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+ More about The Strides Collective

Founded in 2020, The Strides Collective produces and develops theatrical work by emerging playwrights that embraces the queer experience through authentic, modern, and innovative storytelling. Our work prioritizes the goal of normalizing the conversation about queer identity, creating a safe haven in which emerging artists can tell their stories without fear of judgment.

Since our inception, we have fully produced three world premiere queer plays at venues across Philadelphia, including Arden Theatre Company’s Studio Theatre and The Christ Church Neighborhood House. Additionally, each season we focus on new play development through readings, workshops, and cohorts for emerging playwrights. Playwrights who have partnered with Strides have gone on to work with such places as New York University, The Kennedy Center, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College, and Primary Stages.

+ AUDITIONS: A SEPTAGON BY SOPHIE BRION NEELY

The Strides Collective, a Philadelphia-based non-profit queer theatre company, seeks audition submissions from local/non-union actors for a staged reading of a new work from our first commissioned playwright during Pride Month 2026. 5 roles are available in total.

All performers will receive a small stipend of $100. Housing and travel are the responsibility of the actor for the duration of the rehearsal and production process. Please see below for specific information about each production.

A SEPTAGON (STAGED READING)

• By Sophie Brion Neely
• Directed by TBA
• June 5-6, 2026 (Location: TBD in Philadelphia)

As Route 113 starts his new job as a bouncer at Woody’s in August 2025, Philadelphia goes into crisis mode. The SEPTA cuts have hit, forcing together two formerly distant siblings: Route 27, a lesbian-but-straight-for-AJ-Brown social worker and Route 5, a math professor turned high school sub with a penchant for Tastykakes. As the siblings struggle to define their relationship in a post-advancement world, Route 113, Route 5, and Route 27 encounter each other in unexpected ways, ultimately shaping the others’ conclusions about how to live free, queer, and Philadelphian when all you can do is wait…alongside your entire city.

Rehearsal Expectations: 5-6 rehearsals from roughly May 16 - June 5. Some will be conducted virtually; some will take place in-person in Philadelphia. The schedule will be built around actor availability, but primarily weeknights after 6pm or weekends.

Performance Expectation: The process will culminate in a ticketed script-in-hand, staged-reading at a TBD location in Philadelphia on June 5th and 6th.

Stipend: $100 upon completion of the run.

Character Breakdown:

• ROUTE 113 (M, early twenties) - Still living in his childhood home in Delco. Freshly appointed security guard at—well, you’ll see. Hides his place of employment from his immigrant parents.*
• ROUTE 27 (F, early thirties) - Social worker and the biggest Eagles fan you can afford to be on that kind of salary (spoiler: not a season ticket holder). Lesbian but straight for AJ Brown.
• ROUTE 5 (Masc but any gender, early thirties) - Formerly a math professor at the University That Went Under. Currently a high school sub (teacher). So, overqualified but underprepared.
• ROUTE X(s) (2 roles available, any gender, any age) - A rider. Many ages, many races, many genders, many hoagie tastes (but always the right one). Philly in a NUTshell.

*FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT: Given the expansive definition of “immigrant,” Route 113 can technically be any race or ethnicity. It’d be ideal for Route 113 to reflect the demographics of Philly. PEW Research Center reports the largest foreign-born groups since 2008 and as of 2022 are Chinese, Dominican, Indian, Vietnamese, Jamaican, Mexican, Haitian, Ukrainian, Brazilian, and Cambodian, roughly in that order.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Auditions submissions are open from March 15 – April 12, 2025. Please submit your materials using this Google Form.

All actors will be required to submit a headshot and theatrical resume, in addition to a self-taped reading of two sides from the following list: AUDITION SIDES

All submissions must be received by Sunday, April 12 at 11:59PM. No late submissions will be accepted. A member of The Strides Collective will reach out to actors being considered by the creative team with more information regarding the next steps (offers, virtual and/or in-person callbacks, etc.) by late-April.

The Strides Collective is committed to diversity and inclusion as one of our core values. We actively encourage performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, sexualities, and abilities to submit, as we want to create opportunities to disrupt traditional casting practices and honor roles with authentically lived experiences.

Questions? Email us at Casting@StridesCollective.com