Brainstorm Productions is one of the largest touring theatre companies in Australia. We have been established for 27 years and tour in schools across Australia. We employ 20-30 actors, performing more than 2000 shows to up to 400,000 students every year. Brainstorm offers a dynamic, fun working environment and regular weekly wages including tax free travel allowance for any tours outside metropolitan areas. Air-conditioned station wagons are provided. Rehearsals are on the beautiful Far North Coast of NSW, in a friendly, positive environment.
The shows are challenging and address issues such as cyber bullying, violence, drug abuse and discrimination. This is a great opportunity for experienced actors or young actors straight from university to gain experience.
We need responsible, energetic actors, minimum age of 19 years, male and female (with a playing range of 16 - 25 years). Some roles require singing and physical theatre and some are straight dramatic roles.  A current drivers' licence and a good driving record is essential.
Auditions are held in late November/early December each year in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. If you are interested in applying, please see the details below. Please note that applications are only accepted in October and November each year. Due to administrative demands, early or late applications cannot be kept on file or considered for an audition.
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AUDITIONS FOR 2011 SEASON: Applications open 1st October 2010
Males Roles Female Roles FAQs
***To apply for an audition actors MUST HAVE a current drivers licence and good driving record and MUST BE at least 19 years old***
Auditions are held as follows:
Brisbane: Monday 22nd with call-backs on Tuesday 23rd November 2010
Melbourne: Friday 26th and Saturday 27th November 2010 for initial auditions with call-backs on either Saturday 27th or Sunday 28th November 2010 (TBC)
Sydney: Wednesday 1st, Thursday 2nd for initial auditions with Friday 3rd December 2010 for call-backs.
Applications open October 1st 2010: Send short cover note including the names and contact numbers of 2 referees with your CV and current photograph to:
E-mail:
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Fax: (02) 6628 5009
Post:PO Box 804 Alstonville NSW 2477
Please ensure that you list your current postal address, phone number and e-mail address with all correspondence. You must include an e-mail address as successful applicants who make it to the audition stage will need a copy of the monologue. If you are represented by an Agency, please also list their name and phone number on your application.
Closing Date Brisbane applicants: Sunday 14th November 2010 midnight.
Closing Date Melbourne applicants: Sunday 14th November 2010 at midnight.
Closing Date Sydney applicants: Wednesday 17th November 2010 at 5.00pm
Late applications will not be accepted.
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Successful applicants will be contacted by phone/e-mail no later than 19th November (Brisbane and Melbourne) or 25th November (Sydney) to allocate audition times. Applicants who do not make it to the audition stage or whose audition has been unsuccessful will be notified by mail or email by the 17th December.
Auditions: Initial auditions will be one at a time - you will be asked to perform a short monologue provided in advance by Brainstorm and to sing 'Happy Birthday" unaccompanied. These auditions will be videoed for later reference.
Please arrive a few minutes early to complete application forms prior to your audition. You will be asked information about your driving record, your availability for the coming season, some medical history, as well as your employment history/experience/training.
Callbacks are in groups of 4-5. You will be asked to demonstrate ability to sing/dance/juggle etc depending on the role(s) we are considering you for. You will also be asked to improvise a variety of scenarios including some school-based situations. No accompaniment for singing and dancing please.
If you are cast: Before an offer of employment is made you will be asked to provide an RTA, QLD Roads or VIC Roads print-out of your driving record. The Education Department will also need your permission to conduct a mandatory criminal record check for any history of violence or sexual based offences.
Rate of Pay: Weekly wages are paid at Equity rates - $865.86 per wk, plus Living Away from Home Allowance (LAHA) $830.48 per wk when tour is away from actor's base city, Holiday Pay, Sick Pay, employers contribution to Superannuation and Workers Compensation. For all rehearsals and some of the longer away from home tours (eg Adelaide tours) accommodation is provided by Brainstorm Productions and actors receive a Meals and Incidentals allowance ($302.05) instead of the Living Away from Home Allowance.
Please note: It is an offence under the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 2005 for a person convicted of a serious sex offence to apply for these positions.
All roles require actors with a playing range of 16 - 25 years (however you need to be at least 19 years old so that you have at least one year driving experience, can show a good driving record, and have the maturity to cope with touring). All our shows are 2 hander's except 'Cheap Thrills' which is a one-man show. Tour details as listed beside each role are estimated only, actual weeks will depend on bookings received but should be reasonably accurate.
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We will be casting 17 actors for our 2011 season:
10 Males (2-4 Melbourne, 2 Brisbane and 4-6 Sydney based)
7 Females (2-3 Melbourne, 2 Brisbane and 2-3 Sydney based)
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Toby (Sticks & Stones): Male with experience in Physical Theatre, acrobatics and juggling.  Must be able to sing. Ability to ride a unicycle an advantage.
·  1 Sydney actor required - Touring January to September 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 10-11 weeks in Sydney, 6 weeks in Melbourne, 2 weeks Regional VIC , 6 weeks in Brisbane, 3-4 weeks regional NSW, 4 weeks holiday in actors base city.
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Joe (Sticks & Stones): Male with experience in Physical Theatre, acrobatics and juggling. Must be able to sing. Ability to ride a unicycle an advantage.
·  1 Sydney actor required - Touring January to September 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 10-11 weeks in Sydney, 6 weeks in Melbourne, 2 weeks Regional VIC , 6 weeks in Brisbane, 3-4 weeks regional NSW, 4 weeks holiday in actors base city.
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Fly/Jimmy (Being Brave/The Hurting Game): Male with experience in Physical Theatre and comedy. Some character acting required. Â Must be able to sing.
·  1 Melbourne actor required - Touring March to September 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 7 weeks Melbourne, 9 weeks Regional VIC, 3 weeks in Sydney, 5 weeks Regional NSW, 1 week in ACT,  3 weeks holidays in actors base city.
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Jimmy/Leo (The Hurting Game/The Protectors): Male with experience in Physical Theatre and comedy. Some character acting required. Must be able to sing.
·  1 Brisbane actor required - Touring January to June 2011 with a possible extension to August depending on bookings.  4 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 14 weeks in Adelaide, 1 week in Regional SA, 4-9 weeks in Brisbane, 1 week North Coast NSW, 2-3 week holiday in actors base city.Â
·  1 Melbourne or Sydney actor required - Touring August-December 2011 and then January-April 2012 (2 contracts) MUST BE PREPARED TO DO BOTH SEASONS. Contract 1: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast NSW), 5 weeks Sydney, 7 weeks Melbourne, 3-4 weeks Brisbane, 1 week Regional NSW, 1 week ACT, 1 week Newcastle, 2 weeks holiday in actors base city. Contract 2: Split between Melbourne and Sydney plus some regional TBA.
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Rolf/Rockie/Daniel (The Magic Words/Verbal Combat): Male who is a strong character actor. Must be able to sing and dance.
·  1 Brisbane actor required - Touring February to August 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 12 weeks in Brisbane, 9 weeks in Sydney, 2 weeks in Newcastle, 2 weeks holiday in actors base city.
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Andy (Cheap Thrills): One-man show. Must be mature and independent. Able to play an adolescent male and parody a variety of female roles. No singing or dancing required. This tour will probably be split and played by 2 different actors depending on who is cast.
·  1-2 Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne actors required - Touring February to September 2011: 2 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 8 weeks in Sydney, 5 weeks in Melbourne, 4 weeks in Brisbane, 4 weeks in Adelaide, 4 weeks Regional NSW, 1 week in ACT, 2 weeks in Regional VIC, 3 weeks holiday in actors base city.
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Joel/Cal (Wired/Saving Cal & Mindi): Male who is a strong character actor. Must be able to sing and move well.
·  1 Sydney actor required - Touring April to October 2011. 3-4 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 7 weeks in Brisbane, 10 weeks in Sydney, 4 weeks in Melbourne, 1 week ACT, 1 week Regional NSW, 2 weeks holiday in actors base city.
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Duncan/Rockie/Daniel (The Human Race/Verbal Combat) Male who is a strong character actor. Must be able to move well.
·  1 Sydney actor required - Touring February to September 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast NSW), 14 weeks North Queensland, 5 weeks Sydney, 3 weeks Regional NSW, 4 weeks holiday in actors base city.
·  1 Melbourne actor required- Touring February to September 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast NSW), 11-12 weeks in Melbourne, 5-6 weeks in Sydney, 5 weeks in Tasmania, 1 week in Newcastle, 1 week ACT, 2 weeks holiday in actors base city.
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Celia/Samantha (Being Brave/The Hurting Game): Female with experience in Physical Theatre and comedy who is a strong character actor. Must be able to sing and dance.
·  1 Melbourne actor required - Touring March to September 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 7 weeks Melbourne, 9 weeks Regional VIC, 3 weeks in Sydney, 5 weeks Regional NSW, 1 week in ACT,  3 weeks holidays in actors base city.
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Zanna/Gabrielle/Emily (The Magic Words/Verbal Combat): Female who is a good character actor (ability with accents an advantage). Must be able to sing and dance and have some acrobatic ability. Ability to play Bass Guitar an advantage but not essential.
·  1 Brisbane actor required - Touring February to August 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 12 weeks in Brisbane, 9 weeks in Sydney, 2 weeks in Newcastle, 2 weeks holiday in actors base city.
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Lexi /Mindi (Wired Saving Cal & Mindi /): Female who is a strong character actor. No singing or dancing required.
·  1 Sydney actor required - Touring April to October 2011. 3-4 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 7 weeks in Brisbane, 10 weeks in Sydney, 4 weeks in Melbourne, 1 week ACT, 1 week Regional NSW, 2 weeks holiday in actors base city.
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DeeDee/Gabrielle/Emily (The Human Race/Verbal Combat) Female who is a good character actor. Must be able to sing and dance. Ability to play Bass Guitar an advantage but not essential.
·  1 Sydney actor required - Touring February to September 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast NSW), 14 weeks North Queensland, 5 weeks Sydney, 3 weeks Regional NSW, 4 weeks holiday in actors base city.
·  1 Melbourne actor required- Touring February to September 2011: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast NSW), 11-12 weeks in Melbourne, 5-6 weeks in Sydney, 5 weeks in Tasmania, 1 week in Newcastle, 1 week ACT, 2 weeks holiday in actors base city.
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Samantha/ Sarina (The Hurting Game/The Protectors): Female with experience in Physical Theatre and comedy. Some character acting required. Must be able to sing.
·  1 Brisbane actor required - Touring January to June 2011 with a possible extension to August depending on bookings.  4 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast of NSW), 14 weeks in Adelaide, 1 week in Regional SA, 4-9 weeks in Brisbane, 1 week North Coast NSW, 2-3 week holiday in actors base city.Â
·  1 Melbourne or Sydney actor required - Touring August-December 2011 and then January-April 2012 (2 contracts) MUST BE PREPARED TO DO BOTH SEASONS. Contract 1: 3 weeks rehearsal near Byron Bay (Far North Coast NSW), 5 weeks Sydney, 7 weeks Melbourne, 3-4 weeks Brisbane, 1 week Regional NSW, 1 week ACT, 1 week Newcastle, 2 weeks holiday in actors base city. Contract 2: Split between Melbourne and Sydney plus some regional TBA.Â
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is working with Brainstorm Productions a full-time position?
- Yes, it is a full time job, Monday to Friday, for the length of your contract.
2. What is the length of the Contract?
- Contracts vary from 1, 2 or 3 school terms i.e. 10, 20 or 30 weeks (approx).
3. When would I expect to start?
- Most contracts start at the beginning or middle of January but some do start later in the year (see list of roles for more specific dates)
4. What is the rehearsal schedule if I gain employment?
- Rehearsals are 2-3 weeks at the beginning of your contract, full time on the Far North Coast of NSW (Near Byron Bay) - yes, they are paid at Equity rates and accommodation is provided.
5. How many performers in each team?
- All shows are 2 handers except for Cheap Thrills, which is a one-man show.
6. How big is the set?
- The sets are very minimal and fit in the back of a station wagon. There are no "tour managers", actors are required to set up themselves at each school.
7. How many performances would I expect to do?
- You do 1, 2 or 3 shows per day Monday to Friday in schools (maximum 15 shows per week but average about 10).
8. How much do I get paid?
- Current MEAA rate for 2010 - $865.86 per week plus tax free Living Away from Home Allowance (LAHA) $830.48 per week when away from home. If accommodation is provided by Brainstorm Productions (e.g. rehearsals or Adelaide Tours) a tax free meals and incidentals allowance ($302.05) is paid instead of the travel allowance. The standard MEAA rate of holiday pay including leave loading and 9% employer superannuation contributions are also paid.Â
9. Which roles will I be considered for?
- We will consider you for all roles (unless you specifically ask us not to) based in the City you reside in. i.e. All male roles based in Melbourne for Melbourne based actors.
10. Do I need to provide my own car?
-Â No, a modern, air-conditioned company vehicle (automatic)Â is provided for each team including fuel and running costs.
11. What if I do not have a current drivers licence?
- You MUST have a current drivers licence and a GOOD driving record (L-Plates are not acceptable). You will be asked to provide an RTA, VIC Roads or QLD Roads print-out of your driving record if you gain employment.
12. Are there any additional requirements to consider?
- You must be physically fit and prepared to be away from home for at least part of the tour (eg 4-6 weeks at a time - sometimes longer depending on the tour).
13. Will I be touring all over Australia?
- Brainstorm Productions tours across most states in Australia. However, the coverage is divided up so 1 team is not expected to cover all states - usually 2-3 states per team.
14. When will I find out if I got the job?
- You will be notified by phone by 17th December if you got the job and by mail before Christmas if you are unsuccessful. If you are represented by an agent, we will notify you through them.
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