Auditions for Plays for Springboard Festival 2026
From September to January, 12 emerging local writers met fortnightly to workshop and develop original short plays for Springboard Festival. Four of these plays will now be performed at the Festival and for which I would like to announce auditions coming up. Do come along and be involved in these exciting new works. All information about the play and cast details can be found below:
‘The 18:17 to Nowhere’ by Judea Jess, directed by Rowan McDonnell.
Audition on Sunday 22nd February at 12pm in the auditorium.
Boomer and Gen Z co-workers on a bus. Gentle comedy of manners.
Cast of 3.
Kayla (she/her) - early 20s - Full of unfiltered conversation and chronically online references that sometimes bewilder her older colleagues. Beneath is a girl with her own doubts and insecurities that she purely hides with humour. She isn’t nervous to defend herself and the people she cares about
Martin (he/him) - 50s-70s -
Young Guy (he/him) late teens - Nothing but trouble, doesn’t know his place and the holder of a secret that changes everything Kayla and Martin thought about each other.
To register interest in auditioning and to find out more information please contact the director roemcdonnell@gmail.com
‘Tell Them’ by Hodan Mohammed, directed by Alan Wales.
Audition on Sunday 22nd February 7:30pm in the theatre bar and foyer.
Celebrity, exposed as bully on chat show, responsible for tragedy.
Cast of 2.
‘Tour Guide’ by Katy Lynam, directed by Olivia Dineley.
Auditions on Monday 23rd February at 7.30pm, and Friday 27th February at 6:30pm, both in the theatre bar and foyer.
When a passionate history buff risks losing her tour guide license for being "too boring," she decides to create an educational murder mystery to spice up her tours. But when her macabre
creation spirals out of control, she must try to contain it anyway possible.
Cast of 4/5.
LUCY (30s) - Loves history to a fault. Born and bred in Warwickshire.
TOUR GUIDE SUPREME (40s) - An interstellar being from the future.
TONY (50s) - Along with Reece the Waldorf and Statler of tour guides. Thinks he’s above everyone, speaks in posh Warwick accent
REECE (30s) -Cov Kid, who loves a good gruesome story, even if it’s not true.
LAPTOP (Note this can be either audio clip or the actors playing Tony or Reece pretending to be Danny Dyer)
To register interest in auditioning and to find out more information please contact the director oliviadineley@gmail.com
‘Pidgewidgeon’ by Jet Burnett, directed by Tim East.
Auditions on Tuesday 3rd March at 7:30pm in the auditorium and Wednesday 4th March at 6:30 pm in the theatre bar and foyer.
Set in a post-apocalyptic America, this intimate play follows four survivors on a small, self-sufficient homestead. The story explores survival, love, and unexpected connections.
Cast of 4.
Older Men (Lovers, “Badass gay dudes”):
Man 1: Nostalgic and contemplative, waiting for his daughter. Wants peace and tranquility, often playing house for visitors.
Man 2: Crude, action-oriented, and quick to react. Prefers to shoot first and ask questions later, but can be calmed by his partner.
Younger Adults:
Woman: Strong, silent, and protective. Her body language shows she’s always ready for action. Has a soft spot for the young man, though their relationship is ambiguous.
Man: Naive, clueless, and talks to much. Often unaware of danger, yet somehow has survived in this harsh world.
To register interest in auditioning and to find out more information please contact the director TimothyEastCW@outlook.com
What is Springboard Festival?
The fourth Springboard Festival will be bigger and better than ever.
Eight evenings of fabulous and varied entertainment in the form of short one act plays, poetry/spoken word, music, film, literary discussion and visual art. The festival brings together amateur and professionals in one space, with in-house Criterion company performances and community/Criterion collaborations alongside external artists, musicians and poets from Coventry and Warwickshire.