A North East producer, Reece Sibbald from County Durham, is bringing a summer panto, Rapunzel, to the Playhouse Whitley Bay from 31 July to 4 August (various times), after a successful summer season there last year with The Wizard of Oz.
Headlining the show are Eastenders star Cheryl Fergison (who plays Heather Trott in the soap) as the evil sorceress Deadly Nightshade and X Factor finalist and Celebrity Big Brother star Christopher Maloney playing the Prince.
The rest of the cast are the resident panto villain at the Theatre Royal Newcastle, Steve Arnott playing Nurse Gertie; Britain's Got Talent funny man and impressionist Cal Halbert as the Henchman; the North East's own Angel of the North Pippa Smith as the Good Fairy and producer / comedian Reece Sibbald as Muddles. Rapunzel will be played by Whitley Bay’s Emma Deborah Ward.
Rapunzel’s adventure towers to new heights as her magic hair is threatened by the villainous Deadly Nightshade and her horrible, hapless Henchman. With the Kingdom in peril, will Rapunzel, her best friend Muddles, Nurse Gertie and magical Fairy Sunbeam find a handsome Prince to save the day?
What do you think? It is a panto after all! Tickets are now on sale online or at the box office in person or by phone (0844 248 1588).