As June 21, and the time for people to find out whether or not the country will be progressing further out of lockdown, draws closer, one amateur theatre is holding its breath.

StagedRight Youth Theatre in Carlisle are preparing themselves as they hope to get back on stage for their production of West Side Story on Saturday July 3.

The production, which is being rescheduled from 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is set to take place at the Sands Centre in Carlisle.

"It's terrifying," said Managing Director, David McNeill.

"Everyone is buzzing, but we're just keeping our fingers crossed because amateurs aren't currently allowed to perform.

"We need the announcement on the 21st."

The production has an added importance to StagedRight - currently the only amateur theatre group that performs at the Sands Centre - as the industry looks to get back on its feet.

StagedRight Junior are also hoping to stage their production of Time Out on June 27 at the Harraby Theatre.

The announcement on June 21 is seen as a crucial moment for amateur theatre as a whole as it looks to its survival.

David added: "It's going to be very tight whether or not we're going to break even this year.

"We would urge anybody to support any live theatre because every production is on a knife edge now.

"We're at risk of losing live theatre in the city and beyond if people don't come back."

"The pressure on producers is enormous. Our productions normally cost in excess of £35,000 to put on.

"You've got to sell a lot of tickets and get lots of sponsorship to come anywhere near that, and this year we know lots of theatres have said they won't be reopening.

"We are the last group that presents fully staged musicals at the Sands Centre.

"We want to keep working on the professional stage, because StagedRight is about giving our students and audiences the professional feel and professional experience.

"There's a huge thirst within the public to support theatre. They will only survive if people support them. The costs are astronomical for any group to put on a production, but the bigger the group and the bigger the venue the more expensive it is.

StagedRight performers have been split off into smaller groups and are rehearsing at separate times in order to keep in line with government restrictions.

The West Side Story production would not be able to be rescheduled if the easing of restrictions are set back once again - Something David said would be a huge blow to everyone who has waited two years to get back on stage.

"Amateur theatre is more than just a group of young people standing and singing on a stage," he said.

"It's all about their mental wellbeing and positivity and building their own vision for the future, knowing who and what they want to be.

"For a lot of these people its also about friendship and about building confidence and careers.

"We've had students come to us who stand at the back terrified, and when they leave us 5 - 10 years later they go out into the real world of business and they can answer a phone, or sit for an interview and apply for a job.

"That's what a lot of young people get out of groups like StagedRight. It's the confidence and the building of self belief and self worth, whereas others do it because they want a career within the arts.

"When we all get the all clear that we can all be back in together and rehearse it, it will be amazing.

"We cross over lots of different schools and age groups, and for nearly two years a lot of these students haven't seen their fellow students.

StagedRight's production of West Side Story is currently scheduled to take place on Saturday July 3 at 2pm and 7pm at the Sands Centre.

Tickets can be booked via The Sands Centre website www.thesandscentre.co.uk or by calling 01228 633766.