Open auditions & open creatives : callout 2026

We’re always thinking about upcoming shows, but this open round is about sparking new connections without specific projects or roles in mind. We want to meet the bold, brilliant people from across the region – and for you to meet us.  

Since 2021, we’ve held five rounds of open auditions, meeting more than 300 actors. We brought colleagues from across the region –and beyond, together to chat with actors they hadn’t met, and to get a sense of what they can do.  

On the back of our Open Auditions, some actors secured an agent, some were invited to audition for specific shows, some have made their debut at Northern Stage and at venues across England, and others are on lists and on our minds as we wait for the right project for them. 

We’re committed to local talent, so this opportunity is for those living in postcodes beginning NE, SR, DH, DL or TS.  

We will give priority to actors who do not have representation. You may still apply if you have representation – remaining slots will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. 

Please note, this opportunity is suitable for actors aged 18+

Open Auditions Panel

As well as our Artistic Director we’re inviting colleagues from across the region to join us on the panel for open auditions. These could be directors, producers, casting directors, agents – anyone who employs actors or whose business is the employment of performers.   

Open Creatives Panel

If you employ creatives – maybe you’re a producer or director – we’d love you to join our Artistic Director at our Open Creatives day. Last year, we saw 10 artists and 2 went on to work on our upcoming shows so it’s a day not to be missed. 

Read about Ed Cole, Artistic Director of Alphabetti Theatre’s, experience on the panel on this blog post: A POV from the panel: Northern Stage’s open auditions | Northern Stage 

Applications for places will be accepted via an online form, one for each event. 

ACTORS – To apply for a slot please complete the form here by 10am on Wednesday 27th May.

CREATIVES – To apply for a slot please complete the form here by 10am on Wednesday 27th May.

PANELLISTS – To apply to be on the panel, please complete the form here by 10am on Wednesday 27th May.

Please contact producer@northernstage.co.uk with any questions.

Places will then be allocated in advance and with a specific time slot. In the application, applicants will be able to indicate what day and what time of day they will be available, and we’ll try our best to accommodate this. Due to high demand, we can’t accommodate requests for a different time than the one allocated, and we will be unable to see people on a walk-up basis.  

We want to be transparent about our process for Open sessions. Each year our Open Auditions have had significant engagement, and we’ve learned to be clear about how we assign slots.  

Everyone we meet must be local (living in postcodes beginning NE, SR, DH, DL or TS) and must be someone we haven’t met before.  By someone we haven’t met before, we mean someone who hasn’t attended an Open Audition at Northern Stage before and/or hasn’t attended an audition for a Northern Stage production since 2021. 

In recognition of the systematic exclusion and our efforts to build a more diverse and representative industry, we will then offer out slots as follows:

• The first round of invites will go to people who are unrepresented, who are from the global majority and/or disabled and/or living with a long-term health condition. 
• The second round of invites will go to people who are signed to an agency/have representation, are from the global majority and/or disabled and/or living with a long-term health condition 
• If there are any remaining slots, these will be offered in a third round to people who are unsigned and not from the global majority and not disabled / not living with a long-term health condition.