Alexandra Burke stars in The Bodyguard at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tuesday until 3 August.
At Live Theatre on Sunday (8:00), 10 Minutes to..., new ten minute plays on a given theme, returns with 10 Minutes to... Stake A Claim and plays by Tomas Azocar-Nevin, Lisa Craig, Rebecca Glendenning-Laycock, Ryan Nolan, Samantha Neale, Alison Scurfield and David Tuffnell.
On Tuesday at Alphabetti, it’s the latest Write Something Showcase, 14 new plays in an evening of rehearsed readings from plays developed over the Write Something workshops of the previous five weeks. Then on Wednesday, Steven Arran presents Shakespeare's Speakeasy in which a group of actors meet for the first time that morning and rehearse and perform a Shakespeare play in just one day. Thursday is FLIM NITE, a self-styled 'death to movies' night where popular films are retold through poetry, comedy and music. Each event is themed around a particular film with classics in the past including Shrek, Jurassic Park and Nightmare on Elm Street.
Then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at various times from morning to night, Alphabetti presents The Newcastle Fringe Festival, 19 shows from 19 companies and individuals.
Rock of Ages comes to Sunderland Empire from Tuesday to Saturday.
From Tuesday to Thursday (various times), South Shields Customs House presents Arbuthnot and Pals' Adventures in OZ, a mini-panto for the under-10s. The Wicked Witch of the West has cast a mysterious spell that has made everyone in Cooksonville believe they are characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
On Friday at 6:30, Multi Story Theatre presents Pandora at the Queen's Hall in Hexham. Suitable for children aged 5–11 years, it retells the Greek myth about how two weary travellers meet. They are suspicious of each other. They share a story to try to establish trust. The gods trick Pandora into releasing all sorts of miseries into the world. But, in the end, Hope emerges to offer a way forward.
At The Witham in Barnard Castle at 1:30 on Saturday, Lyngo Theatre presents Jack and the Beanstalk, adapted and performed by Cbeebies’ Patrick Lynch and aimed at ages 3+.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea arrives at Middlesbrough Theatre on Tuesday (2:00 and 4:00) and Wednesday (11:00 and 2:00). Suitable for children aged 3+.
Friendsical, a new parody musical inspired by the gang in Friends, comes to Darlington Hippodrome from Wednesday to Saturday.
At RHS Harlow Carr Gardens in Harrogate at 6:00 on Friday and Saturday, Immersion Theatre presents Alice in Wonderland. Booking is through Harrogate Theatre.