in-person and virtual Auditions
Open Call! | Information & MATERIALS
Shy Music presents
The africa touring production of
Calling Us Home
2025
Shy Music Presents
a multinational Creative Africa/America Collaboration
A story of hope. a story of love.
a story of home.
Grace, an African Princess fleeing a devastating war in her homeland, arrives penniless in the freezing, grimy docklands of an American city.
The underworld of this city is ruled by the evil gang lord Ivan, who has set his sights on Grace - her spectacular beauty has dazzled him!
But another has already captured her heart. The street-smart Rafael, a young construction worker with bold ambitions, is determined to win her love. But will his dreams lead only to tragedy…?
Forced to adapt to a very different world, Grace makes friends with Rafael’s feisty and reckless twin sister Isabella, and together they must find ways to survive and keep their dreams alive until Grace can find a way to return to her beloved homeland…
Dear Auditionee
Welcome to this audition webpage!
Calling Us Home is breaking ground and taking our African story… through Africa!
You are Auditioning for the Africa 2025 touring cast of Calling Us Home, an international musical Built In Africa. Our original grand-scale musical enjoyed a sold-out run at Artscape Cape Town in 2023, and is slated for northern hemisphere stages. But first… we travel the continent that we call Home.
For more information on the production click on the tabs above, or the button below and explore our website!
We are accepting Video/Online Submissions in this first audition phase, which you must submit to us via Wetransfer. (Further instructions on using Wetransfer can be found in the Submissions Section below.)
what are we looking for?
This is the first round of Open Call Auditions for actors, singers and dancers.
We are looking for strong, passionate, skilled, talented ensemble cast members and various supporting leads.
All ethnicities are welcome to audition - ours is a diverse story with a diverse cast!
The Africa 2025 production will be rehearsed at Durban’s iconic Playhouse Theatre in July/August 2025, in the south of Africa, before traveling to other countries in Southern and East Africa over September and October.
Auditions are open to all artists who want to join this historical journey.
information to prepare YOUR successful virtual/in-person audition
Your Audition submission must include the following:
1. An Acting Audition Video (Sides are supplied for male and female auditionees)
2. A Singing Audition Video (A song of your own choosing – see further details in the description below.)
3. One Dance Audition Videos (Further details in the description below.)
4. Your up-to-date CV
5. A recent, clear, color Headshot
PLEASE NOTE: The tour will require all cast and crew to possess a valid passport without travel restrictions.
We will contact you (or your agent) and provide information for further Audition rounds or working sessions once all submissions have been reviewed. Successful candidates will be given appropriate Call-Back material for subsequent audition rounds.
We are looking forward to seeing your auditions and we wish you all the very best!
Break A Leg! #CallingUsHome #BuldingAMusicalinAfrica
The #CallingUsHome Team
auditions, rehearsals and tour dates*
Live Callbacks
14th - 15th JANUARY 2025, CAPE TOWN
Callbacks will be notified of details and times. *Please note dates may be adjusted
REHEARSALS
14th JULY TO 27th AUGUST 2025, DURBAN
Preview performances commence 28th August 2025.
TOUR DATES
8th SEPTEMBER TO 2nd NOVEMBER 2025
Get Started!
Your Virtual Audition Process
Step 1: please find a list of materials to prepare below: Dancing, Singing & Acting
Step 2: Film your performances of the materials to the very best of your ability - see below for guidance
Step 3: Add your CV, Headshot
Step 4: Please WeTransfer your application (all materials) to: support@shymusic.co.za
Step 5: You will receive written confirmation of receipt once your audition materials have been received.
All Auditionees need to prepare the following:
-
Acting
-
Singing
-
Dancing (Optional)
-
CV and Headshot
Acting
Please prepare the following sections of Text
Male Auditionees
need to read: ‘Rafael’
*Please ask a friend to read the other characters off camera
Female Auditionees
need to read: ‘Isabella’
Singing
All auditionees need to present a full musical theatre song of your choice
All auditionees are required to submit one full song that best showcases their vocal ability, vocal range, musicality and understanding of musical storytelling.
You must make use of a suitable backing track or piano accompaniment.
No acapella auditions will be accepted.
Dance
Cv, Headshot
All auditionees must present a current CV & Headshot
Headshots must be clear, in colour and recent.
You may be required to provide proof of vaccinations and certificates for tour countries.
Please label your CV and Headshot as follows:
CV - Name of auditionee.pdf. (i.e. “CV – Vusi Mbeki.pdf”)
A Headshot - Name of auditionee.jpg (i.e. “Headshot – Gillian Turner.jpg”)
Pro Tips
Video Guidelines: Virtual Auditions
Just take it one step at a time and if you have questions email us: support@shymusic.co.za
All videos must be full-body shots - please do a test and make sure that we can see all of you!
You can use your phone or a home video camera.
Each video must be a single recording, all the way through, just like a live audition performance.
Do NOT edit your videos!
The nice thing about Virtual Auditions is that you can do as many takes as you like and then send us the best one!
Make sure you are in a quiet space, with good lighting, so that we can clearly see and hear you.
Virtual Submissions Process
How To Submit Your Audition
All materials are to be sent to support@shymusic.co.za
How to send a free WeTransfer link of your audition videos:
Click on www.wetransfer.com and select the option underneath the ‘Free’ Box - then follow their instructions:
1x Acting Audition Video
1x Singing Audition Video
1x Dancing Audition Video
1x CV
1x Headshot