Last updated at 09:20, Friday, 23 December 2011

The pantomime at Workington’s Carnegie Theatre will be a family affair this year as a long-time member of one of the town’s performing arts groups returns to the stage after more than 15 years.

Emily Houghton, Susan Houghton and Peter Vaughan

Peter Vaughan, of Derwent Bank, Seaton, will tread the boards for the first time since 1995.

He takes on the role of palace herald Albert in Workington and District Amateur Musical Society’s production of Sleeping Beauty.

Ensuring he stays in line will be his sister Susan Houghton, the show’s assistant director and choreographer, and her 12-year-old daughter Emily, who is assistant choreographer and plays Fairy Sunlight.

Peter, 41, has been a member of Wadams since he was 16 but took a back seat in the mid 1990s as he was busy with his family and launching an electrical engineering business.

Having helped out back stage at last year’s production of Oklahoma! Peter is ready to step into the spotlight again.

He said he was getting into the swing of rehearsals, despite initially forgetting how much work would be involved.

He said: “I thought it was the time to get back into it.

“It’s a lot more work than I thought it was going to be. Last time I was on I finished work at 3.30pm but now I don’t finish until 6.30pm.

“I’m back in the swing of things and loving it now.”

Peter is thoroughly enjoying preparations and can’t wait to perform alongside his niece.

He said: “I have never playing alongside Emily. I’m looking forward to being on the stage with her.

“I have got two left feet when it comes to dancing but she’s a brilliant little dancer so she’ll have to watch her toes if she’s next to me.”

Emily has just begun a four-year course at Tring Park School for Performing Arts and is now home for Christmas.

She will be spending her first Christmas holiday in the family’s new home in Salisbury Street, Moss Bay, after Susan and husband Tex sold their Seaton home, opposite Peter’s, earlier this year to fund her course.

Sleeping Beauty runs from Monday, December 26, to Monday, January 2.

For tickets, call the box office on 01900 602122 or visit www.wadams.org.uk

For group bookings call 07739 873025.

First published at 19:20, Thursday, 22 December 2011
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk