Teenagers with talent are needed to act, sing and dance in this year's KentainerS production, High School Musical 2 On Stage.

The Tunbridge Wells based theatre group are holding X-factor style auditions this weekend (May 23/24) to find a cast of around 50 young people to perform in the Disney hit.

Sponsored by Courier Media Group and Westfield, open auditions will be held at Royal Victoria Place – where budding actors can try to win over the judges while family, friends and shoppers watch the exciting casting process take place.

Apart from one adult role, the cast is entirely students of East High who are all working at Lava Springs holiday resort. To audition actors must look as if they are approaching their last year of high school, or approaching 18 years old.

The "try-outs" take place at the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre in Tunbridge Wells where auditionees will sing unaccompanied a song of their choice.

Director John Martin is excited to work on a contemporary musical and believes "the try-outs" will be more popular than ever "We had an amazing response to Oliver with so many people turning up to audition. This year we will potentially have even more so because it is High School Musical.

"When we were doing Oliver we were looking pretty specifically for boys and for adults to play Nancy, Fagin and Bill Sykes. This time it is 99 per cent children - there is only one adult part, Mr Fulton who runs the holiday camp.

"So if you think you are a Troy, Gabriella, Ryan, Sharpay or any of the Wildcats, here's your opportunity."

A panel of three experts will determine who is put through to the next round and successful candidates will be given a relevant song/script to prepare for the re-calls on May 30 and 31.

Once roles are assigned, "boot camp" takes place on July 18 and 19, followed by rehearsals from August 22 to 29. The show will be performed at the E M Forster Theatre, Tonbridge School from September 1 to 6. The cost of participating in the show is £125 per person.

For more information or to register for the try-outs on May 23 and 24 visit www.highschool-tw.co.uk.

The Courier Media Group will have full coverage of High School Musical 2 On Stage, from auditions and casting to rehearsals and performances. Visit www.thisiskent.co.uk/musical