Work With Us
Ways and Means Theatre is a new company, which means every person who walks through our door right now is helping to build something from the ground up. We're looking for actors, directors, stage managers, designers, collaborators, and volunteers who share our commitment to courageous, language-rich theatre — and who want to be part of a founding story.
ACTORS
Ways & Means Theatre is currently seeking roles for the upcoming production of Heidi Schreck's What the Constitution Means to Me.
Currently seeking:
Heidi (Female-presenting, AAPI or Latinx, casting ages 35–50): The central lead, originally played by the playwright. Requires a dynamic, witty, and deeply engaging actor who shifts between her adult self and her 15-year-old teenage debate-champion persona, balancing comedic storytelling with raw, down-to-earth emotion. Must be comfortable memorizing long pieces of text.
The Legionnaire / Mike (Male-presenting, casting ages 45–60): Starts as an authoritative American Legion official policing the rules, then transitions into a genuine, supportive personal ally and debate participant in the second half. Represents a real man from Heidi’s life, and was chosen for the original show to act as a safe, supportive, male energy for Heidi throughout the piece.
Dates:
Rehearsals: Starting week of 9/7 (evenings) exact times and days tbd
Tech: September 29 & 30, 2026
Performances: Oct 1-4, 8-11, 15-18, 22-25 Thursday-Saturday 7:30pm, Sunday 2pm
Performance Location: American Legion Post #973
Please note: There will be 3 other women playing Heidi and performances will be in rotation each weekend.
We cast on a show-by-show basis for both our Read Through Series (staged readings) and our mainstage productions. We are committed to inclusive casting that reflects the breadth of Chicago's communities.
To be considered for a mainstage production, please submit your headshot, resume, and a self-tape up to 60 seconds of a piece you feel passionately about to casting@wam-theatre.org. We'll keep your materials on file and reach out when opportunities arise. Specific casting notices for upcoming readings and productions will be posted here and on Chicago Artists Resource sites.
All artists are compensated. Compensation is communicated with each casting notice.
DIRECTORS · DESIGNERS · STAGE MANAGERS
Every reading and production requires collaborators behind the table and behind the scenes. We're interested in hearing from directors, stage managers, dramaturgs, and designers (scenic, lighting, costume, sound) who are drawn to text-driven, language-first work.
Please send your resume and a brief note about your interest to artistic@wam-theatre.org.
PLAY SUBMISSIONS
Ways and Means Theatre is dedicated to producing both established dramatic literature and new work that aligns with our mission. We are particularly drawn to plays that are language-rich, intellectually ambitious, and unafraid of complexity.
We accept play submissions year-round from playwrights around the country. Please send a brief bio, a short statement about how your play connects to our mission, a synopsis, and ten pages of sample dialogue to artistic@wam-theatre.org.
Please familiarize yourself with our programming before submitting. We will respond to all submissions that meet the criteria above, though response times may vary.