by Jez Butterworth. Directed by Jonathan Reed
Performance dates and venues :
Evenings at 7.30pm : Wednesday 29 April – Saturday 2 May and Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 May
Matinées at 3pm on Saturdays 2 and 9 May
To be performed at the Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington
This production will then tour to the Brighton Open-Air Theatre (BOAT) from Monday 15 to Sunday 21 June.
Audition dates and time :
Tuesday 6 and Friday 9 January from 7pm at the Tower Theatre.
Possible recalls on Friday 16 January from 7pm.
Additional audition slots may be added if needed.
Auditions are for Tower Theatre Company Members only.
If you would like to join the Company, please click here for more information
When auditioning please give the director any dates during the rehearsal period that you are unavailable.
If you wish to audition, please contact the director Jonathan Reed to register your interest. Please share the role you are interested in auditioning for and the date you wish to audition on. Extracts will be shared ahead of the auditions to prepare. There will be no need to learn the pieces ahead of the audition.
About the Play
“Mr Byron? Mr Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron?”
St. George’s Day. An old caravan sits at the edge of the Wiltshire woods, with an eviction notice pinned to its door. Johnny “Rooster” Byron – a former daredevil and local outlaw – offers stories, sacraments and sanctuary to Flintock’s runaways and misfits, as he stands defiant against the bulldozers of Kennet and Avon County Council.
Following its debut in 2009 at the Royal Court, Jerusalem has been hailed by critics as “the greatest British play of the century” and “the hit that transformed British theatre”. Both magical and haunting, this irreverent hymn to myth, mischief, and England’s lost wildness beats its drum against the relentless march of modernity.
What is England without its myths?
Jerusalem is an exceptional opportunity for any actor wanting to be part of a large production that will go on tour to Brighton Open-Air Theatre (BOAT), as well as its regular run at the Tower Theatre. The rehearsal process will use improvisation and some movement work to bring the production to life.
Any actor who wants to audition should check the dates for both shows and rehearsals and ensure they can commit to the process. The play will take significant commitment from all involved but should prove to be an incredibly fulfilling experience for everyone.
Casting Breakdown
In order of appearance:
Phaedra (female, playing age 15, will be played by an older actor). Phaedra is one of Flintock’s local teenagers and who was crowned the May Queen the previous year. The role requires an actor who can bring both the innocence of Phaedra’s youth, but also the gravitas, mystery and haunted wisdom of the figurative May Queen. The actor playing this role must be able to sing to a high standard – Phaedra sings both Jerusalem (William Blake) and The Werewolf (Barry Dransfield) in the play.
Fawcett (female, playing age, 30s to 60s). Fawcett works for Kennet and Avon County Council and represents the stagnant bureaucracy acting against Johnny’s wildness and rebellion. It would suit an actor who can play the deadpan comedy of the role.
Parsons (male, 30s to 60s). Parsons works for Fawcett at Kennet and Avon County Council and again would suit an actor who can bring out the physical comedy in the role.
Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron (male, playing age early 50s). Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron is charismatic, magnetic, and untameable. Both comic and tragic, he is a wild trickster but with vulnerability beneath the bravado. The role demands emotional and physical range, strong comic timing, and strong presence. The role is a significant undertaking, and any actor auditioning must be ready to commit fully to the rehearsal schedule and the work it will take to bring the role to life.
Ginger (male, playing age 30s to mid-40s). Ginger is Johnny’s loyal counterpart, an unemployed plasterer who dreams of being a DJ. Ginger would suit an actor who can play the comic foil and mirror to Johnny, balancing the humour with pathos.
Professor (male, playing age 50s to 70s). An eccentric, retired academic lost in memories and myths. The role would suit an actor who can carry the comic as well as an underlying sadness.
Lee (male, playing age 18 to 25). Lee is restless and about to emigrate to Australia. He is naive, searching for meaning, and caught between loyalties to his small town and his dreams of escape. The role would suit an actor who can carry his youthful bravado along with innocence and naivety.
Davey (male, playing age 20s to early 30s). Davey is Lee’s counterpart and foil. He is grounded, at home in Wiltshire and has no desire to leave it. Davey would suit an actor who can carry the dry humour and provide a slightly more grounded foil to Lee’s more nervous excitement.
Pea (female, playing age 16 to 20 but can be played by an older actor). A part of Johnny’s gang of youthful hangers on, Pea is funny, thoughtful and sharp-eyed. The role would suit an actor with good comic delivery and youthful energy.
Tanya (female, playing age 16 to 20 but can be played by an older actor). Tanya is Pea’s counterpart – she is bold and playful with a sense of mischief. The role would suit an actor with strong comic timing.
Wesley (male, playing age early 50s). The publican of The Cooper’s Arms and an old friend of Johnny’s, the closest he has to a peer. The role would suit an actor who can play physical comedy as well as the emotional truth and warmth beneath the humour.
Dawn (female, playing age of 30s to 40s). Johnny’s ex and mother of his son, Marky. Dawn is grounded and practical, and though separated, still drawn to him. The role would suit an actor who can play the depth, complexity, and emotional honesty to anchor Johnny.
Troy (male, playing age late 30s to late 40s). Phaedra’s stepfather. Troy is an intimidating, cruel, and dangerous presence. The role would suit an actor who can convey menace and demonstrate a physical threat.
Marky (playing a 6-year-old boy, this role will be played by a female actor playing down to this age). Johnny and Dawn’s son. Marky is bright and innocent. This is a small but pivotal role that needs to convey confidence and innocence. It would suit an actor who is comfortable with physical acting to create the presence of a 6-year-old child.
There will also be an opportunity to be part of a small ensemble to support the play. Any actor auditioning will have the option to be considered to be part of the ensemble as well.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals will run from 15 February to 24 April and will be on Sundays (2pm to 6pm), Tuesdays (7pm to 9.30pm), and Fridays (7pm to 9pm).
All actors are expected to be available for the first rehearsal on Sunday 15 February for a full read through. Actors will be called depending on their scene following that.
All actors are expected for the Get-in, Technical, and Dress rehearsal at both venues, and for both of the full runs.
At the Tower, cast members are required to assist with the get-in, which will take place all day on Sunday 26 April. Cast members must also be available for the Technical and Dress Rehearsals on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 April, and for the strike after the last performance on Saturday 9 May.
 Jonathan Reed is an improviser, writer and director. He performed improv across London for over 10 years and was on the writing team for the sketch show Vice Captains (Edinburgh Fringe, 2018) and for a follow up podcast (Vice Captains: How to Life Life, 2021). He is also part of the Tower Theatre Writer’s Room. Jon directed Seagulls in 2023 and The Children in 2025 at the Tower, and One Day When We Were Young in 2025 at the Hen and Chickens Theatre. |