After six decades the railway is returning to Bermuda – at the Daylesford Theatre from March 19 to 28. The Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society is producing the musical adaptation of Edith Nesbit's 1906 novel, The Railway Children.

Usually BMDS chooses plays that are designed for adults. This year however, they decided to do something a little different, after Lisa Maule, the musical director, approached director Jenny Burrell and suggested doing a play involving children. Ms Burrell was very interested, but they needed to find a play first. After searching for a while, the ladies came across The Railway Children, and as Ms Burrell states: "The script was great, because it was a mix between children and adults."

Casting the play, Ms Burrell had a method of "colour blind casting."

"Instead of choosing a child based on looks that would best suit the character, we have gone for talent," she explained. "This has left the cast very diverse, and in the scenes where characters are together as a family, although they don't look like brother and sister, as soon as they act, the audience will see the connection." Ms. Burrell calls this "truth on stage."

There is a large cast, involving children from all over the island, ages thirteen and up. The main characters include the three Waterbury children, Roberta, Phyllis, and Peter, who live in a respectable suburban villa with a wonderful mother and father and a cook and servants, until one day, great disgrace and poverty befalls them. After the father is imprisoned as a result of being falsely accused of selling state secrets to the Russians, they have to move to a poor cottage in the country near a railway line. It is a difficult transformation, but they are able to get through it together.

Roberta (Bobbie) Waterbury is played by Izabella Arnold, age 14, of Warwick Academy. Izabella sees a lot of herself in Bobbie: she is the eldest of four siblings, while in the play she is the eldest of three. "We have some similar qualities, but very different personalities," she noted. Since Izabella only decided to audition the night before when her mother told her "you know the songs, why not try out," she felt it was very unlikely that she would get a lead role. Yet the call came through and Izabella heard: "I'd like to offer you the part of Bobbie."

"It was really unexpected, but I was like okay, I can't breathe!"

Considering this is only Izabella's third year of acting, after various roles, most recently Audrey, in Little Shop of Horrors, it was expected she would be starting to get a little nervous, as the play is only a few weeks away. "Nope, no nerves yet. I'm just trying to remember all my lines." And on opening night? "Well, before I get on stage I have to get in the zone, my own little bubble, then I'll be fine."

Amber Wilson, 14, of Warwick Academy, plays Phyllis Waterbury, the middle sister, who likes to stay next to her mother and talk back to her siblings. This is the first main role Amber has had, since she began acting around six years ago, in the 2003 Goldilocks and the Three Bears pantomime.

Although Amber has been acting for only a few years, she seems very comfortable with her lead character, Phyllis. "After watching the movie, learning my lines and blocking the play, my body knows exactly what to do at a specific time. This makes it easier to remember my lines. Before going on stage, I just take deep breaths, and hope I don't freeze, because that would be the worst thing that could happen." Although Amber has a younger sister in reality, she has to take care of her younger brother, Peter, in The Railway Children.

Peter Waterbury is played by Marcus Smith, 13, of Saltus Grammar School. "I had never heard of the show until I was approached and asked if I would be willing to play the part of Peter. I still had to audition, but the play sounded interesting, so I accepted the offer."

Marcus has four years' acting experience, and has landed some interesting roles. Most recently, Marcus starred as Bugsy Malone in his school play. "That was really fun, I love performing." Marcus' love of performing makes him eager to attend the long rehearsals, where there is so much work to learn and to memorise, that said: "I've even started dreaming about scenes from the play!"

Amber described the cast as a family. "Everyone is so different, but that is what brings us closer."

Izabella and Marcus then added: "There's so much energy on set that once we get to rehearsal, the whole cast wants to be there, because we have fun."

"My problem is I laugh through everything. I have a huge sense of humour," exclaimed Marcus, with Izabella chirping in after: "But he's the life to the play; he's really great."

Amber added some last words: "Working with Jenny has been amazing. She is very to the point with us. Even though we're children, she teaches us like adults."

The energy and high spirits these teens have has made an impression on director Jenny Burrell, as she is pleased with the show she has created. She said: "I would definitely work with children again. I think I can get the best out of them and they are extremely talented."

Tickets are $35 from the Daylesford Box Office from the March 12-18, 5.30-8pm and then one hour before curtain, with the production running from March 19 to 28 at 7.30pm, with a matinee on March 22 at 3pm.