Work With Us
In-Person Audition Dates
January 15th-17th, 2027 (Norwalk, CT): A1 Conference (more info here)
March 3rd-6th, 2027 (Lexington, KY): Southeastern Theatre Conference (more info here)
Local Auditions (Manteo, NC): Date announced soon!
Native Cast Auditions: Date and location announced soon!
Online & Virtual Submissions will open in January 2027.
Questions about auditions? Contact The Lost Colony offices at 252-473-2127 or email mgabbard@thelostcolony.org.
Cast Breakdown
Note: All Native American roles will be cast with Indigenous performers.
STORYTELLER – Principal
(Older Indigenous female identifying actor) The elder who knows all the stories of the land and provides the connection with the present and the past.
JOHN BORDEN – Principal
(Young male identifying actor) Farmhand and hired laborer who rises in prominence and importance in the new colony because of his leadership skills. Extraordinary sword fighter.
ANANIAS DARE – Principal
(Young male identifying actor) Educated young soldier who is quick to put aside the gentleman’s life to learn the ways of the New World. Extraordinary sword fighter.
GOVERNOR JOHN WHITE – Principal
(Older male identifying actor) English colonial governor, explorer, artist and cartographer who will do anything for his daughter and granddaughter.
SIMON FERNANDO – Principal
(Male identifying actor) Spanish navigator and sometime pirate. Hot-tempered and spirited. Extraordinary sword fighter. Fast, quick on his feet.
MANTEO – Principal
(Young Indigenous male identifying actor) A Native American Croatoan, the chief of the tribe that befriends the colonists. Helps the colonists navigate their way through the New World.
WANCHESE – Principal
(Young Indigenous male identifying actor) The last known ruler of the Roanoke Native American tribe. Wanchese breaks from the colonists when they incite tribal violence.
ELEANOR DARE – Principal
(Young female identifying actor) Head-strong, spirited and strong-willed. Able to keep pace with the men. Quick to speak the truth.
QUEEN ELIZABETH – Principal
Older female identifying actor) Regal, wise, and does not suffer fools gladly.
SIR WALTER RALEIGH – Ensemble
(Older male identifying actor) English landed gentleman, soldier, politician and explorer with a dream to establish the first English colony in the New World.
OLD TOM – Principal
(Male identifying actor) The Falstaff of the New World, hard-drinking ne’er-do-well with a big heart.
Other speaking ensemble roles available.
ENSEMBLE:
Seeking performers of Native American Descent of all ages, including Pow Wow Dancers (Fancy, Grass, Traditional, Jingle, etc.), Hoop Dancers.
Seeking singers, actors, dancers of all ages (any ethnicity) to portray colonists, British soldiers, members of the Royal Court. Puppetry skills a plus. Also, fire dancers.
FIRE DANCER:
Seeking performers who work with fire, including fire dancers.
- For performers: The first official day of rehearsal begins on May 11th, 2026. Previews for the show begin on June 4th and 5th, and the 2026 season of The Lost Colony officially opens on June 6th, 2026. The show runs every night (except Sundays) until August 22nd, 2026.
- For Technicians: Contract start dates for technicians vary from late April to early May. Some technicians are required to stay for a week long strike after the run of the show, which will conclude on August 29th, 2026.
- We are flexible with availability! Please let us know when applying about potential conflicts.
Your salary is paid weekly via Direct Deposit. If you are unable to accept Direct Deposit payments you may be paid via check.
The Waterside Theater is located within Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on the north end of Roanoke Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Learn More About Roanoke Island
Learn More About Ft. Raleigh NHS
Actors typically rehearse from 1-5pm, and then from 7-10pm for the first few weeks of the contract. During tech week, rehearsals typically shift from 10pm-4am (with a break for food). This is to ensure that lighting has ample darkness to rehearse/adjust in.
Technicians generally stick to a 9am-5pm work day throughout the rehearsal period, with some nights periodically scheduled. During tech week, technicians follow the same schedule as performers in order to begin a run-of-show schedule.
The performance runs Monday through Saturday night every week through closing. There is no performance on Sundays or on the Fourth of July. During the day rehearsals or work calls may be scheduled to ensure the smooth operation of the performance, but these are infrequent and done on an as-needed basis.
The venue is a 1500 seat, uncovered amphitheater situated on the north shore of Roanoke Island. The backstage is on the shoreline with beautiful views of the Roanoke Sound.
We do have housing available to the cast and crew, located less than 1 mile from the Waterside Theatre. Morrison Grove is occupied solely by Company Members during the season, meaning that you will not have any strangers as neighbors! The apartments have two bedrooms, a full bath, kitchen, and living room. Housing assignments are made with the assistance of roommate surveys. A refundable housing deposit of $125 will taken out of your first 5 paychecks in $25 increments.
Executive Director
The Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA), an 89-year-old organization that focuses primarily on producing the oldest outdoor symphonic drama in the world, an adaptation of Paul Green’s The Lost Colony, seeks candidates for the position of Executive Director.
Located in Manteo, North Carolina on Roanoke Island, a community on the famous Outer Banks, RIHA, through its production of The Lost Colony, provides an exciting opportunity for a creative, community-minded leader.
The Lost Colony tells the heroic story of the first English settlers’ attempts to establish a colony in America and who disappeared without a trace. In addition, The Lost Colony depicts the Native Americans who were present on Roanoke Island when the colonists arrived. The production is performed during the summer and includes a cast of over 80 performers. The Lost Colony was the recipient of a Tony Honor in 2013.
In addition to its historic mission of producing The Lost Colony as a cultural institution in North Carolina, RIHA has an important educational mission that includes outreach and service.
Position: The Executive Director will report directly to the RIHA Board of Directors. The Executive Director will have oversight of all business and administrative functions of RIHA that include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Finance, including budget development and oversight
- Development and fundraising
- Support and work cooperatively with the Artistic Director
- Local and regional networking (some regional travel expected)
- Operations and facilities management
- Marketing and ticket sales
- Educational programs
- Public and community relations
- Human resources and legal issues
- Hiring and management of administrative staff
A minimum of five years of experience working with nonprofit organizations is preferred. However, comparable experience in corporate business is acceptable. The successful candidate should have experience in program administration, fundraising, and development, financial management, including creating and operating a budget, staff supervision, and familiarity with theatre, and theatrical organizations.
Salary and benefits: Full benefits package and salary commensurate with experience.
Deadline for receipt of resumes: September 30, 2026. Please submit your resume to Chris Seawell, Chairman of the RIHA Board of Directors at cseawell6@yahoo.com. Phone: 252-305-2552.
The Roanoke Island Historical Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Front of House
The Lost Colony is one of the Outer Bank’s oldest traditions. 2026 marks our 89th Anniversary Season of welcoming guests to a performance and since 1937, we have welcomed over 4 1/2 million people through the gates of the Waterside Theatre. A guest’s experience starts as soon as they enter the gates of the theatre, and if they don’t have a pleasant experience before and after the show, it doesn’t matter how good the show is. We are looking for friendly faces to help sell tickets, help guests to their seats, and sell items out of our gift shop. If you’d like to spend a summer helping our guests make memories, we’d love to have you as Front of House Staff for the 2026 season. See below for details!
***Note: All Front of House Staff Must be at least 16 Years or Older. Bartenders Must be 21+***
All Front of House Positions are Local Hire Only. You must have your own housing in Dare County to be considered.
Apply NowUshers/Ticket Takers: Help guests to and from seats, and help resolve any issues that guests may have. Ushers and Ticket Takers are also responsible for helping keep the Waterside Theatre clean of trash on a daily basis. Typical hours for Ushers are from 7:00pm-10:30pm, 3-4 nights a week. $12/hr.
Gift Shop Manager: the Gift Shop Manager is responsible for selling merchandise in the Lost Colony gift shop. The Gift Shop Manager is responsible for opening and closing the Gift Shop nightly, and manages inventory to ensure that product remains on the shelf. The Gift Shop Manager will work with Administration to track product selling trends. Typical Hours are 7:00pm-11:00pm, 3-4 nights a week. $14/hr.
Bartender: Bartenders serve beer and wine to patrons. Bartenders arrive before the show and depart after intermission. Bartenders are responsible for checking ID’s, refilling the refrigerators and maintaining inventory, and selling alcohol responsibly. Bartenders must be 21+ years old to be considered. Rates vary depending on tips.
Any Questions about Front of House Staff can be directed to Matt Gabbard at 252-473-4222 or at mgabbard@www.thelostcolony.org.
