The Wells Theatre Festival is set to take place in July, and the organisers are calling volunteers to help make the event a success.

The festival promises to be a celebration of theatre, with a vibrant community of performers and enthusiasts coming together to showcase their talents and share their passion for the arts.

This year, the festival will present a varied theatre programme, including Children's Theatre, Opera and Dance over the weekend of 6-9 July.

As ever at the heart of this festival, featuring some of the best touring professional theatre, is the Wells Community Theatre production of William Shakespeare's comedy – As You Like It. The community show is cast entirely from Wells and surrounding villages and is always a sell-out. 

• This year As you Like will be staged on the South Lawn of The Bishop's Palace Gardens.
• Ros Johnson, Artistic Director of The Wells Theatre Festival said: "We are very excited about this year's festival. Last week we held an event with Gary Andrews (@garyscribbler) - Dr Theatre to discuss the importance of community theatre. It was a fascinating discussion, and we know there is a strong appetite for theatre of all kinds in Wells and the surrounding communities. We are thrilled to present such a diverse range of shows. There is something for everyone at the Wells Theatre Festival."
• Among the highlights of this year's festival are:
•  AKA Dance Theatre bring A Real Fiction - a hyperactive mix of dance, theatre, meme and pop culture for people of all ages.
•  Moondog Productions are bringing And Then They Came for Me - a thought provoking drama about Auschwitz survivor and friend to Anne Frank, Eva Schloss. Part oral history, part dramatic action, part remembrance, this play brings to life what happened after "The Diary of Anne Frank" ends. Eva Schloss who is now 94, hopes to attend each performance.
• Scratchworks Theatre Company return to the Festival with The Grimm Sisters - a marvellous mix of storytelling, comedy & live music. 'Joyous, interactive outdoor theatre'.
• Jonathan Guy Lewis returns to the festival with his hit one man show I Found My Horn - a man wakes up in midlife to a broken marriage and the dawning fear that he has done nothing to make himself memorable. Packing away his life as he prepares for divorce, he is struck by an insane idea: why not pick up the French horn he never conquered in his youth? First seen in 2008 at the Aldeburgh Festival, and subsequently in the West End, New York, and Los Angeles, "this joyous, feelgood show places the transforming power of music centre-stage".
•  Opera in a Box presents Don Giovanni, Mozart's Machiavellian opera. The eponymous hero has a price on his head. His lustful path of heartbreak and estrangement continues as he faces his greatest challenge of seducing Donna Anna, daughter of the Commendatore, fleeing Donna Elvira, a previous conquest seeking retribution, and breaking up a wedding party. All within the space of a day.
•  Another company returning to the festival are the Pirates of the Carabina with their family favourite, Pirate Taxi. This outdoor aerial circus show, from the award-winning makers of Flown and Home, takes place in, on and around an old-school London Taxi.
•  A treat for children comes from Theatrix Arts with The Sand Dragon - while on holiday Edie and her Daddy find a magical pebble on the beach that can grant you one wish. Can you guess what Edie wished for? Well why not find out by watching this magical story with songs and music, loads of puppets, changing scenery, and a magic trick or two. Then meet the puppets and create your very own Sand Dragon Puppet.

If you are looking to get involved in a local theatre scene and meet new people, the Wells Theatre Festival is a great opportunity to do so. The festival organisers are still in need of volunteers for a range of roles, including stage managing, props, choreography, festival organisation, ensemble actors aged 16+, and hair and makeup.

By volunteering, you can be part of a team that brings the festival to life and contributes to the cultural life of Wells. Whether you have experience in theatre or are simply passionate about the arts, the festival is a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Wells Theatre Festival, you can reach out to the organisers by emailing [email protected]. They will be happy to provide more information and help you sign up for a role that suits your skills and interests.

Tickets are available at www.wellstheatrefestival.org.uk