Sunderland Empire has announced the leads for its 2016 panto, Sleeping Beauty.
Faye Tozer plays the Good Fairy. Best known for being part of Brit Award winning pop band Steps, she began her theatrical career with Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tell Me on a Sunday and has a number of high profile theatrical credits, including Bonnie in Love Shack, Sheila Wendice in Dial M for Murder, Eva Cassidy in Over the Rainbow and, most recently, The Naked Truth (all UK national tours).
Andrew Agnew, star of Cbeebies hit show Balamory in which he plays PC Plum, returns to the Empire where he played Muddles in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 2014, this time not only as the comic, Silly Billy, but also as director.
Playing Nurse Nellie will be veteran pianist, songwriter, broadcaster, actor and TV presenter Bobby Crush, who began his showbusiness career on Opportunity Knocks! in 1972.
Sleeping Beauty, which runs from 9 to 31 December, is produced by Sunderland Empire and Martin Dodd for UK Productions.
Further casting will be announced later.