Creatives
The Customs House is invested in nurturing North East talent.
Our current open opportunities are below:
We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.
We also encourage first time applications, whether that is because you are new to the industry or haven’t heard of
The Customs House before, we’d love to meet you.
Monologue Slam – Actors
For many actors and writers, breaking into the industry can be challenging. A Monologue Slam offers visibility and networking opportunities with industry professionals, giving participants a real chance to be noticed and take the next step in their careers.
With this in mind, we are delighted to announce that on March 23rd 2025 we will be hosting our first ever Monologue Slam, designed to provide emerging North East talent a unique platform to showcase their skills on the Main Stage of The Customs House.
Hosted by the fantastic Alfie Joey, the evening will feature 20 stand out performers each showcasing their monologues not only to a live audience but to a panel of esteemed industry professionals.
Our judges include:
Janet Plater – Theatrical Agent & Playwright
Jake Smith – Artistic Director of Eastern Angles
Ed Cole – Artistic Director of Alphabetti Theatre
Lou Coel – Agency Manager, SA Castings
Deputy Director Fiona Martin says, “The Customs House prides itself on anticipating where we may be able to best support the sector, in particular with new talent and emerging creatives. The Monologue Slam is a really exciting opportunity for those in our region and we are thrilled to have such an exceptional panel ready to support and guide the performers.”.
We have three categories based on age:
- Aged 11-13 – Performing a published monologue (up to 2 minutes)
- Aged 14-19 – Performing a published monologue (up to 2 minutes)
- Aged 20-25 – Performing an original monologue written by yourself (up to 2 minutes)
The winner from each category will take home a cash prize of £100 and each categories runner up will receive a voucher for 1 professional headshot.
With only 20 spaces available, we are asking for interested applicants to submit a short video of their chosen monologue which will be reviewed by our production team. If successful we will let you know by 5th March 2025.
Due to the volume of applications that we anticipate we would not be able to provide individual feedback.
For your submission, we don’t expect you to be fully off book, we’re just looking to see your interpretation.
How to Enter:
- Submit a self-tape (recorded on your phone is fine!) of your chosen monologue to [email protected]
- Include your name, age category, the playwright and character you’re performing, or if you’re entering the 20-25 category your monologue’s title and character.
- Applications open 31/01/2025 and close 12pm 03/03/2025
Beauty and the Beast – Actors
We are looking for various characters for Beauty and the Beast including Principal Boy, Principal Girl, Villain and Female identifying supporting leads. We are particularly interested in seeing what each performer brings to the role they are seen for. Please Note: YOU MUST HAVE A BASE within 25 miles of The Customs House, South Shields, NE33 1ES. Casting will be in person only, with no self tapes accepted.
Principal Boy
Typical Principal Boy. Must be able to portray both Beast and Prince type characters. Must be a strong singer, dancer and actor, with strong stage presence.
Principal Girl
Typical Principal Girl. Must be a strong singer, dancer and actress.
Villain
Typical Villain. Must be able to portray a strong suave demeaner with a very sinister edge.
Female Identifying Supporting Lead
We are looking for two strong female identifying performers for the cast. Must be a strong singer, dancer and actress.
Please apply directly through Spotlight, or by emailing an up to date headshot, link to showreel, and CV to [email protected]
Information for Creatives:
- We share opportunities for actors and creatives on this page as well as on our social media, in particular @tch_productions on Instagram.
- We don’t have an in-house literary reader so as such we do not accept unsolicited scripts, however we run a number of opportunities for writers throughout the year, including PLAY, The Takeover Young Writer in Residence, First Play Club and one off projects. These will be advertised on this page.
- If you have a piece that you are interested in bringing to us, please email [email protected], including the title of the work, the creative team involved, synopsis, production images if you have them, costs and suggested deal, and your preferred dates. It is worth noting that our Main House is programmed 12 months ahead with a shorter lead in for The Studio.
To view previous creative opportunities at The Customs House,
Please click HERE to visit our archive