Preview: Aladdin at Sunderland Empire

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Magical Casting Announcement

Aladdin

Sunderland Empire

Friday 11^th December 2015– Sunday 3^rd January 2016.

Sunderland Empire and UK Productions are delighted to announce further casting for the mesmerising tale of Aladdin which is set to fly into Sunderlandfrom 11 December 2015 - 3 January 2016.

Terence Maynard

From Weatherfield to Peking, Coronation Street’s Terence Maynard (Tony Stewart) is set to stir up a storm on stage when he takes on the role Abanazar, alongside TV favourite Alison Hammond (ITV’s This Morning, Strictly Come Dancing, Big Brother) as the Slave of the Ring.

Derek Moran (Channel 5’s Milkshake) as Wishee Washee and Ian Good (Director/Widow Twankey) to join Alison Hammond and Terence Maynard.

Alison Hammond

Popular children’s presenter Derek Moranfrom Channel 5’s Milkshake! will shake things up this festive season as Wishee Washee alongside North East’s Ian Good who will be playing dame (Widow Twankey) and also directing Aladdin this year!

Derek Moran

As one of the main presenters of Channel 5’s leading children’s TV strand Milkshake! Derek will be sure to wow audiences with his energetic and enchanting personality this pantomime season. As well as presenting, Derek has also recently directed and choreographed the national theatre tour: Milkshake Live – Party Party which is currently touring the UK with a special date at the 21^st Anniversary of the Glastonbury Festival this June. Additional directing and choreography includes the Milkshake Bop Box and Milkshake Bop In The Park live show at Drayton Manor. Derek has performed on many TV shows including Top of the Pops, The Saturday Show, Ministry Of Mayhem, MTV, This Morning, The Late Late Show and Ireland AM.

At the age of sixteen Derek was signed by Warner Brothers Music as one of the band members in D-Side. With D-Side Derek enjoyed incredible success with three Top 10 singles in the UK and massive success throughout Europe and Japan including the number 1 album in the Japanese charts.

Also joining the cast as dame and director is Newcastle born Ian Good with 30 years of pantomime behind him (Oh yes he has!).He has worked extensively in theatre around the UK, in Europe and Australia both as a director and actor and has done everything from Shakespeare to Sondheim!

Ian Good

He has appeared in Dick Whittington as Sarah the Cook seven times; Jack and the Beanstalkas Dame Trot six times; Sleeping Beautyas Nurse Dottie Dettol three times; Cinderella as an  Ugly Sister twice, Mother Goose,playing the title part three times, Snow White as Nurse three times and Widow Twankey in Aladdin, seven times! All complemented with a host of credits for Stage, Film (Evita, Mountains of the Moon) and TV (The Bill, Dalziel and Pascoe and Soldier Soldier).

Ian also took on the role of the brilliant Brenda in the Bounty and Plenty Kitchen roll advertisements which ran for nine years and it’s one of the longest running advertisements on British television!

But it doesn’t stop there - Ian has many feathers to his bow both on stage and off including UK Production Supervisor on the UKtour of Hairspray the Musical, directing Michael Ball, Les Dennis, Brian Conley, Nigel Planer and Mickey Dolenz.

This Year Ian directed the Britain’s Got Talent winners, Collabro, national tour which played to over 56,000 people and the Rebecca Ferguson sell out, one woman show at the St James theatre, London Lady Sings the Blues, which received a 4 star review from the Times Newspaper and an Australian production of Blood Brothers.

Derek and Ian will join this gem of a pantomime alongside the previously announced Alison Hammond(Slave of the Ring) and her larger than life personality which has taken ITV’s ‘This Morning’ by storm and Coronation Street’s Terence Maynard (Abanazar) who has recently been ruffling the feathers of many Weatherfield residents!

So get ready to rub the magic lamp, enter the cave of wonders and be transported to this fun fairytale world filled with adventure, mystique, stunning sets and costumes, comedy, song and dance and lots of audience participation - not to mention a flying carpet!

Aladdin guarantees another family filled festive extravaganza at Sunderland Empire!

Tickets 

Tickets are on sale now from the Box Office on High Street West, Sunderland, the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022* and online at www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland

Families will also have the chance to take part in themed Arabian Adventure Tours hosted by our Creative Learning Department on certain dates over the festive period. To find out more and book call 0844 8713022 or book in person at the Box Office on High Street West.

BSL Signed performance, Wednesday 30 December (2pm) and the Relaxed Performance will be held on Saturday 2 January 2015 (2pm).