THE search is on for older actors, aged 65 and over, to join next spring's York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre production of a specially commissioned new play about the digital legacy.

Written by Paul Birch, Legacy will be performed from April 12 to 14 by a mixed company of actors aged 16 to 19 from the youth theatre and senior actors drawn from the community.

Theatre Royal Youth Theatre director Kate Veysey says: "We're looking for actors over the age of 65 with some acting experience who are keen to contribute to this production, both by developing their roles and being part of the company creating a play that makes people leave the auditorium talking about what they’ve seen."

Auditions will be held on December 12 and 13 at the Theatre Royal. To book an audition, email community and participation administrator Georgia Nelson at georgia.nelson@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk. Any tips, Kate? "They should be actors who are not afraid to have a go, to ask questions and to take a risk," she advises. "If you would like a chat to learn more about the opportunity before the audition, call me on 01904 550154."

Thanks to Clothworkers funding, this show marks the first time the Theatre Royal Youth Theatre has had the opportunity to commission a playwright for a main-house production.

Already, Paul Birch has overseen several sessions of research and development with both age groups, independently and together, exploring their views and ideas about digital legacy.

Kate says: "This is the first intergenerational performance that we have created as a theatre. I'm excited about the possibilities of two age groups working alongside each other to create this thriller for the stage. It’s a play that's not afraid to question our blogging/vlogging/social media society where you can literally find out what a stranger had for their dinner, their political views, and even which cat videos they like."

Legacy raises questions of life, love and what we leave behind. The play places old-school police detective Simone Macdonald in a brave new world where Arisha Adler is a rising political star destined for Downing Street and Phillip Blackthorn is the founder of Legacy, a tech company that promises to change everything. Forever.

These three powerful personalities find their lives turned upside down when a boy’s body is discovered on a river bank. Despite the use of new ground-breaking forensic technology, there remains one problem: the boy does not exist.

As Simone investigates the most unusual case of her career, she is drawn into an increasingly unsettling world where nothing is what it seems and no-one can be trusted. The mysterious crime becomes buried in a blur of media manipulation and internet celebrity, wrapped in a box, which makes anything possible.

Rehearsals will begin in January on Mondays from 6pm to 8pm and Tuesdays from 6pm to 9pm, as well as occasional weekend and February half-term rehearsals. Actors will not be needed for all dates. Exact dates can be found by emailing Georgia at georgia.nelson@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk