Here. We. Go.
Junior Ensemble Auditions for Aladdin
Sunday 13th September 2026
Please note the auditions are for dance and performance only. The children will not be asked to sing.
Registration will take place from 9.30am – 10am in the Gatehouse Theatre foyer.
Audition Day Information
• Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the auditions and designated waiting areas will be appointed.
• The Stafford Gatehouse and Imagine Theatre Ltd cannot be held responsible for any child not accompanied by a responsible adult while at the auditions.
• Children must be at least 9 years old and in year 4 of school on the first day of rehearsals and no older than 16 and in year 11 on the last day of the performances.
Audition Guidelines
• Please wear comfortable clothing and suitable shoes (ideally jazz, soft dance trainer or ballet shoes please. Heavy Dance trainers, outdoor trainers, boots or shoes are not suitable as we cannot see the child’s footwork properly in these styles of footwear.)
• Avoid shiny leotards if possible as the identification stickers tend to fall off these.
• Please tie long hair back, ideally in a bun.
• Make sure your child has a soft drink with them (not fizzy) and slow energy release foods such as pasta, chicken, yoghurts, bananas, jacket potato etc. for snacks and lunch.
• Should your child be asthmatic, have allergies or any other condition which may require medication, please ensure they have this with them. Please do let us know when registering the auditionee if you have any concerns.
How the audition day works
The children will be taught a dance routine on the day and do not need to prepare anything in advance.
The audition will be in two parts (NB – this may change dependent on the number of auditionees).
We will endeavor to give all auditionees a suitable break during the day. The plan is to give a one-hour lunch – the time will be determined on the day. If your child has been recalled please ensure that they are back in the venue by their designated recall time. There will be no singing or reading of scripts on the audition day unless you have been specifically told in advance regarding this.
• All children will be auditioned in the morning. Those who are successful will be recalled to the afternoon session. Those children who are unsuccessful will be allowed to go home.
• Children recalled for afternoon session will be kept until the final cast are announced unless you are advised otherwise on the day.
Those children chosen for the panto Junior Ensemble and their parents will be asked to stay after the audition sessions for a chat about licensing and panto guidelines.
What we are looking for
We are looking for 3 teams of 8 members to perform in the show and additional reserve team members. The teams will rotate the performances between them but all teams will need to attend every rehearsal.
Throughout the day the audition panel will be looking for able performers who show capability in terms of dance as well as performance ability, enthusiasm and the ability to follow instructions.
If successful, what happens next?
Once we have decided upon our final Junior Ensemble, those that are remaining will be split into ‘main team’
and ‘reserve team’ members. They will then be given some paperwork stating which team they’re in.
To perform in the pantomime all children must be granted a performance licence. A performance licence is a legal document that all children should be granted through their local council.
• Imagine Theatre will email the application to parents which must be completed and returned by the
deadline. Imagine Theatre will then submit the application to the relevant authority.
• Without a performance licence, a child will not be able to perform.
All children will be committed to rehearsals six days a week including weekend days and weekday evenings from Saturday 21nd November. There will also be some daytime rehearsals during w/c 30th November (which does mean missing school). The show runs from 4th December 2026 to 3rd January 2027 inclusive. There are 48 performances in the run, which will be split between the 3 teams. Your child MUST be available for the duration as no rehearsals or allocated performances can be missed. *
What is a reserve team member?
A reserve team member is effectively a standby for the main team.
• A reserve could be pulled into a main team any time between the audition day and the first technical rehearsal.
• A child may pull out of a main team for numerous reasons beyond anyone’s control or foreseeing in which case a reserve will be contacted.
• Reserves are NOT called to rehearse the show and will not perform unless a main team member withdraws completely from the show.
What impact will the pantomime have on school?
Some rehearsals and performances will be during school time and children must be educationally able to
miss some schooling. The Head Teacher will be required to authorise the absences required for
performances as part of the licence application. If the Head Teacher will not authorise the absences, your child will be unable to perform.
We look forward to seeing you and your child at 9.30am on Saturday 13th September and remind them to bring their best smile with them!
Interested? Please complete the form below and bring it along on the day!
Stafford JE audition form 2026
*Please note dates may alter up until the start of rehearsals. All information subject to change
