ANY budding thespians out there will be interested to know that the Upstart Theatre Company have put out an open call for auditions on Saturday and Sunday next in St Vincent's Secondary School.

They will be every hour on the hour, with the last workshop at 5pm.

Following the spectacular success of Upstart Theatre Company's productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Animal Farm, they are holding auditions for their upcoming production of Macbeth.

The show is to be performed in An Táin Theatre in mid-spring and will be an innovative and physical take on Shakespeare's classic tragedy.

They are looking for a wide age range of actors, from 15 years old upwards, so age is no barrier. Similarly no previous experience is necessary. Auditions will take place in a one hour workshop format.

The workshops will be facilitated by Conor Honan and Anna Simpson. Conor is an established actor and co-founder of Upstart Theatre Company. His acting credits include Messiah in the Project Theatre Dublin, Hora Prima's production of Purple Path to the Poppy Field and Fionn MacCumhaill in the New Vision Festival, St Petersburg, Russia.

Anna is an award-winning director/actor, and her most recent production was an adaptation of Tim Burton's The Nightmare before Christmas. She has worked with a number of theatre companies across Europe including England, Ireland, Barcelona and St Petersburg, Russia. Companies she has worked with include LiveStages Theatre, Hora Prima, Connected Theatre and Glasthule Opera Society. Acting credits include the Fool in King Lear, Jocasta in Oedipus Rex and Lady Teazle in Sheridan's School for Scandal.

Workshops will run from 12pm on the hour every hour till 5pm. Participants are asked to have a short speech from Macbeth prepared (a selection of speeches are available from the Arts Office, Town Hall, Dundalk). Comfortable clothing recommended.

For further information and to book a workshop slot contact: upstarttheatre@fastmail.fm or Conor at 087-2708906.