Because of all the added technical and set aspects of the show, the company are in need of a large amount of backstage crew - 9 to be exact.

The crew would need to be available from bump in, October 19 through to closing night, October 25, but we have it on good authority that Initial Stages don't rehearse past 8.30pm, so there will be no late nights.

This is not just a great chance to get a bit more experience working behind the scenes, but you will also be supporting the younger members of the theatrical fraternity; who are, of course, our future.

Interested persons can contact Helen Janke on (03) 5831 6819.

For those wanting to see the production, Peter Pan is showing at WestSide PAC on October 24 and 25. Tickets can be purchased at Riverlinks and will become available in the next week or so.

Adapted from the film of the same name, Brassed Off involves economics and music as the twin focal points of a comedy/drama about a community in crisis.

An information Night will be held this coming Monday, September 15 at the Bakehouse, Wheeler St from 7.30pm for any interested persons wanting to be in the cast of the show. Auditions will take place Sunday, September 21.

A synopsis of the show follows:

Grimley Colliery Band, with more than one hundred years of history, is a bastion of the local community and one that its leader cares passionately about. For Danny it is the music that embodies the spirit of that community, representing the very lifeblood of its people. However, as the spectre of unemployment looms large on the horizon, not all the band members can share his passion. Attitudes soon change with the entrance of Gloria.

Granddaughter of a former band leader and childhood sweetheart of band member Andy, she has returned to her hometown. Impressed by her talent and overwhelmed by her beauty, a new wave of enthusiasm sweeps through the band as they embark on the competition circuit. However, admiration is soon dulled and her relationship with Andy threatened, by the stunning revelation that she is an employee of the British Coal Board.

Despite the surfacing conflicts, the Grimley Brass Band return triumphant from the National Semi-Finals. Their euphoria is short-lived, however, as they return to find their worst fears realized. The pit has been closed and the defeated community recoils in shock. Phil, Danny's son and the band's principal troboner, has now lost everything - his family, his home, his job and almost the will to live.

For Danny there is also a grave price to pay for a life's service to the mines. As the band witness his dramatic collapse from pneumoconiosis, a defiant fighting spirit is reawaken. Aided by an unexpected benefactor, the miners unite to realize Danny's dream and take their rightful place at the National Championships in London. As ambassadors for their community, they take a triumphant journey that will tell their story to the nation.

For more information, please call Donna on 5831 2054.