Job Summary
Job Description
Theatre for Life, in collaboration with Beyond Reflections
Location: Southampton with regional touring across London and the South West/South East
Fee: £2,590 (14 days @ £185 per day)
Contract Type: Freelance
Primarily remote working
3 in-person rehearsal days: Mondays between 18 May – 6 July at Theatre Royal Winchester
Application Deadline: 30 April 2026 by 5 pm
About the Project:
Theatre for Life, in collaboration with Beyond Reflections, is creating a new intergenerational verbatim theatre production celebrating Trans+ lived experiences, histories, and personal narratives.
The project uses verbatim techniques, drawing directly from interviews and testimonies, to create a performance that honours authentic voices while exploring resilience, heritage, and community across generations. The production will also feature cabaret-inspired musical moments, original songs, lyrics, and vocal harmonies.
Key responsibilities include:
– Designing and composing a soundscape to support narrative
– Working with and integrating real verbatim audio testimonies
– Creating cabaret-inspired musical numbers, including original songs, lyric writing, and vocal harmonies
– Collaborating closely with the director and creative team throughout rehearsals and development
– Contributing creatively to staging, sound design, and musical integration
– Supporting the production on a regional tour to professional venues, including producing a Q Lab playlist for playback
Online interviews: Week beginning 11/5/26
Start date: 18/5/26
We are particularly keen to work with Trans+ artists and encourage applications from the Trans+ community.
Please email a sound reel or examples of music composition to michellesmith@theatreforlife.co.uk to support this application.
Job Requirements
Applicants should demonstrate the following:
– Experience in sound design, music composition, or related theatre work, including designing original soundscapes and composing music for performance
– Ability to work with real verbatim audio testimonies, integrating recorded voices and documentary material into a live or recorded performance
– Experience or interest in cabaret, musical theatre, or experimental performance styles, including composing songs, lyric writing, and arranging vocal harmonies
– Collaborative and composition skills, able to work closely with directors, creative teams, and performers
-Sensitivity and respect when working with lived experience and community-based material
– Flexibility to work remotely with some in-person rehearsal days (3 Mondays between 18 May – 6 July at Theatre Royal Winchester)
– Strong organisational skills to manage deadlines, recordings, and coordination with creative team
Job Responsibilities
The Sound Designer / Music Composer will:
– Design and create the production’s soundscape, supporting narrative, mood, and emotional arcs
– Integrate real verbatim audio testimonies into the performance sensitively and effectively
– Compose cabaret-inspired musical numbers, including original songs, lyric writing, and vocal harmonies.
– Prepare a QLab playlist suitable for touring across multiple venues
– Collaborate closely with the director and creative team throughout rehearsals and development
– Manage recordings, mixes, and technical requirements for live or recorded elements
– Work flexibly, combining remote work with scheduled in-person rehearsal days (3 Mondays between 18 May – 6 July at Theatre Royal Winchester)
– Maintain sensitivity and respect when working with material drawn from real lived experiences and verbatim testimony
How to Apply
Please email a sound reel or examples of music composition to michellesmith@theatreforlife.co.uk to support this application.
Use apply now link as below to submit your application.
- Contact name: Michelle Smith
- Contact email: michellesmith@theatreforlife.co.uk