Inside Casting - A Conversation with Casting Directors
Part of Open Works Festival Adelphi Room
About
Open Works Festival presents Inside Casting - A Conversation with Casting Directors.
Casting Directors play a vital role in bringing stories to life, helping to find the actors who will inhabit a production's world and connect with audiences.
Sheffield-based Casting Directors, Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG and Sophie Parrott CDG will lift the lid on their profession, sharing insights into how they discover talent, build an ensemble, and work with directors, writers and producers throughout the casting process.
From in-the-room auditions and self-tapes to industry relationships and career development, they will share what their role involves, what they look for in performers, and how casting decisions are made. Whether you are an actor, writer, theatre-maker or simply curious about how productions come together, this is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the people responsible for matching performers to the roles that define a production.
Expect practical advice, behind-the-scenes stories, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
Sophie Parrott CDG
Sophie works across both screen and stage, having begun her casting career in-house at the BBC Casting Department and at the Royal Exchange, Manchester. For Sheffield Theatres, Sophie recently cast the premiere of Leo Butler’s play ‘Living’, directed by Abigail Graham. She was also recently part of the Olivier Award winning team behind ‘the new stage adaptation of 'The Boy At the Back of the Class’ by Onjali Rauf (dir. Monique Touko, Southbank Centre and National tour).
Sophie has taught audition technique at LAMDA, Central School of Speech and Drama and RWCMD, and contributed academic work to publications including ’Studies In Theatre and Performance’.Sophie is a full member of BAFTA and a Trustee for SBC Theatre, The UK’s First Theatre Company of Sanctuary (www.sbctheatre.co.uk).
Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG
Ellie has working in casting for West End, UK tours and regional productions. For Sheffield Theatres, Ellie has cast Buffoon, Death and the King’s Horseman and The Hypochondriac.
West End credits include: Witness for the Prosecution (15 casts between 2017-2026), The Mousetrap, Killer Joe, Adrian Mole and The Wider Earth.
UK Tour credits include: War of the Worlds, Frankenstein, Macbeth (imitating the dog), The Shark is Broken (Kenny Wax Productions), Birdsong, The Mirror Crack’d, Murder at Midnight, The Croft, The Night Watch, Night Must Fall, Wait Until Dark (Original Theatre), (the) Woman, The Swearing Jar (New Perspectives), And Then There Were None (Fiery Angel), Handbagged, Dusty (Eleanor Lloyd Productions), Arcadia (ETT), As You Like It (Shared Experience), The Turn of the Screw (Dermot McLaughlin Prods).
Ellie previously worked as Casting Associate for the Ambassador Theatre Group.
