The Customs House in South Shields is looking for actors for its third annual community play, Cold in the Clay.
The play, written and co-directed by BTG North East Editor Peter Lathan, deals with the Hilda Pit disaster of 1839, the worst ever mining explosion in the town's history, in which 51 men and boys, the youngest only 9 and the oldest 57, died.
"There are more than seventy characters in the play," Lathan says, "although, of course, some only appear briefly and actors can play two or more roles but we are keen to have more people join us.
"There's a group of about twenty who have been in both the previous productions but this is the biggest show to date. Although the story is told from the point of view of the women who were left behind, we still need more men of all ages from 16 upward."
It's a true community production, Lathan says. Anyone who wishes to take part, whether very experienced or totally inexperienced, is guaranteeed to get a part. There will be auditions but they will be to see what parts people can play, not to decide if they are to be in the show or not.
The play will be performed in St Hilda's Church in South Shields, just a few hundred yards away from where the pit was, from 27 to 29 June (including a matinée on 29). Saturday 28 June is, in fact, the 175th anniversary of the disaster.
"There'll be a choir and, we hope, a brass band also taking part," co-director Helen F Dobson adds, "and there's been a huge amount of interest in the play in the town. All we need now is the cast! We'll be holding the auditions later this month and will be starting rehearsals on 1 April. We can't wait to get started!"
Anyone interested in taking part—existing company members come from all over the region, not just South Shields—should contact Peter Lathan by email at [email protected].