We're Hiring! Adult Actors for THANK YOU, OMU! (Temporary/Understudy)
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
ADULT ACTORS FOR THANK YOU, OMU! (TEMPORARY / UNDERSTUDY)
Audition Notice
The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM) seeks adult actors for our upcoming TYA production of Thank You, Omu! scheduled to perform in February 2027.
Come gather at Omu’s table. Omu, a loving grandmother whose name means “queen”, fills her kitchen with the aroma of a red bubbling stew and opens her door to the entire neighborhood. One by one, visitors arrive, drawn in by her generosity. But when the pot is empty, will the community remember the one who fed them? From the beloved book by Oge Mora comes a newly commissioned stage adaptation by nationally acclaimed playwright Gloria Bond Clunie. Bursting with rhythm, movement, and joyful storytelling, Thank You, Omu celebrates generosity, gratitude, and belonging. See this beloved story transformed into a live theatrical event for the very first time. Join us for the world premiere of this brand-new play — created especially for the Maddy’s Theatre stage and for audiences of all ages.
Thank You Omu will undergo a new play development process in Maddy’s Theatre, which includes three workshop rehearsals in September with a public staged reading.
Actors will be engaged as independent contractors and compensated through a project-based contract.
Character Descriptions
ACTOR 1 – Little Boy*
ACTOR 2 – Teen Athlete*
ACTOR 3 – Crossing Guard*
ACTOR 4 – Shopkeeper*
ACTOR 5 – Hot Dog Vendor, Mayor*
Understudies
*Note: All actors will play additional ensemble characters that create Omu's rich and diverse community. Community members include a Construction Worker, Cab Driver, Doctor, Dancer, Singer, Artist, Lawyer, Mommie and others. In addition, some actors will also play the magical character “Delicious" who is a representation of the stew itself. Strong skills in movement, dance, magic and/or acrobatics would be ideal for actors playing Delicious.
We are also casting OMU – A Nigerian immigrant of Igbo culture, a citizen of the United States, 60’s, loving, lively, kind, tidy – a book lover. (OMU in Igbo means “grandmother” or “queen”). To inquire or submit for this role, please visit Kendall Cooper Casting to reach out.
Scope of Work
Participate in a new play development process
Attend rehearsals and take notes
Memorize blocking, choreography, music parts, and lines
Take notes and direction from the directing team
Honor the rehearsal and call schedule, including responsible communication around conflicts
Uphold the integrity of the production during performances
Schedule
Workshop rehearsals: September 23-25 in the evenings
Workshop reading: September 26, timing TBD
Rehearsals begin: December 7, Monday-Wednesday evenings
Tech rehearsals: February 1-February 5, Monday-Thursday evenings
Performances: February 6-March 5, weekday mornings and weekends
This show will tour in March 2027
A draft of the production calendar can be found here. This calendar is subject to change. Thank You, Omu! Production Calendar Draft
Compensation
Actors will receive a $250 stipend for participating in the workshop rehearsals and reading in September, to be paid at the conclusion of the reading.
All actors will receive a $750 stipend for the rehearsal period, to be paid at the invited dress rehearsal.
Actors will receive a $40 stipend for each performance in which they are onstage, to be paid out following the final performance.
Actors will receive a $100 stipend for each day of touring, to be paid following the final tour date. Meals and lodging are included.
Total Potential Compensation: $2420
Audition Information
The first round of auditions will be a virtual submission. Casting will remain open until parts are filled. Videos should include:
Tell us about a food that reminds you of your grandmother, and/or
Tell us about a food that reminds you of home.
The theatre team will be in touch if more information is needed. All videos should be submitted through the Audition Form. Questions can be directed to theatre@kitetails.org.
Access the Audition Form
ABOUT CMTM
At the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, we set the stage for every child to imagine and learn through play.
We value Belonging.
Everyone belongs at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine. We believe each person has value and worth; we celebrate what makes each of us unique and what binds us together as a strong community
We value Play.
We embrace the power of play to build resilience, spark creativity, and ignite a child’s imagination. Play inspires our work, our physical spaces, our storytelling, and our learning experiences.
We value Community.
We center community in all we do. We strive to be an inclusive partner and resource in order to build strong, lasting relationships.
We value Curiosity.
We believe curiosity inspires children to explore, build empathy, and connect with others. Learning fueled by curiosity leads to a deeper understanding of self and the world around us.
We value Trust.
We provide safe, inclusive experiences and spaces to ensure that the community’s trust is earned and upheld in all that we do.
The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine is an equal opportunity employer.
We value diversity amongst our team and leadership. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, disability status, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category prohibited by local, state, or federal laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
We are committed to making our facilities and programs accessible and safe for all members of our community, staff, and volunteers. We are actively working to increase accessibility and usability of our website, building, and educational activities. Supervisors work collaboratively with employees to make accommodations and modifications to accommodate the employee’s needs, including physical changes, assistive technologies, accessible communications, and policy enhancements. In doing so, we adhere to the available standards and guidelines and, in many cases, go beyond the guidelines to uphold our philosophy that our staff should have a safe and welcoming work environment where they can learn and grow. For a full description of our facility’s accessibility, please visit: www.kitetails.org/accessibility