Gambling Life or Death: Non-Union, Volunteer
Gambling Life or Death: Non-Union, Volunteer
Multi-lingual, musical theater production with humor, drama, and action
"Gambling Life or Death" is an original story that takes place in a world where everyone can communicate in English and any second language with each other. It features 8 characters, following a gambling addict as she navigates challenges involving a risky loan shark; her mother; and other unique personalities It includes humor, drama, and action with a cappella; speech in prose; singing with music; and at least 3 languages total (each character speaks 2 languages).
Dates: 4 performances between November 5-8, 2026 (Thursday-Sunday)
Rehearsals: 9 total
- 2.5 hours once every other week at a recurring time that works for all between August 21, 2026 through September 2026
- 2.5 hours once every week at a recurring time that works for all in October 2026
- 3 hours per weeknight November 2-3, 2026 (Monday-Tuesday)
Audition Dates
1st round: By Friday 6/12/2026, 11:59pm PT, if interested please submit this Google Form — https://forms.gle/wa6UJ78fBev3Ytw6A. If you apply, you'll receive a reply by Sunday June 21, 2026 on whether or not you are invited to 2nd round callbacks. Thank you.
2nd round callbacks: Selected people will be invited to audition between June 25-28, 2026 at one session, working off sides and musical lines shared in advance in English and their preferred second language.
Ideally, casting will be completed by early July 2026 before rehearsals start the second half of August 2026.
Playwright & Director: Derek S. Chan has acted in over 20 theater plays, including over 10 bilingual musicals. He also served as an assistant director to Gregg T. Daniel (award-winning director) for a Disney ABC Diversity Theater Showcase, and as faculty in entrepreneurship and technology at UC Berkeley.
The Compassion Collaborative is about creating community collaboration, entertainment, and influence that stick. (Initial website: https://compassioncollab.org/)
Characters
Performers of any race who can act, sing, and speak in English and any second language (i.e., Tagalog, Spanish, Cantonese, etc) are welcome to apply. The non-English lines in the script will be re-translated with or for any person in the cast to match their preferred second language.
M. Y. Lead. Any race, woman, 20-30s, Mezzo-Soprano a cappella and with music. Gambling addict, hothead, emotional range. Acts like a chameleon to try to get her way. Must sing very well, with a lot of color from chest voice power to tender falsetto.
W. K. Lead. Any race, man, 20-30s, Tenor-Baritone a cappella and with music. Loan shark, unforgiving, emotionally playful to intimidating. Must sing very well, including with a lot of color. The ability to walk and dance with a limp is preferred.
MRS. M. Supporting. Any race, woman, 40-50+, Mezzo-Soprano a cappella and with music. Mother of M. Y., expressive and reflective, someone who can get an audience to feel for them. Must sing very well, including tender falsetto at times.
S. S. (Already cast) Supporting. Any race or gender, 50+, Tenor/Baritone or Mezzo/Soprano a cappella. Calm, stately, and wise. A person who is part narrator and part sage.
M. C. Supporting. Any race, man, 20-30s, Tenor/Baritone a cappella. Brother of M. Y., fiercely loyal, compassionate, skilled at physical combat with a weapon (e.g., straight sword). Must sing well, and play expressions from realization to romance.
DR. L. Supporting. Any race, woman, 20-30s, Mezzo/Soprano a cappella. Hospital doctor, very intelligent, humble yet confident. Must sing well, and play expressions from compassion to romance.
S. M. Supporting. Any race, woman, 20-30s, Mezzo/Soprano a cappella. Casino assistant, not a pushover, deals with life challenges her own way, not who she seems. Must sing well.
L. S. F. Supporting. Any race or gender, 20-60s, no solo singing. A gambler and physical combat master with a weapon (e.g., broad sword). Intense expression, forceful movement, but a servant attitude.
OTHERS People who play any of 4 characters — M.C., DR. L, S. M., L. S. F. — will also play secondary roles as background speakers or singers in 1 or 2 scenes. Some ability to dance in any style is also helpful.
How to Submit
Google Form: https://forms.gle/wa6UJ78fBev3Ytw6A
Sides and other information will be provided directly to performers invited to the 2nd round callbacks.
Additional Info
Director: : Derek S. Chan
Playwright: : Derek S. Chan
Rehearsal Start Date: : 8/21/2026
Performance Start Date: : 11/5/2026
Rehearsal Location: : ODC Dance Commons at 351 Shotwell St, San Francisco, CA 94110 (tbd) and PlayGround's Potrero Stage at 1695 18th Street, San Francisco, CA , 94107 (confirmed)
Performance Location: : PlayGround's Potrero Stage at 1695 18th Street, San Francisco, CA , 94107 (confirmed)
Pay Rate: : Non-union and volunteer with a $450 stipend per performer, assuming full attendance. Performers will be paid further if the production earns more than its costs. For example, if it earns $900 more than its costs, then the 8 performers and The Compassion Collaborative each receive $100 evenly.
Audition Date(s) and Time(s): : 1st round: By Friday 6/12/2026, 11:59pm PT, if interested please submit this Google Form. If you apply, you'll receive a reply by Sunday June 21, 2026 on whether or not you are invited to 2nd round callbacks. Thank you.
2nd round callbacks: Selected people will be invited to audition between June 25-28, 2026 at one session, working off sides and musical lines shared in advance in English and their preferred second language.
Ideally, casting will be completed by early July 2026 before rehearsals start the second half of August 2026.
Audition Location: : Google Form: https://forms.gle/wa6UJ78fBev3Ytw6A
Number of roles available: : 7
Will there be callbacks? : Yes
Callback date, time, and location: : Callback date and time between June 25-28, 2026 will be confirmed in advance (e.g., with ODC Dance Commons at 351 Shotwell St, San Francisco, CA 94110)