YORK company Pick Me Up Theatre will hold auditions for next February’s production of Willy Russell’s school-days musical Our Day Out on Sunday, August 24 at 2pm at Joseph Rowntree School, York.

Actors aged 11 to 18 are required by artistic director Robert Readman for a production that will run in a school double bill with Alan Bennett’s classroom drama The History Boys at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre from February 20 to 28 2015. Please email pickmeuptheatre@gmail.com for full audition details.

“Our Day Out was a massive TV hit when it was originally written in 1976 and was later turned into a popular stage play,” says Robert.

“In 2009, Willy Russell reworked the script and added some fantastic songs to create Our Day Out – The Musical, with the songs and music being co-written with director Bob Eaton.” In Russell’s humorous and heart-warming story, Mrs Kay’s progress class are all bound for Alton Towers until Mr Briggs climbs on board.

“The destination changes to a zoo in North Wales but there’s no stopping the fun on a trip for the Liverpool school’s class that always gets left behind,” says Robert. “Big dance numbers, instantly recognisable characters and songs so catchy you’ll be singing them for weeks will all feature.”