Casting Call for Our Next In-House Production (March 2026)
Opportunity: Cast, Kid Sister by Owen Lloyd Richards
Kid Sister by Owen Lloyd Richards | The Bread & Roses Playwriting Award Winner 2024
The Bread & Roses Theatre is casting for our next in-house production, opening in March 2026.
We are currently casting for the role of Mark and are looking for an actor who enjoys working in small, collaborative teams and who aligns with the theatre’s ethos. Full character breakdowns are included below to provide context for the world of the play.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic team on a significant in-house production. For more details on how to apply, please see the breakdown below.
Show dates: 10th – 21st March 2026, Tuesday – Saturday + Saturday matinees (potential 1–2 school matinees during the week with Q&A), maximum 14 performances
Venue: The Bread & Roses Theatre, SW4 6DZ
Initial readthrough: Late January / Early February 2026
Rehearsals: February TBC (weekday daytime around actors’ / directors’ schedules)
Get-in: 8th – 10th March 2026, TBC
Synopsis
Shell has been waiting 17 years to meet her sister Natalie. Social workers and adoptive parents have kept them apart, but when Natalie turns 18, they’ll finally be reunited. At least, that’s what Shell believes. But nothing in social services is simple. Kid Sister explores family, identity, and the messy truths that surface when the past collides with the present.
Characters
SHELL – Lead, 21
Impulsive, confident and led by pure emotion, there’s none like Shell. Having been in care from 3-years-old, she was forced to mature at a young age. Now an adult, she’s become a child’s idea of what a grown up is, all bluster and assuredness. Her singular focus is reuniting with her lost sister Natalie – her life can’t start until they’re back together.
NATALIE – Main, 18
Shell’s long lost sister. Curious, loving and cautious, Natalie is just as much a product of her upbringing as Shell. Raised by her adoptive family, she lived a very sheltered but supported life – everything Shell feared. But the recent death of her mother has exposed a long-hidden wound. Natalie wants to know where she comes from and who she is, but is scared to expose herself to more trauma.
CHRISTINE – Main, 40s-50s
Shell’s foster carer. Loyal, sarcastic and comfortable in her skin, Christine found a kindred spirit in Shell. A former foster child and a punk at heart, their relationship was founded on mutual respect and a mistrust of authority. She loves Shell ferociously, but recent events remind Christine of her true calling – fostering.
MARK – Main, 30s-40s
Natalie’s social worker. Well-intentioned, overwhelmed and confidently beta-male, Mark’s probably not cut out for social work. But that doesn’t stop him trying. He often finds himself conflicted between what’s morally right and what’s legally required. He’s equal parts in awe and terrified of the Shell/Christine dynamic, recognising that if he can come to understand it, he might yet make a good social worker.
Fee: London Living Wage
Deadline: Submit interest by 10am on 13th January 2026 by sending a Spotlight link or CV and showreel to [email protected] with subject line:
Kid Sister: Mark
Next steps:
[email protected]
The Bread & Roses Theatre is casting for our next in-house production, opening in March 2026.
We are currently casting for the role of Mark and are looking for an actor who enjoys working in small, collaborative teams and who aligns with the theatre’s ethos. Full character breakdowns are included below to provide context for the world of the play.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic team on a significant in-house production. For more details on how to apply, please see the breakdown below.
Show dates: 10th – 21st March 2026, Tuesday – Saturday + Saturday matinees (potential 1–2 school matinees during the week with Q&A), maximum 14 performances
Venue: The Bread & Roses Theatre, SW4 6DZ
Initial readthrough: Late January / Early February 2026
Rehearsals: February TBC (weekday daytime around actors’ / directors’ schedules)
Get-in: 8th – 10th March 2026, TBC
Synopsis
Shell has been waiting 17 years to meet her sister Natalie. Social workers and adoptive parents have kept them apart, but when Natalie turns 18, they’ll finally be reunited. At least, that’s what Shell believes. But nothing in social services is simple. Kid Sister explores family, identity, and the messy truths that surface when the past collides with the present.
Characters
SHELL – Lead, 21
Impulsive, confident and led by pure emotion, there’s none like Shell. Having been in care from 3-years-old, she was forced to mature at a young age. Now an adult, she’s become a child’s idea of what a grown up is, all bluster and assuredness. Her singular focus is reuniting with her lost sister Natalie – her life can’t start until they’re back together.
NATALIE – Main, 18
Shell’s long lost sister. Curious, loving and cautious, Natalie is just as much a product of her upbringing as Shell. Raised by her adoptive family, she lived a very sheltered but supported life – everything Shell feared. But the recent death of her mother has exposed a long-hidden wound. Natalie wants to know where she comes from and who she is, but is scared to expose herself to more trauma.
CHRISTINE – Main, 40s-50s
Shell’s foster carer. Loyal, sarcastic and comfortable in her skin, Christine found a kindred spirit in Shell. A former foster child and a punk at heart, their relationship was founded on mutual respect and a mistrust of authority. She loves Shell ferociously, but recent events remind Christine of her true calling – fostering.
MARK – Main, 30s-40s
Natalie’s social worker. Well-intentioned, overwhelmed and confidently beta-male, Mark’s probably not cut out for social work. But that doesn’t stop him trying. He often finds himself conflicted between what’s morally right and what’s legally required. He’s equal parts in awe and terrified of the Shell/Christine dynamic, recognising that if he can come to understand it, he might yet make a good social worker.
Fee: London Living Wage
Deadline: Submit interest by 10am on 13th January 2026 by sending a Spotlight link or CV and showreel to [email protected] with subject line:
Kid Sister: Mark
Next steps:
- Applicants may be asked to self-tape.
- Recalls will be held in person at The Bread & Roses Theatre in January 2026.
[email protected]
