Your chance for a family ticket to Sleeping Beauty + £50 Bridges gift card

Twenty four twinkle-toed youngsters from Kathleen Davies Stage School, Shameem Karim School of Performing Arts and Muriel Harrison School of Dance and Drama

are hard at work learning their routines for Sleeping Beauty, which opens next week.

The budding theatre performers will be rubbing shoulders with stars Faye Tozer from Steps as the Good Fairy; Vicky Entwistle from Coronation Street as Carabosse; Cbeebies and Balamory favourite Andrew Agnew in the dual role of Silly Billy and director; Amy-Leigh Hickman from Tracey Beaker Returns as Princess Briar Rose and legend of radio, screen and stage Bobby Crush as Nurse Nelly.

The dancers, who successfully auditioned for the panto, will rotate in dance troupes for the show, which runs from December 9-31.

Andrew Agnew, director and Silly Billy, who’s appeared in previous Empire pantomimes, said: “I’m delighted to be sharing the stage with these superb dance schools yet again, the last time in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs two years ago.

“These little ‘beauties’ always work very hard and this year not only will we be dancing together in the show but I’ll be directing them too. We are going to have double the fun this festive season.”

The classic tale of Sleeping Beauty tells the story of Princess Briar Rose and how tragedy strikes when she has a spell cast over her by wicked fairy, Carabosse, sending her into a deep sleep.

•Tickets are available from the Box Office on High Street West, via the ticket centre 0844 871 3022 or www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland

*calls cost up to 7p per minute plus standard network charges. Booking and transaction fees may apply to telephone

WIN!

We’ve teamed up with Sunderland Empire and Bridges Shopping Centre to offer one lucky reader a real festive treat.

Not only will the winner receive a family ticket to see Sleeping Beauty on opening night, Friday, December 9, they’ll also win a £50 Bridges gift card and a family grotto pass to see Santa at the shopping centre in his gingerbread-style house.

Ahead of the big day, the Bridges will extend its shopping hours from December 12-23.

To be in with a chance of winning the prize, worth more than £150, answer this question: in which pop group did panto star Faye rise to fame?

A) Steps

B) S Club 7

c) All Saints

Put your answer and full contact details on a postcard and return it to Panto Competition, Katy Wheeler, Johnston Press North East, 2nd Floor, Alexander House, 1 Mandarin Road, Rainton Bridge Business Park, Houghton, Sunderland, DH4 5RA

Alternatively, email your answer and contact details to [email protected]

Closing date: December 7.

•T&C’s: The winner will receive a £50 Bridges Shopping Centre voucher and a family pass for four to Santa’s Grotto at the Bridges Shopping Centre. The winner will also receive a family ticket (two adults, two children) to the performance of Sleeping Beauty at Sunderland Empire on Friday 9 December (7pm). No monetary value will be given and the prize and tickets are non-transferable.