Budding, established and 1st time actors and actresses welcome!

Our script table readings are one of the highlights of the BUFF festival programming and awards. Each year we receive scripts and our jurors choose 3 which go onto be read to a live audience. From these 20 minute readings actors, actors have gone onto be scouted up by talent agencies (such as Curtis Brown, Mels Got Talent) and have been booked for paid work in film and tv (Netflix, BBC, Ch4, Prime Video etc). The award winning writers have secured finance for their scripts and have also secured literary agents (like Cassarota Ramsay) and development deals (with the likes of Sky, BBC, HBO). Tables reads are usually unpaid, and we always rewarded our actors with tickets to the BUFF Awards and £10 travel expenses to attend the reading on Thursday 9 Dec.

 

  1. Actors must be available for 2 30min rehearsals – Dates TBC
  2. Actors can be worldwide based, but must be available between 11am-2pm on Thursday 9 Dec in Brixton on above dates
  3. Actors must have reliable WIFI and a device that has Zoom, (just incase the live events change to virtual. )

This year, the writers are looking for actors as close to these breakdowns:

“For You, I Found”. Written By: Kate Cougle

Synopsis: When Eve Costa meets her Soulmate amidst the deepest grief she’s ever known, she has to choose which will win, her newfound love or her pain.

Eve Costa is a lost millennial who recently fled Iowa for New York City after the sudden death of her alcoholic father. Unfortunately for Eve, her grief fled with her and although she is in a new city she is still broken and lost. Naturally, this is when the Universe decides she is ready to meet “the one”. Divine Timing leads us to people so we can learn about who we are, if we are willing to accept the challenge. Will Eve?

Genre: Romantic Drama 

Character Breakdown : American/ Canadian accents 

Eve – 28 (late 20s, open ethnicity) – Eve is an authentic, kind and lost millennial. She is grieving the sudden death of her father. 

Max – 37 (late 30s, open ethnicity) – Max is a handsome and charming attorney, who’s in recovery for alcohol. His grandma is his best friend.

Peggy – 85 (mid 80s, open ethnicity) – Peggy is a gentle old soul. She has a past and a zest for life, despite her innocent and elderly appearance. 

Manuel – 58 (late 50s – early 60s, Hispanic, LGBTQ) – Manuel is a widowed artist living in Brooklyn. He fearlessly speaks his mind and rarely acts his age.

Michelle – 35 (mid 30s, open ethnicity) – Michelle is a reserved psychiatrist and Eve’s older nagging sister. She needs to be right and knows what best for everyone, especially Eve.

 

Barista – 27 (late 20s, open ethnicity) – is a cool cafe chick who serves lattes for a living.

 

(All living and based in New York City).

“Six Triple Eight” by Mary McCallum 

Synopsis: Based on true events, “Six Triple Eight” follows four black women as they serve in WWII’s first and only all-black, all-female battalion.
Genre: Female-led action. 
Character breakdowns :Character Breakdown:

 

SADIE LEWIS: African-American, Female (30’s) grief-stricken widow.  Keeps to herself.  Has the “gift of sight”- sees spirits, reads cards.  Outcast.

WANDA MOORE: African-American, Female (20’s), full of attitude.

SERGEANT/CAPTAIN CARTER: African-American, Female (30’s); no-nonsense and focused

SQUAD LEADER: African-American, Female (20’s), petite but forceful

CLEOPATRA LAURIER:  African-American, Female (30’s), Former actress, dramatic. Wears a lot of makeup.  Constantly changes her look with wigs.

DRILL INSTRUCTOR: African-American, Female (30’s), serious and unrelenting.

SAMMY LOVE BONNET: African-American, Female (19), cute and country. Naïve.  Makes friends with everyone

BETTY CLARKE: Caucasian Female (20’s), blonde and high maintenance; Butts heads with Cleopatra often

PAIGE THOMAS : African-American, Female (30’s), conservative and dutiful.  Deeply Religious; Views Sadie’s “gifts” as evil.

MAJOR DIXON:  African-American, Female (30’s) Commander of the 6888th

NATHAN WILSON: African-American male (30’s): Enlisted Sailor; handsome and charming

THURGOOD MARSHALL: African-American male (36), courageous and brilliant attorney

MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE: African-American, Female (69), regal and fiery

GENERAL LEACH: Caucasian Male, (60’s), patriotic and pompous

HOWARD:  Caucasian Male (50’s) sneaky and defiant Chief of Staff to President Roosevelt;

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT: Caucasian Male (62), aging but still sharp

MAJOR GREER: Caucasian Female (40’s) , serious and entitled.  Oversees the WAC’s in the European Theater

 
————
Ben Johnson Day. Written by Kerena Merchant.

SYNOPSIS:

Winston is patriotic and regards himself as British. In 1960s, when he was 8, he arrived in the UK with his parents from Jamaica as a Windrush child. At that time, he was a Deaf child without speech, language or culture, having had no education in the Caribbean. In the UK he was failed educationally. He uses a basic form of BSL mixed with his own made-up signs and gestures. He often relies on his Deaf son, Ben, to act as an interpreter, even within the Deaf community.  He is a widower, proud of his son, who he dreams will become a doctor. At the start of the drama, he has advanced prostate cancer.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:

Winston Johnson – Deaf BSL user – African or Caribbean – aged 60-70

A kind, hardworking man, who prides himself on his 40 years’ service as an NHS cleaner.

—————-If any of these roles fit you, please send:
 
1. Email and phone number using the form below or jack@buffestival.com
2. link to Spotlight, youtube or even IG video of you performing with a headshot / recent selfie and the role you would like to read for
 
Thank you and good luck!