Whether you are a freshman or a seasoned veteran, as long as you can understand and speak English and have a passion for theatre you are welcome to join our group!
Over the years, the Pennyless Players have expanded from roughly seven students who met after classes to discuss theatre to a fully-fledged production company. This also means that we always welcome new additions to our team, no matter if you prefer to be on stage or work behind the scenes (or a little bit of both).
So, how can I join?
Check our NEWS section for current castings and workshops and apply as specified there.
If there are no open calls at the moment you can still drop us a line at thepennylessplayers@gmail.com and/or ask to be put onto our mailing list to be updated on all upcoming events and openings, or fill out our contact form:
Contact Form
FAQ
Do I need previous theatre experience to join the Pennyless Players?
No previous experience is required to audition for a show, attend open (Improv) workshops, or to read in the Script Tease; the Pennyless Players have been the first theatre experience of many of our members. You may not immediately get a stage role at your first try, or instantly be asked to join the ranks of the regular improv group(s), but there are a lot of ways to be involved while you’re learning!
Do I need to be an Anglistik/Americanistik student to join the Pennyless Players?
No; while the Pennyless Players was born as a project of the English department, we are open to anyone who wants to do theatre in English.
I’m not a student at all – am I still welcome to join the group?
Our primary goal is to make theatre in English available to the community! While we started based in the university, over the years we have expanded and students are no longer the majority of our active members. Everyone is welcome!
I’m only here briefly on Erasmus; can I do something with the Pennyless Players before I go home?
Check for our current schedule! Depending on the semester, it may not be possible to join a stage production during your time here, but there are many, many other ways to be involved!
What if my English isn’t very good?
Then the Pennyless Players could help you get better! Doing theatre in English is a great way to practice your English skills in a fun, creative environment. We offer pronunciation workshops to our actors to make sure they all sound their best on stage.
Can I get ECTS credits for joining the Pennyless Players?
While the Pennyless Players are connected to the English Department, productions and workshops are not university courses, and do not grant university credits.
Is there a way I can just drop by and take a look what you guys are up to?
Best way to get to know us is to watch us perform – see if we are your kind of people. Other than that we do hold open workshops and the like in irregular intervals. Check them out here and here.
How much of a time commitment is joining the Pennyless Players?
Depending on what role you want to take on, and how involved you want to be, anywhere from a single evening to the rest of your life.
More seriously, individual workshops are usually the time commitment of an afternoon or two; members of the regular improv group train once a week, and more often before performances. A full production can (depending on the size of your role/task) take up anywhere from one or two evenings a week to all of your available free time for the semester…
Do I get paid?
Dude, you didn’t read our description, did you? We donate everything to charity! We are the Pennyless Players – there is no money, only the joy of theatre!
What charities do you donate to?
Here is the full list of our previous donations. The cast and crew of each stage production, and of each improv show, can suggest charities the proceeds of their hard work should go to; a vote is taken and, usually, one local and one international charity connected with education are chosen.
Why are you called the “Pennyless Players”? Why do you spell “Pennyless” like that?
The name was originally chosen back in 2007 when the group consisted of fewer than ten people. We were asked to perform “something about love” for an English Department event that also involved singing and poetry reading. A name was needed for the program and, since we had just discovered that the one costume we couldn’t find in our own closets would cost an astounding €25, the name was at first jokingly suggested by founding member Cecilia, and then stuck.
“Pennyless” is spelled with a “y” because this slightly-outdated but nonetheless legitimate spelling lets both words have a “y” in them; this may sound insane, but our founding Fairy Godmother liked it that way, and she got away with it because it took over three years for anyone to ask ;).
Where can I get tickets for your shows?
A few weeks before each show, we open a reservation booth right here on our website – please check back then! Tickets can also be bought on the night of the performance at the box office.
The Pennyless Players 