We’re Casting Performers for What Remains

Presented by ROŪGE: Theater Reinvented at the Hermitage Museum and Gardens

ROŪGE is seeking performers for What Remains, an intimate, immersive, audio-guided performance experience staged throughout a historic house at The Hermitage Museum & Gardens. This project centers movement, presence, and close proximity to audiences, and is designed for artists who are excited by site-specific work, physical storytelling, and deeply human encounters with audiences.

About the Project

What Remains is an immersive performance structured as an audio-guided journey through a house alive with memory and myth. Guests witness a magical dinner, taste elixirs, and descend into a dark night of the soul, guided by light, sound, and story.

Created by ROŪGE: Theater Reinvented—the team behind Dream Clinic, Gretels, and Pride & Prejudice & Dragons—this reimagined Victorian fable explores inheritance, possession, and the ways the past refuses to stay buried.

Rehearsals:

 March 9–20, 2026
Up to 8 hours per week, held outside standard work hours

Performances:

 March 20 – April 4, 2026
Thursday–Saturday evenings
(7:00 PM curtain, 5:30 PM call)

Location: The Hermitage Museum & Gardens, Norfolk, VA

Role Responsibilities

As a performer in What Remains, you will:

  • Perform in a movement-based, audience-facing immersive experience

  • Work in close proximity to audience members, with opportunities for direct interaction

  • Collaborate with the creative team to shape a shared, intimate performance environment

  • Participate in rehearsals, tech, and performances as scheduled

  • Uphold ROŪGE’s values of care, consent, clarity, and respect throughout the process

Clear boundaries are central to this work. Any elements involving partial nudity, food service, or physical interaction will be fully discussed, negotiated, and formally agreed upon before casting is finalized. No performer will be asked to commit to these elements during auditions.

Roles available:

  • Docent - The audience's first guide into the experience. Welcomes and orients guests to the audio tour and establishes tone and safety.

  • Mother - A shaping presence in the house, often seen in shadow. Functions as both actor and puppeteer and also serves food or drink during the experience.

  • Id - A physical manifestation of the central character’s younger, instinctive self, told primarily through movement.This role may involve partial nudity, handled with transparency, consent, and care.

  • House - An embodied portrayal of the house itself. Largely nonverbal and movement-based.

All roles are open to performers of any race, gender, or ability. Performers must be 18 years of age or older

About You

You are someone who:

  • Is curious about physical storytelling and non-traditional performance formats

  • Feels comfortable working in intimate, audience-facing environments

  • Values collaboration, communication, and care in artistic processes

  • Is interested in process-driven work and collective creation

  • Is open, grounded, and present in your body and performance

Additionally, We’re looking for someone with most of the following

  • Experience with movement-based, immersive, or site-specific performance (formal training not required)

  • Comfort improvising within clear structure and direction

  • Ability to hold presence and intention in close proximity to audiences

  • Reliability, clear communication, and respect for ensemble process

  • Interest in projects that prioritize consent, safety, and mutual care

  • For some roles, experience in dance, choreography, or other embodied movement practices

What We Offer

  • A collaborative, human-centered creative process

  • Clear communication around expectations, boundaries, and logistics

  • A chance to work in a nationally recognized historic site

  • A project that values intention, presence, and artistry over spectacle

Compensation & Benefits

  • Compensation: $800 stipend

  • Documentation of work (photos and/or video, as available)

  • Opportunity to develop skills in immersive, site-specific performance

  • Experience working in a nationally recognized historic site

  • Participation in a collaborative, care-centered creative process

Audition Process

Our audition process is designed to be respectful of artists’ time and accessible to a wide range of performers. We aim to complete the process within a clear and reasonable timeframe and will communicate updates along the way.

  • Submission Type: Virtual / Video only

  • Deadline to Apply: February 9, 2026

  • Review period: Submissions reviewed by the creative team

  • Follow-up: Selected performers may be invited to a brief conversation, callback, or additional movement exploration (virtual or in person)

  • Final selection: Casting decisions will be communicated directly to all invited participants

Please submit only for work you feel genuinely comfortable exploring.

For any questions about your submission, please email Connor Norton (Connor@rougeva.org)