ON Friday, June 28, 1839, an explosion at the St Hilda colliery in South Shields killed 51 men and boys, the youngest only nine years old. Some of the 39 families affected lost a number of members, 19 women were widowed and 44 children left fatherless.

South Shields Customs House is commemorating the disaster with a new community play, Cold In The Clay, which tells the story through the eyes of one family and accounts as reported in the press at the time.

The play will be performed in St Hilda’s Church, just a stone’s throw from where the pit – originally called the Church Pit – was sited.

Peter Lathan, who wrote and directed The Mysteries, the community play at Arbeia Roman Fort, and I (Heart) ST, celebrating 2,000 years of South Tyneside history, will direct with Helen F Dobson. The Customs House community plays use amateur actors, with a professional creative team. This show is bigger than previous productions with more than 60 speaking parts.

Auditions take place at the Customs House in coming weeks on a Sunday afternoon. Anyone interested or wanting further information can contact Peter Lathan by email at pdlathan@gmail.com

  • Tickets for the show available from the Customs House box office 0191-4541234 and customshouse.co.uk

HARROGATE Theatre and Huddersfield playwright Julie Amanda Bokoviec are looking for a supporting cast of ten people aged 17 and over to work alongside professional actors in her new play, Lost Boy Race, one of the cultural commissions for the Yorkshire Festival 2014.

The play is a quirky Northern comedy-drama about Sean Racer, a 40-something tax inspector who rides the Tour de France, but on a bike on rollers in his shed.

Participants need to be interested in visual/physical comedy theatre. They’ll work with performance specialist Natalie Bellingham of Uncanny Theatre to create characters, costume ideas and stage presence.

The production is originating at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield, before playing at Harrogate Theatre. A group workshop audition is being held on April 26 with rehearsals on June 5, 12 and 19, followed by onstage rehearsals on June 30 and July 1 and performances from July 2-4.

  • To register or to find out more, call Hannah Draper on 01423-502710 or email hannah.draper@harrogate theatre.co.uk by April 23.

THIS year’s Stage Experience choice at York Grand Opera House is the Madness musical Our House.

Auditions are being held for local young people, aged ten to 21, to take part in the two-week summer holiday project, working with professional director and choreographer Louise Denison. Adam Laird returns as musical director.

As well as performers, aspiring theatre technicians also take part.

They’ll work with the professional team on sound, lighting, set, props and costumes.

Our House is the story of Joe Casey who, on the night of his 16th birthday, takes Sarah, the girl of his dreams, out on their first date.

  • For more details about York’s Stage Experience, contact Clare O’Connor on 01904-678702 or email clareoconnor@theambassadors.com