9 June 2026
WE ARE CASTING!
‘I Love You, Mum - I Promise I Won't Die’ by Mark Wheeller,
Secondary Schools' Tour Scotland, Autumn Term 2026
Casting Breakdown
- 1 x MALE performer
- Age: 20s who can play ages of 16 to 30
- Key skills: multi-role; good physical theatre/movement; emotional depth, comedy
- Accent will be natural Scottish and minor variations on this depending on casting
- Any ethnicity: we particularly welcome submissions from ethnically diverse/global majority performers
- Must be confident and experienced in creating exciting ensemble performance work
- Must be a strong, supportive, team member
- Ideally, based in Glasgow/Central Belt/Edinburgh
An advantage but not essential:
- Workshop and facilitation experience
- Experience of delivering theatre in education and/or working with a 13-18 years’ audience
- PVG check helpful but can be obtained
- First aid training
Casting process
Closing date for submissions: 6pm, 16 June 2026
Casting process will include a self-tape then invitation to an in-person casting in Glasgow in July (details tbc).
Actors will not be required to be off-book for the casting, but are expected to be familiar with the text/scenes provided.
Dates
Rehearsals: 7-12 Sep, 6 days
Tour Wk 1: w/c 14 Sep
Tour Wk 2: w/c 21 Sep
Tour Wk 3: w/c 28 Sep
Tour Wk 4: w/c 5 Oct
OFF: w/c 12 Oct
Tour Wk 5: w/c 19 Oct
Depending on funding and bookings, there is a chance the tour may extend for a further 1-2 weeks.
The working day usually consists of a morning performance in a school, before moving onto a second school relatively nearby for an afternoon performance. There are some days where the team will deliver two performances in the same school. There is a set to unload, build and take down for each performance. Once the unload is done, the set-up takes approximately 15-20 mins. The team will usually arrive approximately one hour to 45 mins before the start of the performance.
As the touring week usually begins with an AM performance in a school, expect to travel to location on a Sunday evening, paid at 0.5 of the day rate. By contrast, many Friday afternoons are for travel home only.
Pay & Tour Conditions
£120 per day = rehearsals
£120 per tour day = Nominally, there will be 2 x performances on any given day.
Per diems are paid as a flat rate £135/week. Touring will take place in a company provided vehicle, with some additional travel allowance provided where necessary and agreed beforehand.
Accommodation for the rehearsal period may also be available.
Accommodation will be provided for all tour locations away from our nominal base of Edinburgh.
The Play
Sixteen-year-old Daniel Spargo-Mabbs died in 2014 after taking a lethal dose of MDMA (ecstasy) at a rave.Playwright Mark Wheeller worked closely with Daniel's family and friends to create ‘I Love You Mum – I Promise I Won’t Die’, a verbatim play written from the testimonies of his loved ones and titled with the last words Daniel said to his mother, Fiona, before he died.
The result is a powerful and emotional piece of writing produced with the aim of informing young people, their parents and a wider audience, about the impact of drug use. It is a work of depth, touching on the importance of friendship, family and the emotionally-charged ’teen years.
The events leading up to and beyond Dan’s death are retold from different points of view, giving insight into this popular boy’s personality and his important contribution to the lives of those around him.
The play runs at just under an hour and is a four-hander (2f & 2m). Watch the trailer for ‘I Love You, Mum…’ on our website.
Background
In July 2016, a drug education charity set up by Dan’s parents, the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation, commissioned Mark Wheeller to adapt ‘I Love You, Mum – I Promise I Won’t Die’ for touring to schools, colleges and the community as a Theatre in Education tour. The production is aimed at students aged 13 to 18. The play explores issues of choice, risk and consequence, but also friendship, love and loss and the impact of our choices on others.
TiE It Up Theatre has been creating high quality professional touring theatre for secondary schools across the UK since 2018. To-date, tens of thousands of young people have seen I Love you, Mum.. and the overwhelming response to the work has been positive and life-changing.
Director: Sands Stirling - a previous cast member and last year's director. Sands also makes work with his own company Saltire Sky.
Producer: David Chafer – who has produced every TiE It UP Theatre tour/project to-date and who is also an actor, with many years’ theatre touring experience.
The Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation is our partner. DSMF is a leading national, evidenced-based, drug education charity. TiE It Up works closely with them to deliver the play and drug education workshops.
Please apply via your agent or directly with your CV, Spotlight link (if applicable) and headshot to:
David Chafer, Producer, TiE It Up Theatre, david@tiu-theatre.co.uk
This casting breakdown has also been listed on Spotlight.
