MORE than 80 youngsters will be auditioning for just six or seven places in a leading county youth theatre group on Saturday (September 27).

This year WODYS – Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Society Youth Section – has one of its highest numbers of children wanting to join the group.

The youngsters, aged eight to 18, have attended pre-audition workshops and on Saturday will be singing and dancing before members of WODYS committee.

Those who are successful will join the rest of WODYS members – making up a total of about 70. For the rest of this year they will have stagecraft workshops and early next year everyone will audition for roles in the summer musical, Annie, at the Swan Theatre, Worcester, from Tuesday, August 4, to Saturday, August 8.

WODYS is a popular youth drama group which each year stages a full musical at the Swan Theatre and entertains people in care homes, women’s institutes and other organisations with a winter cabaret.

Chairman and director David Humphries said: ‘‘I am really pleased at the continuing interest shown by youngsters who want to join WODYS. Once again, this year we have been running audition workshops to train and coach youngsters to help them through the auditioning experience. The interest is so great this year that we have had to split the 84 attendees into three groups instead of the usual two. Unfortunately, we have relatively few places available so it will be very competitive this year to gain a place as a member of WODYS.”

While auditions are held for roles in the summer musical, every member is guaranteed to be in the show, at least as part of the ensemble.

This year’s membership hopefuls include a number who have been receiving training at WODAC, the group’s academy.