YORK Shakespeare Project is seeking performers to take part in Sonnet Walks in and around the city centre in May. Auditions will be held at Southlands Methodist Church, Bishopthorpe Road, York, on Thursday and Monday between 7pm and 9.30pm.

The walks will be produced and directed by Helen Wilson and Maurice Crichton. "They will be open auditions so we’d be pleased to see anyone at all who is interested in getting involved," says Maurice. "We hope to assemble a balanced cast: a good mix of age, gender and different levels of experience."

For a 15-minute audition slot, please email maurice.crichton@ntlworld.com. "Prepare a sonnet, so that you know it well, though you don’t have to learn it," advises Maurice. "Think about the character you're going to portray, the one delivering the sonnet. Who is this person? What is their situation? Where might they be located in York city centre?"

The Sonnet Walks will take place before and during the second York International Shakespeare Festival. "The festival will run from May 15 to 20, but our walks will begin a little earlier on May 12 to give us a longer run," says Maurice. "If you're keen to get involved but can’t attend either audition date, do get in touch anyway and we'll try to find another time to see you. Commitment, playfulness and enthusiasm are the key."

York Shakespeare Project first staged Sonnet Walks in the city centre in late-June and early-July 2014, in the run-up to Le Grand Depart for the Tour de France, under the direction of Helen Wilson and Tom Straszewski.

"True to YSP's ethos, we're hoping to attract a few new faces to the venture this spring," says Maurice.