Wanted: Performers for London 2012

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) has begun its search for adult volunteer performers to participate in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Artistic Directors Danny Boyle and Kim Gavin are searching for 10,000 volunteer performers to fill roles as dancers, actors, percussionists and general all-round performers in the Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Successful applications will perform in front of a packed Olympic Stadium and a worldwide broadcast audience of more than one billion people. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of one of the largest events ever staged in the UK.

Taking part

Applicants must be able to participate in up to two auditions that will take place evenings and weekends in November and early December of this year, up to two or three rehearsal sessions each week of up to four hours per session from March 2012, and a number of all day rehearsals in the three weeks leading up to each Ceremony. All of these rehearsals will take place in East London.

Bill Morris, LOCOG Director of Ceremonies, Education and Live Sites, said: “To deliver Ceremonies of this scale a significant amount of time commitment is required from the volunteer performers. Performers will be required to attend up to two or three rehearsals each week in London from March 2012 so applicants should consider this. Previous performance experience is not required for people to apply, applicants simply need lots of enthusiasm, personality, a positive attitude, huge amounts of energy and a willingness to perform in front of a stadium audience and to millions of people around the world.”

People can find more information and register their interest for this opportunity by completing the online application form on the London 2012 website. The deadline for receipt of applications is Wednesday 31 August and it is not a first come first served process. To be eligible applicants must be aged 18 years or older on 1 March 2012. Only one application per person will be accepted and if LOCOG receives over 15,000 applications a computerised draw will be used to randomly create the short list for auditions.