We are actively seeking a diverse and enthusiastic group of children between the ages of 8-13. Due to Equity regulations, we regret that we cannot consider any child who is fourteen years of age or older. This includes any child who will turn fourteen before Nov 4th, 2026. 

We welcome children at all levels of experience. No previous acting experience is necessary to audition for A Christmas Carol. However, we cannot accommodate members of the performers' unions in the Youth Ensemble. This includes members of Actors Equity Association, SAG-AFTRA, The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), The American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA), The Guild of Italian American Actors (GIAA). 

Yes, we can only consider children who live within 20 miles of the theatre.  

We have found that living relatively close to the theatre makes the commitment easier on families and more successful for the needs of the production. We are thrilled to welcome children and families from the local community to be part of this beloved tradition.   

Yes. Due to limited availability, you must have an appointment in order to be seen. Walk-ins will not be accommodated on the day of the audition. 

Please arrive twenty minutes prior to your session time to sign in and receive an audition number. 

All children will participate in a group audition session where they will perform lines from the show, sing a short song, and learn a dance combo. Some auditionees may be asked to come back later to read additional scenes. These scenes will be provided to you at the audition.  

If you are released after your initial session, that does not mean that you are not still in consideration. It just means that the casting team has seen everything they needed to see. 

No. There is limited space in the audition room, so no parent or guardian will be allowed to watch their child audition. We also find that having parents or guardians in the room can be more nerve-wracking for the auditionees. We strive to create a fun and low-pressure atmosphere. We hope that the experience will be a wonderful memory for the child regardless of the outcome. 

The parent/guardian must remain in the building for the duration of the child’s audition. Due to limited space in the holding areas, we ask that (to the best of your ability) you stick to one adult per family accompanying auditioning children.   

Children will be taught and provided with all the materials they need on the day of the audition. They should be enthusiastic about speaking lines, singing, and dancing a short combo. They will be asked to try speaking in a British dialect when saying lines from the script. 

Children should dress comfortably and confidently and wear shoes in which they can comfortably dance.  

No. There is a field in the audition sign-up form to enter a child’s previous experience and to upload a recent picture. Please make sure that the picture is a clear, well-lit, recent photo of the child’s face. McCarter will use that photo for the Casting team to use on the day of the auditions. This does not need to be a professional headshot.  

Please do not spend any money on unnecessary audition materials.  

No, there will be no double casting in the production. Everyone who is cast in the Youth Ensemble will perform at every performance.  

Some members of the Youth Ensemble may be asked to understudy other children’s roles. This means that if cast, every child will be assigned a second role to learn in case that cast member is sick or otherwise misses a show. It ensures every role is filled even if emergencies happen. 

(*When a role is double cast, it means that two actors are hired to swap performing the same role. So, there might be one cast doing shows on one day and another cast doing the show on other days. We do not double cast our production, so all actors will be in every performance.) 

Yes. In order to be considered for the Youth Ensemble, your child must attend the audition on Sept 13th.  

If you are unable to attend due to the holiday, please send an email to casting@mccarter.org.  

If we get an overwhelming amount of interest, we may open up more slots. 

Also, if other participants cancel or reschedule, we will continue to update the signups until Sept 6th, so check back if you are unable to get a slot as more may have opened up. 

All rehearsals and performances will take place at McCarter Theatre Center, 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540.  

Yes. Youth Ensemble members will have to miss part or all of 6-8 school days depending on their holiday schedule. 

If your child is cast in the show, they would be required to be there for all daytime rehearsals for which they are called, as well as all matinee performances. We ask you to speak with their school and teachers about missing days before accepting a role. We do our utmost not to pull children out of school for rehearsals/performances unless necessary. We have found that many area schools understand that this experience is incredibly valuable and educational for the student and are able to accommodate. However, we can’t speak for all schools or situations. 

There will be a hard copy of the rehearsal and performance schedule provided at the audition. 

Rehearsals typically take place on Tuesdays-Sundays. The Youth Ensemble is typically called at 3:45pm on weekdays as well as for full days on the weekend. The average hours per week will be approximately 20 hours dependent on role. It may be less during rehearsal weeks, or it may be more during tech* week or on some performance weeks. 

The Youth Ensemble is currently scheduled to have two days off for Thanksgiving on Nov 26th and 27th, 2026 and one day off for Christmas. There are no performances on Christmas Day, Dec 25th. 

(*”Tech” takes place during the final week of rehearsals before performances begin. They are typically longer days than regular rehearsals as they are focused on getting all technical aspects of the show ready – ie lights, costumes, sound effects, etc.) 

The audition will take place at 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540. The sign-in desk will be located in the West Lobby. 

The West Lobby is located next to the Matthews Stage. If you are facing the wooden front doors in the Matthews Circle, you will see green glass doors to your right through which you should enter. There will be signs up to help you find the correct entrance. 

There is free weekend parking at the Theatre Drive Garage which is a five-minute walk from the theatre. Metered parking is also available on University Place. For more information about getting here visit https://www.mccarter.org/getting-here  

Due to rehearsals for our upcoming production of A Beat of Our Own, parking will not be available at the theatre. DO NOT PARK IN THE CIRCLE OR ALLEY IN FRONT OF THE MATTHEWS THEATRE. 

Please feel free to reach out to Casting@McCarter.org if you have any further questions. 

If you have an accessibility need, please feel free to email. There is also a space on the sign-up form to include accessibility needs for the audition process. We will do our utmost to accommodate any access needs.