Youth Theatre Auditions
The Topeka Civic Theatre (TCT) Academy hosts three plays and two musicals each season. Helen Hocker Theater (HHT) hosts four youth productions: two musicals and two plays, as well as one haunted experience know as Project Halloween. These are full scale productions that include a fun, immersive rehearsal schedule: 4 evenings and 1 Sunday afternoon each week. The TCT Academy and HHT youth productions are for the general public and tickets are sold for each performance. Auditions are required and have limited cast sizes. Our TCT Academy and HHT productions are also managed by students! So if a child isn’t in the cast, but wants to be involved behind the scenes, ask about our Technical Theatre program.
Next Auditions
Topeka Civic Theatre & Academy
Monday, October 26, 2026
6:00 – 9:30 PM
Callbacks immediately following
ROLES
Flexible Cast with Multiple Roles for Youth 6 – 18 Years
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
TBA
SYNOPSIS
Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.
Based on the cherished New Line Cinema hit, Elf The Musical JR. features songs by Tony Award-nominees, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, with a book by Tony Award-winners, Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin.
Elf The Musical JR. was last produced by TCT in 2017.
Helen Hocker Theater
Monday, December 7, 2026
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Callbacks immediately following
*Subject to availability
ROLES
Multiple roles for boys and girls ages 10-13
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
TBA
SYNOPSIS
The play follows the four Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, who evacuate wartime London to stay in the countryside, where they find a wardrobe leading to the fantasy world of Narnia. The siblings learn that their arrival was prophesied and they must rally its inhabitants under Aslan to defeat the forces of Jadis, the White Witch.
Upcoming Auditions
TOPEKA CIVIC THEATRE & ACADEMY
Monday, October 26, 2026
6:00 – 9:30 PM
Callbacks immediately following
AGES & ROLES
Flexible Cast with Multiple Roles for Youth 6 – 18 Years
HELEN HOCKER THEATER
Monday, December 7, 2026
6:00 – 9:00 PM
Callbacks immediately following
*Subject to availability
AGES & ROLES
Multiple Roles for Youth 10 – 13 Years
Additional Audition Information
Those auditioning will be asked to read scenes in small groups. You will not need to have anything memorized and you will be allotted time to gain familiarity with the lines with your group/partner prior.
- A Pencil
- Music for Pianist (Musicals only)
- Your Calendar of Availability – You will be asked to provide your availability and indicate any conflicts with the scheduled rehearsals at auditions
- A Collaborative Attitude – Auditioning can be a vulnerable experience, bringing an exploratory and lively attitude allows the other cast members and production team to guide and support you through your audition.
- Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes!
Please come prepared with a song (16 measures or more). It is preferred that you sing a song from the show, though not required. An accompanist will be provided for auditions. Your audition will also contain choreography; you will be allotted time to learn and then perform a short dance routine with a small group
If you are interested in auditioning for a production, you’re encouraged to preview its script beforehand. Scripts are available two to four weeks prior to auditions through the Box Office. Scripts may be checked out for three business days. A refundable fee of $10 is required for HHT or $25 for TCT. If the script is returned after 5 PM on the third business day, the deposit will be considered payment and is nonrefundable. Scripts returned on schedule will have their deposit refunded.
Email Cassie Hermes or call the Box Office at 785.357.5211
Tuesday – Friday: 10 AM – 6 PM.
Email Kari Johnson or call 785.251.5990
Monday – Friday 10 AM – 5 PM.