Insane by name...
If there's one thing that can be said about us as a company, it's that we're not exactly conventional.
The nature of the work we do, and the fact that it is using unusual spaces, means that traditional ways of booking shows into a venue don't really apply to us. We are at the mercy of committees and trusts and councils. Sometimes this means decisions are achingly slow to be made, at others they are extraordinarily quick!
On top of this, as an unfunded company neither Justin nor I receive any kind of salary for the work we do between productions. All the social media, maintaining this website, casting, emails, ticket offers, negotiations, pitching projects....that all has to fit around other work which can actually pay the bills. This can lead to some interesting scheduling!
And so it is that we found ourselves having to hold a day of auditions on the 30th of December for rehearsals that start on the 3rd of January. I'm not sure we've ever had a turn-around that quick.
Even so, we were fortunate to meet some incredibly talented, generous performers, and selecting the cast of Orpheus & Eurydice in the Suspension Bridge Vaults has been gloriously difficult. I am constantly in awe of the work that actors do and the sheer number of wonderful performers that are out there: we had over 400 submissions for 4 roles for this project.
We just wish we could employ them all.
We wish we could even just meet them all.
Maybe it's time to shake up the casting process and find another unconventional approach...