TWO mums who met in a Bromsgrove school playground have teamed up to produce the first Jane Austen musical, to be staged at the Artrix next weekend.

After meeting at Bromsgrove Pre-prep school, where their children attend, Geetika Lizardi and Michelle Lord have brought Jane Austen's own story to life in a show stopping musical, that will grace the stage at the Artrix next Friday and Saturday (June 23 and 24).

Bromsgrove-based scriptwriter Geetika, from Woodland Grange, said she had started writing Jane as a feature film script after years of research into the life of Jane Austen.

"It was a conversation I had with Michelle while picking our children up from the same school and we decided to turn Jane's romantic life story into a musical," she said.

"Much has been written about Jane Austen's novels but her own story is just as powerful, with heartaches and triumphs that keep an audience on the edge of its seat.

Putting the story to music allows us to convey Jane's passion and the social unrest of the 1800s."

And Michelle, from Redditch, added: "We have a talented cast from all across the UK and we are working toward taking our unique production to the West End.

"We hope to get feedback from Midland audiences as we showcase Jane for the first time. Artrix is an intimate theatre allowing the audience to join Jane in her quest to find true happiness and freedom."

Jane is being staged at Artrix next Friday and Saturday.

For tickets and more detils, visit www.artrix.co.uk