Panto returns to the Empire after a gap of some years with Peter Pan, starring Tom Lister and Katy Ashworth, which runs from 13th December to 6th January. Peter Pan, in fact, was the last panto at the venue in 2009.
February sees the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Goodnight Mister Tom from 5th to 9th, and it will be followed, from 18th to 23rd, by The Rocky Horror Show which stars Sunderland actor Ben Forster as Brad.
4th to 9th March sees the return of Hairspray after its sell-out visit in 2010. This time it stars Teessider Mark Benton as Edna and EastEnders star Lucy Benjamin as Velma Von Tussle.
From 14th to 16th March Birmingham Royal Ballet brings Aladdin choreographed by Dave Bintley to the theatre.
The final shows of the season will be Mother Africa, a circus production which covers the wide variety of African culture, which is on 27th March only.