Gatecrash Theatre are calling all actors who want to get their teeth into a gritty drama based on the Salem witch trials.

The script read-through for the classic story of witchcraft and the power of superstition in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, is on Monday, May 9.

Swindon-based Gatecrash Theatre was founded in 2014 with the aim of providing a developmental theatre company for adults.

Since then the company has performed three successful venue-based shows: Jerusalem, Breathing Corpses and The Passion with its huge cast in Wroughton.

Now for the summer project, the production team, Laura Barnes, director, Anna Friend, designer and Dave Jell on lighting, are presenting The Crucible as part of the Yearn and Learn programme.

The idea behind the programme is for actors to prepare and perform in a professional show for an intensive two week period at the Swindon Arts Centre, Devizes Road in Old Town ending in public performances from July 28 to July 30.

The actual auditions are on Saturday, May 21 from 10am to 1pm at St Mary's Commonweal Road, Old Town. They are open auditions for all actors but applications must be in by Monday, May 9, alternative days or Skype auditions can be arranged if necessary.

Everyone involved is expected to help towards funding the project, the fee is £75, Gatecrash has contributed £1,000, and any sponsorship from local businesses would be welcome.

The theatre company already run Gatecrash Evolve, weekly workshops for working and aspiring actors, including workshops with mentors such as Frantic Assembly. Now the company is launching Gatecrash Ignite, a weekly class held at the Commonweal School in Swindon from 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday evenings. It is aimed at those who have little or no experience of theatre but want to give it a go.

For more details or to sign up for auditions or workshops visit www.gatecrashtheatre.co.uk - Flicky Harrison