Join Ocean

If you’re aged 14 to 19 and love acting, singing, dancing or simply being on stage, we’d love you to join Ocean Theatre Company.

You don’t need years of experience.

You don’t need to be the strongest singer or dancer in the room.

And you don’t have to audition to become a member.

You just need enthusiasm, commitment and a willingness to get involved.

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JOIN US FOR AMÉLIE

Our next production is the wonderful AMÉLIE, performing at Easter 2027.

AMÉLIE is funny, moving, imaginative and completely unlike a traditional musical.

It offers fantastic opportunities for young performers, with brilliant character roles, strong ensemble work, beautiful music and inventive storytelling.

Almost everyone on stage helps create Amélie’s strange, colourful world.

Expect:

• Great ensemble material
• Strong acting opportunities
• Beautiful vocal work and harmonies
• Character roles ranging from subtle to completely eccentric
• Movement and physical storytelling
• Creative staging
• The chance to help build an entire world on stage

Whether you see yourself as a principal performer, an ensemble member, a singer, an actor or a dancer, there is plenty to get involved with.

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WHAT IS OCEAN?

Ocean Theatre Company is a musical theatre company for young people aged 14 to 19.

We meet every Saturday during term time in Ascot and work towards two fully staged musical productions each year, at Easter and during the October half term.

You’ll work with experienced theatre professionals in acting, singing, dance and performance while rehearsing an actual production.

Then you get to put everything you’ve learnt into practice in front of a paying public audience.

This isn’t six months of classes followed by a little showcase.

We make shows.

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WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

Joining Ocean means becoming part of a company.

Over approximately six months, you’ll rehearse a complete musical from the first read-through through to opening night.

You’ll:

• Rehearse every Saturday during term time
• Develop your acting, singing and movement skills
• Learn from experienced theatre professionals
• Work as part of a full company and ensemble
• Have opportunities to audition for principal roles
• Perform with live musicians
• Work with full sets, costumes, lighting and sound
• Experience technical and dress rehearsals
• Perform for a public audience
• Meet other young people who love theatre as much as you do

There are also opportunities to take on additional responsibility, including Dance Captain and Singing Captain roles.

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DO I HAVE TO AUDITION?

No.

There is no audition to join Ocean.

We want you to come along, meet everyone and experience what we do.

At the beginning of each production, we hold group auditions for anyone who wants to be considered for principal and featured roles.

You never have to audition for a principal role if you don’t want to.

Being part of the ensemble is a huge part of an Ocean production, and we make sure our company has plenty to do on stage.

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WHAT IF I HAVEN’T DONE MUCH BEFORE?

That’s absolutely fine.

Some people join Ocean having performed for years.

Others arrive with very little experience.

You don’t need to arrive as a finished performer. That would rather defeat the point.

We want to see enthusiasm, commitment and a willingness to learn.

Over the rehearsal period, we’ll challenge you to develop your skills, try things you haven’t done before and become a more confident performer.

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WHAT IF I’M NERVOUS ABOUT JOINING?

Most new members are.

Joining any established group can feel daunting, particularly if you don’t know anyone.

But every person already at Ocean was new once.

Our cast comes from different schools and colleges across Berkshire and the surrounding area, so Ocean gives you the chance to meet people you might never otherwise have met.

You already have one thing in common: you love theatre.

Come along for a visit before making any decision. See a rehearsal, meet the cast and creative team and find out whether Ocean feels right for you.

There is no obligation to join.

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WHAT WILL I GET FROM IT?

Of course, you’ll become a stronger performer.

But that’s only part of it.

Being in a theatre company also develops:

• Confidence
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Independence
• Discipline
• Creativity
• Responsibility
• Performance experience

You learn how to prepare properly, work alongside other people, take direction, contribute ideas and perform under pressure.

And you get the satisfaction of spending six months creating something with a group of people and finally putting it in front of an audience.

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DO I NEED TO WANT A CAREER IN THEATRE?

Absolutely not.

Some Ocean members want to train professionally and eventually work in theatre.

Others simply love performing.

Both are equally welcome.

If professional training is your goal, Ocean can give you valuable experience before applying to drama school, conservatoire or university.

Former members have gone on to train at institutions including ArtsEd, Mountview, Guildford School of Acting, Bird College, Rose Bruford, Royal Academy of Music, Trinity Laban, Urdang and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

But you certainly don’t need a professional ambition to join us.

Sometimes you should do theatre simply because you love doing theatre.

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WHEN DO YOU REHEARSE?

We rehearse on Saturday afternoons during term time in Ascot, Berkshire.

Each production has approximately six months of rehearsals before show week.

Our shows are staged twice a year:

EASTER

and

OCTOBER HALF TERM

On very rare occasions principal rehearsals are sometimes required as we get closer to the production, and full availability during show week is essential.

We’ll always give you dates as early as possible so you know what the commitment involves.

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WHAT ARE OCEAN PRODUCTIONS LIKE?

We take our productions seriously.

Ocean shows include full costumes, scenery, theatrical lighting and sound, live musicians and a complete technical and dress rehearsal process.

Previous productions have included:

LES MISÉRABLES
CHICAGO
TITANIC THE MUSICAL
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
ANASTASIA
KISS ME, KATE
SWEENEY TODD
CHESS
SISTER ACT
THE ADDAMS FAMILY

We deliberately choose ambitious shows because they give young performers something substantial to work towards.

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CAN I COME AND TRY IT FIRST?

Yes. In fact, we’d encourage you to.

Come along for a no-obligation visit and take part in a rehearsal.

Meet the company.

Meet the creative team.

See how we work.

Then decide whether Ocean is for you.

No pressure. No scary individual or group audition. No need to commit before you’ve even walked through the door.

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READY TO GIVE IT A GO?

If you’re aged 14 to 19 and would like to join us for AMÉLIE, get in touch.

Tell us a little about yourself and any performing you’ve done before. And if the answer is “none”, that’s completely fine too.

We’ll arrange a Saturday for you to come along and meet us.

EMAIL: info@oceantheatre.com

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