DEMOPOLIS &8212; The Canebrake Players are gearing up for their annual children&8217;s production and holding auditions Oct. 7-8 at the Old School on Main.

Kirk Brooker, who will be directing the performance of &8220;Beauty and the Beast,&8221; said this play is earmarked as the group&8217;s children&8217;s play for the year, meaning all of the parts of the production will be filled by performers under the age of 18. Brooker said any child, from kindergarten to 12th grade, can come out and try out for a part.

Brooker said since the production is in its earliest stages, he isn&8217;t 100 percent sure how many parts will be awarded for the production, but he said as of now he knows there will be at least 12 individuals chosen from the auditions.

The play will debut Dec. 1 to coincide with Christmas on the River, said Brooker. He said following the Saturday performance during the festival, the play will continue performances into the next week and following weekend.

Brooker said the past several years&8217; Christmas performance by the Canebrake Players has leaned toward a cast of young actors, but this year&8217;s play is specifically labeled the children&8217;s production for the group. He said the production is also not a musical, as some might think, because he wants to attract both experienced young thespians and aspiring actors to the stage, which a musical might deter.