Oliver! directors take their pick

1:23pm Tuesday 13th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

WHO will buy tickets for Oliver!?

That's the question being posed by organisers of Swindon's annual summer theatre show.

Every year youngsters flock to the town's Wyvern Theatre to take part in the Summer Youth Project - usually a full production of a popular musical.

This year's production will see youngsters tackle Oliver!, and auditions for the show, which has 200 roles up for grabs, kicked off on Sunday.

Wannabe performers aged from nine to 21, took to the venue's stage at the weekend - in the hope the producers would consider them part of the cast.

In all, 250 young actors are needed to mount the production - but many more flocked to the Wyvern for the auditions.

"We had an immense turnout," said Andy Hill, Wyvern Theatre director.

"In all, 308 hopefuls turned up. We were also very fortunate in that we managed to get through everybody. Now the successful actors will be getting their offer letters some time soon."

A team of professionals, led by the director Rodney Howard, will run this year's Summer Youth Project with the production being performed between August 21 and 24.

The summer youth projects were started in 1994 with a production of Bugsy Malone.

This year's show will be warmly welcomed back after hundreds of youngsters were left disappointment when the 2007 project was shelved.

Last year's show was cancelled when asbestos was found in part of the building, prompting the council to close the Wyvern.

Theatre management took advantage of the enforced closure to launch a major revamp of the venue, including bringing the foyer up to standards demanded under the Disability Discrimination Act.

In 2006 the musical was Annie for the second time and one of its young stars, Waylon Brewster-Holloway, scooped a part in Sunday Night Live at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.

Even though the youngsters for the latest summer project auditioned at the weekend not every part has yet been cast. Producers still need one more key member of the cast to sign up.

"Auditions for the part of Bullseye, Bill Sykes' dog, will be starting soon," added Mr Hill.

Tickets are £10 and £12 for the charity night on Friday, August 23, available by calling 01793 524481.