It's one thing to write a play. It's quite another to direct and cast it, as I am finding out. When I wrote Ashdown Lee, I was still part of Rainbow Drama and there were forty actors all wanting parts of varying sizes. Everything was rosy. Then the old leader of the group retired, the new leader paid me a visit and told me that they would not be using my plays again (he wanted to change direction completely, apparently). I didn't mind. A new drama group had started by this time, Mark One, and they were very keen to use my work. BUT, being a new group, we are not overrun with actors. This didn't matter for the first two plays as they were small cast. For our panto, many Rainbow members joined us and all was well. We set up to do Ashdown Lee.This play needs a minimum of twenty actors, preferably more. Things started to get a little worrying when the Rainbow members all dropped out. No explanations, just they couldn't do it. They are supposed to be doing a production of their own in January (Ours is in October) and maybe they didn't feel able to do both. Most am-dram actors go from one production to another, but these are people who have been used to doing just one large production every two years. (They have not even chosen a play yet, but I'm sure they will.) Never mind, I thought. Things would be fine. There are 26,000 people in our town. The ten or so that belong to Rainbow can't be the only thespians out there.Twelve people have expressed a definite interest in being in the cast. I have spent the weekend talking to others, and have got interest from one more, with possible interest from three others. I have spoken to people in other drama groups in neighbouring towns, one wished us luck but had trouble with his own casting, one said yes but not for two weeks (after his own auditions - fair enough), and one is going to see what he can do. It's been on radio, and posters are up. I've asked the WI if they'd like parts (they have a group that does revues.) Hopefully some people will come.Yuor good vibes/prayers/thoughts would be appreciated now.