Face Off Theatre Company is excited to announce General Season Auditions and Elevated Cohort Auditions for our 2026 season, centered on our guiding theme: Because We Are the Story.
This season amplifies Black authorship, voice, and legacy through bold productions, new work development, and community-centered storytelling.
Whether you are auditioning for a specific production, the Elevated Artist Cohort, or both--one audition can cover the entire season.
GENERAL SEASON AUDITIONS If you are auditioning for the Elevated Cohort, you do not need to audition separately for the 2026 season. In-Person Auditions 📅 Saturday, January 10 ⏰ 3:00–5:00 PM 📍Black Arts & Cultural Center (BACC) 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Virtual Auditions 🎥 Due by midnight on Saturday, January 10 Audition Slots • Eight (8) fifteen-minute slots available • Walk-up auditions accepted as space allows • If slots are full, performers are encouraged to walk up (wait times may apply)
ELEVATED COHORT AUDITIONS The Elevated Cohort supports early- and mid-career artists through paid performance opportunities, professional development, mentorship, and community engagement.
Virtual Auditions 🎥 Due by midnight on Thursday, January 8
In-Person Auditions 📅 Saturday, January 10 ⏰ 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
In-Person Interviews (if needed) ⏰ 1:00–2:00 PM
📍 Location: Black Arts & Cultural Center (BACC) 359 S. Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, MI 49007
• Walk-up auditions accepted (wait times may vary)
2026 SEASON PRODUCTIONS Our 2026 season unfolds across four powerful productions, each advancing our Living Stage philosophy—inviting artists and audiences into the creative process.
February Freedom Isn’t Finished: Black Playwright Festival A staged reading festival centering Black Midwest voices. 📣 Play submissions accepted through January 9
May Cinderella: The Remix A bold, joy-forward reimagining of the classic tale. Set in Hip-Hop Hollywood, Cinderella is an aspiring DJ in a world where girls are banned from DJing publicly. With the help of her fairy godmother, Hoperah, Cinderella must decide whether she has the courage to claim her voice, her talent, and her dreams.
September Harlem Duet (in partnership with Kalamazoo College) A reimagining of Othello told through the lens of Black American history—1860, 1928, and 1997—exploring love, racial trauma, and legacy through the story of Billie and Othello.
November Bambiland (Touring Production) Set in 2019, Bambiland follows Nic, a Detroit-raised journalist forced to return home while investigating overtaxed homeowners. A powerful story of reckoning, identity, and responsibility, this production will tour nontraditional spaces and community venues. WHO SHOULD AUDITION Face Off Theatre Company seeks dynamic, versatile performers across disciplines. While characters may be written with specific pronouns, we enthusiastically welcome:
• Gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender, and non-binary artists • Artists of all abilities • Performers at all stages of their careers
Face Off Theatre Company exists to celebrate and support community members across racial, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic lines. We respect the value of the full human experience and welcome diverse identities of all backgrounds, abilities, neurodivergence, sexual orientations, gender identities, sizes, immigration statuses, and those who are otherwise marginalized.
PREPARATION (IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL) Please prepare:
A 2–3 minute contemporary monologue
A 32-bar cut (60–90 seconds) of a song (if wanting to be considered for the musical)
Be prepared for light direction, discussion, or adjustments during your audition
QUESTIONS? For questions regarding auditions, accessibility, or submissions, please contact: [email protected]
👉 To reserve your audition slot, click the Audition Form button below. For more information on our full season vision, visit our 2026 Season Overview. The stage is open. The doors are wide. And the story continues—because we are the story.