Audition for Purge

Update – April 19, 2021

Due to the continued Stage 1 restrictions in Alberta, the in-person auditions for Purge are cancelled and the deadline to submit a video audition has been extended to Sunday, April 25 at 4:00 PM. Callbacks will be held virtually on Sunday evening. The safety of the artists, volunteers and Artistic Team is our topmost priority. We’re excited to see your audition!

NEW Video audition deadline: Sunday, April 25 at 4:00 pm
Callbacks: Sunday, April 25 via Zoom

Theatre; Just Because promotes equity, diversity and inclusion in our audition process. We encourage artists of all races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities to audition.

Due to the mature nature of this production, Theatre; Just Because will only be casting actors 16 years of age or older. This production contains mature themes including sexual abuse, violence, and oppression as well as mature language and imagery. An Intimacy Coach will be present during rehearsals to help with difficult scenes.

How to Audition

Video

1. Read the Audition Handbook

2. Fill out the Audition Form

3. Choose a monologue. All audition materials can be accessed HERE

4. Record two separate videos of you performing one monologue in two different ways. 

   1. Start each video by saying your full name and the piece you will perform. 

   2. Record yourself in landscape mode, waist up. 

   3. Name your videos LastNameFirstName_1 and LastNameFirstName_2. 

   4. Upload the videos using Google Drive, WeTransfer, or similar software and send it to info@theatrejustbecause.com.

Auditions might feel intimidating - but rest assured that our Artistic Team is thrilled to meet you and grateful to you for joining us! You don’t need to have any previous performance or theatrical experience to audition, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have.

If you have any questions, email info@theatrejustbecause.com.

Through pandemic and flood, the show must go on(line)!

Submissions have opened for local theatre company Theatre; Just Because’s Quarantine Cabaret. The cabaret will virtually bring together artists from across the region for an evening of diverse performances. Musicians, dancers, comedians, actors, and any other artist who can showcase their work through an online medium are encouraged to apply.

Taking place Friday, May 16th from 7:00-8:00 PM, Quarantine Cabaret is a part of the company’s Quarantheatre Series. The performance will be broadcasted via the company’s Facebook page. The Quarantheatre online performances will be an opportunity for our audiences and artists to connect and support each other while enjoying more of the community's talent and postponed or cancelled work. With the added flooding of the Arts District, among many other areas of Fort McMurray, the Quarantine Cabaret seeks to bring people together.

“Fort McMurray is brimming with talent and many artists are looking for ways to connect with an audience and each other,” said the company’s Artistic Director, Hanna Fridhed. “If these difficult times have taught us anything, it's that arts have a powerful ability to bring us together, even in times when it’s necessary that we stay apart. We are hoping that the Quarantheatre Series can be a space for local artists to continue to develop their craft and have fun together."

The announcement of the Quarantheatre Series comes on the heels of the announcement of a new artistic team. Along with Hanna Fridhed taking on the position of Artistic Director, TJB has also appointed Samson Nand as Company Manager. Those interested in submitting for a time slot in the Quarantine Cabaret can do so via the signup genius. Follow Theatre; Just Because on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date on theatre in the community, and to tune in to the Quarantine Cabaret on Friday, May 16th.

Meet Macbeth: Brieanna McCutcheon

Playing First Witch in the upcoming Theatre; Just Because production of Macbeth is Brieanna McCutheon! Brieanna was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and grew up loving soccer and track. She always enjoyed competitive sports but never did anything with it for a career or post-secondary. For college, she went to school at NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) and received her Diploma in TV Broadcasting. It was near the end of getting this diploma that she thought that she would like to pursue acting.

What's your experience with community theatre in Fort McMurray?

“Time flies, so while answering this it makes me both surprised and happy with how much I have done in two years! My first taste of theatre here in Fort McMurray was this ‘one-act’ type play that Justin Shaw wrote and Directed about grief and losing someone. It was very powerful and forced you to reach into those dark places one has hidden. We haven’t done anything more with that piece, but I would love to revisit it. As for Keyano Theatre, I was one of the Assistant Stage Manager’s for A Christmas Carol, and performed in The Drowsy Chaperone, Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii, and most recently Mamma Mia!.”

Why did you audition for Macbeth?

“I am a firm believer in challenging myself and always seek to learn from my experiences. I knew nothing of Macbeth or Shakespeare going into this, and knew our Director Justin would be able to hold my hand through this process which is what I needed. So basically, I did this to challenge myself and to keep my acting muscle flexed. If you don’t use it, you lose it” she says with a laugh.

“I am really excited I have been cast… why wouldn’t I be! After leaving the audition, I felt charged up and knew something good happened. When I get that feeling, I am always 95% sure I got the part I went for. You must understand, sometimes you might want a certain part but it’s just not for you. With this play, I didn’t have that bad feeling, so I knew something great was on the horizon. This opportunity is another chance to hang out with like-minded people and to make something entertaining for the Fort McMurray community.”

You play the First Witch, what inspires you in this role?

“Prior to the auditions I was leaning towards wanting to play Lady Macbeth since she is this twisted, dark, and complex villain-like character. I liked the challenge of her. But after I read the play in more detail, First Witch really stood out to me. It was while I was reading the First Witch words, I found the voice for the character and had a big connection to them. My mom would always joke that she was a witch when I was younger. I knew she wasn’t, but I guess that inspired me, along with Meryl Streep (Into The Woods), Mitchelle Pfeiffer (Stardust), and Anjelica Huston (The Witches).

What are you looking forward to the most with this production?

“I am looking forward to personal growth and taking on a challenge. There’s something refreshing and freeing about being something that doesn’t care about appearances. If you have never read Macbeth maybe read the SparkNotes of it before coming to see it or read a quick Synopsis of the characters so you’re more invested in the story.”

We are thrilled to work with Brieanna on our upcoming production of Macbeth! Playing at the Keyano Recital Theatre May 23-25, 2019. For more information, click HERE.

Meet Macbeth: Jenny Price

Jenny Price - Macbeth

Theatre; Just Because is proud to introduce our Macbeth, a well-known face to Fort McMurray theatre goers, and an incredibly talented performer: Jenny Price! Born and raised in Fort McMurray, she chos to stay here to raise a family of her own. She has two children Alex, who is 16, and Kat, 12. Jenny even met her husband here at the much beloved InterPlay, and they have now been married for 17 years! Performing is a passion of Jenny’s, but she is also a dedicated mother and teacher: “working with youth at home and at school is so rewarding”, Jenny explains “because you can see the growth and change in them from day to day.”

The performing arts are a family affair in the Price' household. Brandon loves attending live theatre and expresses his creative side as Dungeon Master of his D&D group. Alex is an avid trumpet player and jumps at every chance he gets to perform with the Father Mercredi bands. Kat has followed in her mother’s footsteps and discovered a love for the stage: “We are both so happy to be involved in Macbeth together as Kat, at the tender age of 12, has been cast as Fleance (proud mama moment!)”, Jenny says. “I have been involved with community theatre in Fort McMurray in one capacity or another since I was in grade 5. My very first show was “Remoka Rink” with the Keyano Theatre Company in 1992. Since then I have been in 7 more KTC productions and numerous other one-acts, small ensemble shows, cabarets, and even an opera with other groups and programs!”

“The performing arts have always been central to my life. Even though I have experience, auditioning for Macbeth seemed a daunting task. I decided to audition because of a promise I made to myself to push my limits this year and do things that make me uncomfortable. I worked really hard to prepare for my audition but never did I imagine that I would be cast in the title role!”

“I am so excited to take on this challenge. Playing Macbeth is allowing me to open up and find a vulnerability that I don’t usually like to show. There is a lot of inspiration out there that I could draw from for this character. However, I am trying to come at it first through the text itself and I have been very careful to avoid watching other performances. I am hoping this will allow me to find my own genuine connection to the character, rather than just trying to copy someone else’s interpretation. Macbeth is a complex and fascinating character and I feel humbled and privileged to be granted this opportunity.”

“I have had a wonderful rehearsal experience so far. The cast and artistic team is an amazingly talented and generous group of people. One of the new skills I am looking forward to acquiring is stage combat. It sounds like Macbeth will have some pretty awesome fight scenes! Rehearsals have quickly become the highlight of my week. No matter what else has happened that day, I leave rehearsal feeling recharged and excited about what we accomplished.”

“I truly believe that experiences like this are presented when we need them most in our lives. The last few years have been personally challenging for many reasons and I have been feeling somewhat disconnected from myself and others lately. The process of preparing to perform as Macbeth is leading me on an inward journey to find the character, but also to rediscover myself. As I dive deeper into this work I look forward to discovering more and more about Shakespeare’s great story, the characters of the world he created, and, consequently, who I am at my very core.”

At Theatre; Just Because, we couldn’t be happier to be working with Jenny, and her daughter Kat! Come see their performances in the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth directed by Justin Shaw, playing May 23-25, 2019 at the Keyano Recital Theatre. For more information, click HERE.

Community Director: Mike Jones

Mike Jones, Community Director (Headshot by Life & Portraits)

Radio personality and community supporter Mike Jones is a well-known face around Fort McMurray; he’s been is several Theatre; Just Because dinner theatre productions and Keyano Theatre plays, he’s emceed and organized events all across the region, and is a champion of the local music scene. This year, he’s taking on a new role, as one of the Community Directors for Theatre; Just Because’s productions in the Acting Out! ADFA One Act Theatre Festival in celebration of our 5th anniversary!

This is Mike’s first time directing, and he’s tackling a play he wrote himself: What Time Does the 3 O’Clock Parade Start? - an hilariously fast-paced farce set in the colorful office at the amusement park Happyland.

“This farce was born a few years ago at a script-writing workshop. I had stumbled across the title while reading a blog about Disneyland and instantly thought it was a great title of something I wanted to see. Some of my favorite farces are the kind where you’re just overwhelmed (and a little confused) by the whole process so I started by writing a synopsis and I threw everything but the kitchen sink at the main character. Then, I started writing.

Initially I decided to apply to the Community Directors program because I wanted to see this script come to life, but I didn’t think I had the chops to pull it off. It took a lot of convincing and persuasion from some close friends of mine to just go for it.

The process has been amazing. There were some tough moments early on where I felt really stressed out with the planning/paperwork side of things. But once we get in the rehearsal space and I can get ten people in a room together - I can’t describe it any other way than ‘magic happens’!”

Experience Mike’s directorial debut on April 13, 2019 at the Acting Out! One Act Theatre Festival, held at the Keyano Recital Theatre in Fort McMurray.