Auditions

CASTING CALL: SEEKING PERFORMERS TO PORTRAY BLACK HISTORICAL FIGURES IN WE WERE HERE

SJTC is excited to bring We Were Here back to the BMO Studio Theatre in February 2027 and is seeking performers to portray eight remarkable Black historical figures.

Created by local playwright and poet Clyde A. Wray, We Were Here celebrates the lives and legacies of influential Black men and women from Saint John and beyond. First staged in 2020, the project also became a documentary that aired on CBC and was streamed into classrooms across Atlantic Canada, reaching thousands of students.

No experience is necessary. If these stories interest you or you've ever wanted to step on stage, we'd love to hear from you. To audition, please email the playwright and director Clyde A. Wray at poetsinn@yahoo.com.

Production dates: February 4-6, 2027, at the BMO Studio Theatre, Saint John, NB.
A small honorarium will be paid to the performers.

Character Breakdown (roles in the play):

Abraham Beverley Walker
New Brunswick's first Black lawyer and a brilliant scholar, activist, and writer who championed Black excellence and civil rights in Canada.

Cornelius Sparrow
Born into slavery in Virginia, Cornelius escaped to Saint John, where he built a successful business and became one of the city's most respected community leaders.

Dr. Constance A. Timberlake
A Saint John-born educator and civil rights activist who fought for equality in the United States and became a professor, researcher, and lifelong advocate for social change.

Edward Mitchell Bannister
An acclaimed artist born in St. Andrews, whose work earned international recognition despite the racism and barriers he faced throughout his career.

Eldridge Eatman ("Speed")
A world champion sprinter from Saint John who broke records on the track, served in the British Army, and spoke out against injustice around the world.

Josiah Henson
Born into slavery in Maryland, Henson escaped to Canada and dedicated his life to education, faith, and helping others build new lives.

Lena O'Ree
A pioneering musician and broadcaster who hosted New Brunswick's first Black radio program and challenged racial barriers in her community.

Georgina "The Ice Lady" Whetsel
A trailblazing entrepreneur who built one of North America's most successful ice businesses and became one of the wealthiest Black women of her time.