Wanted: Angels, punks and raging queens

Singers and performers of all ages and backgrounds are invited to audition for the next production from What We Did Next. The community group will be staging Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens later in the year, but first need to find their cast, and are looking for nearly 40 people to get involved. All levels of experience are welcome, including first timers. Auditions will take place on May 28 and 29 in the Fly in the Loaf between 6pm and 10pm at LIPA on May 31, again between 6pm and 10pm. No appointment is necessary and auditionees only need to attend one of these three days. The audition pack can be found on the What We Did Next website and Facebook event page. Producer Zoe Thirsk said: "The production can be roughly described as a collection of free verse poems/monologues and a song cycle centred around those who have lived with and died from AIDS. Sounds grim? Not really – it’s a celebration of their lives. The stories and songs are told with a wry smile and are laugh-out-loud funny as often as they are heart-breaking. "This is a huge ensemble piece, and we are aiming for the show to have a real community feel to it." With the size of the cast, there are no leads, but many different kinds of roles to suit all auditionees.  The characters portray a  variety of ages, ethnicities and nationalities as well as being very  different in character.  Some parts are very challenging, others less so; some parts are most suited to singers, others actors or comedians. The company is encouraging auditionees not to be put off if you have limited acting or vocal experience. The director is looking for potential in  each   auditionee to fulfill a role,  not a  polished performance. Each cast member will receive one-to-one rehearsals to work on character and technique, so everyone will receive the support they need.