit and bass/guitar amplifiers will be provided at all audition locations. Guitarists and bassists are required to bring their own instruments. Drummers are not required to bring a drum kit. Candidates auditioning for the drum track should bring their own drum sticks. WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR AUDITION Candidates attending a live audition are asked to bring: One current printed headshot One current printed resume Their own instrument, if auditioning for bass or guitar Drum sticks, if auditioning for Track 4 Any additional materials specifically requested for their track SUBMISSION DEADLINE Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST Late submissions may not be considered. IMPORTANT AUDITION REMINDER TRACKS 1–4 ARE ACTOR-MUSICIAN POSITIONS. Candidates auditioning for Pete, Jake, Gerard or Ricky must be prepared to play their assigned instrument live during the audition and, if engaged, live throughout the production. The ability to combine acting, singing and live instrumental performance is an essential requirement of these four tracks. No miming. No backing tracks. No pre-recorded instrumental performances. ACTOR-MUSICIAN REQUIREMENT — TRACKS 1–4 Tracks 1–4 are actor-musician positions. Candidates auditioning for Tracks 1–4 must be proficient instrumentalists capable of performing their assigned instrument live during the audition and, if engaged, live throughout the production. Live instrumental performance is a mandatory component of the audition. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their musical proficiency while integrating live instrumental performance with acting and singing. No miming, backing tracks or pre-recorded instrumental performances will be accepted. The Band Track 1: Bass Guitar — Live Performance Required Track 2: Rhythm Guitar — Live Performance Required Track 3: Lead Guitar — Live Performance Required Track 4: Drums — Live Performance Required VOCAL RANGE NOTE Vocal ranges listed below are approximate and are intended to indicate the general vocal requirements of each track. Vocal range is not intended to be an absolute casting limitation. The creative team may adjust keys where appropriate to accommodate an otherwise ideal performer whose voice, acting, musicianship and overall suitability strongly fit the role. MULTI-ROLE & DIALECT CASTING NOTE Tracks 6–8 require significant character differentiation and dialect work. Candidates must be comfortable shifting between multiple localized British, American and other dialects while maintaining clear and distinct character choices between roles. PLAYABLE AGE NOTICE Age ranges indicate the playable character age on stage, not necessarily the actor's actual age.
Casting Breakdown
PETE — TRACK 1 Playable Age Range: 18–25 Instrument: Bass Guitar — Must Play Live Vocal Range: Baritone / Tenor Dialect: Working-class British Character Description Jude's boyfriend. Soft-hearted, intensely optimistic and sentimental. A dedicated worker who pushes himself hard to keep pace with the band's natural talent. Audition Requirement Candidates must demonstrate the ability to play bass guitar live while performing as an actor-musician. 1. Required Piece (Must Sing): And I Love Her – The Beatles 2. Choice Piece (Select ONE to Play & Sing): Can't You See That She's Mine – The Dave Clark Five I Saw Her Standing There – The Beatles How Do You Do It – Gerry & The Pacemakers JAKE — TRACK 2 Playable Age Range: 18–25 Instrument: Rhythm Guitar — Must Play Live Vocal Range: Tenor Dialect: Working-class British Character Description Anna's boyfriend and the intense, volatile leader of the band. Driven by deep-seated inner angst against the “old way” and past trauma. Fiercely loyal but fiercely pragmatic. Audition Requirement Candidates must demonstrate the ability to play rhythm guitar live while performing as an actor-musician. 1. Required Piece (Must Sing): And I Love Her – The Beatles 2. Choice Piece (Select ONE to Play & Sing): Can't You See That She's Mine – The Dave Clark Five I Saw Her Standing There – The Beatles How Do You Do It – Gerry & The Pacemakers GERARD — TRACK 3 Playable Age Range: 18–25 Instrument: Lead Guitar — Must Play Live Vocal Range: Baritone / Tenor Dialect: Middle-class British Character Description An exceptionally skilled guitarist. Loyal and supportive, though harbouring a quiet anxiety around overbearing authority figures. Displays sudden bursts of boldness when secure. Audition Requirement Candidates must demonstrate the ability to play lead guitar live while performing as an actor-musician. 1. Required Piece (Must Play): Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry 2. Choice Piece (Select ONE to Play & Sing): Can't You See That She's Mine – The Dave Clark Five I Saw Her Standing There – The Beatles How Do You Do It – Gerry & The Pacemakers RICKY — TRACK 4 Playable Age Range: 18–25 Instrument: Drums — Must Play Live Vocal Range: Baritone / Tenor Dialect: Middle-class British Character Description A dedicated drummer with a taste of local success. Can appear aloof or detached due to deep self-doubt and over-analysis, but plays with joyful, chaotic abandon. Audition Requirement Candidates must demonstrate the ability to play drums live while performing as an actor-musician. 1. Required Piece (Must Play): Wipe Out – The Surfaris 2. Choice Piece (Select ONE to Sing): Because – The Beatles My Girl – The Temptations MUM — TRACK 5 Playable Age Range: 45–60 Instrument / Vocal: Non-musician / Non-singing Role Dialect: Working-class British Character Description Pete's mother. A fierce, practical, hard-working woman who balances a day job and acts as Pete's reality check. Pushes him toward stability while providing a loving safety net. JUDE / MULTI-ROLE — TRACK 6 Playable Age Range: 18–25 Vocal Range: Mezzo-Soprano Dialects: Upper-middle-class British AND Standard American (Midwest) Character Description Principal track. Plays JUDE, a stable upper-middle-class woman caught between her family's rigid expectations and her genuine love for Pete. Also doubles as DJ GAL, a bubbly, fast-talking American radio personality. Performance Requirements Strong acting, singing, character differentiation and dialect work required. Audition Requirement Choice Piece (Select ONE to Sing): The End of the World – Skeeter Davis I Only Want To Be With You – Dusty Springfield ANNA / MULTI-ROLE — TRACK 7 Playable Age Range: 20–45 Vocal Range: Soprano / Mezzo-Soprano Dialects: Upper-class British, French, Standard American AND New York Character Description Featured ensemble track. Plays ANNA (early 20s), an artsy, trend-conscious upper-class British woman active in the mod scene. Track also features: LENZ — mid-40s corporate French photographer JULIE — mid-30s New York wardrobe head with a hilarious weakness for British men DJ GAL — a bubbly, fast-talking American radio personality Performance Requirements Strong acting, singing, character differentiation and rapid dialect transitions required. Audition Requirement Choice Piece (Select ONE to Sing): The End of the World – Skeeter Davis I Only Want To Be With You – Dusty Springfield STRANGER / MULTI-ROLE — TRACK 8 Playable Age Range: 45+ Vocal Requirement: Non-musician / Non-singing Role Dialects: Standard British, regional British dialects, Standard American AND old-timey / subtle New York Character Description Principal track. A tour-de-force assignment for a powerhouse character actor. Plays multiple distinct roles, including: STRANGER — a cryptic, eccentric British muse driving Jake's destiny POSTMAN — serious, dry WWII veteran NYC RADIO DJ — slick American radio personality BEAT REPORTER — old-timey newspaper reporter NEW YORK TV HOST — sleek television personality Various off-stage voices and additional characters Performance Requirements Exceptional character acting, vocal differentiation, dialect control and rapid character transitions required.
Accessibility Information
1963 THE MUSICAL “A Very British Invasion” Book, Music & Lyrics by Chris McGill & Aaron McGill Director: Ralph Small Choreographer: Kerry Gage Performance City: London, Ontario Total Performances: 21 Projected Rehearsal Start Date: Late June 2027 (Tentative) Projected Opening Date: Mid-July 2027 (Tentative) Projected Closing Date: Early August 2027 (Tentative) SHOW SYNOPSIS It's 1963. In a small British port town, four young men find themselves standing at a crossroads between the lives expected of them and the futures they dream of creating. Bound together by a love of music and a determination to make their mark on the world, they form a band and begin chasing opportunities far beyond the docks and shipyards they have always known. But as their ambitions grow, so do the sacrifices required to pursue them. Friendships are tested, relationships are strained, and each must decide how much he is willing to risk for the chance to become something more. Featuring an original score inspired by the unforgettable sounds of the British Invasion, 1963 THE MUSICAL “A Very British Invasion” is a coming-of-age story filled with humour, heart and hope. It is a celebration of friendship, first love and the courage to follow a dream when the future is uncertain and everything is on the line.
Ethnocultural Mandate
We cast entirely based on individual talent, skills, and overall suitability for each character. Our production is committed to an open and equitable casting environment where performers from all backgrounds, ethnicities, identities, and experiences are welcomed and considered fairly. Unless a role has specific historical, cultural, or textual requirements, all parts are open to any actor who can best bring the character to life.
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