MORE than 100 auditioned for the chance to appear in the hit 1970s musical Oh! What A Night which opens tonight at the Empire Theatre, Sunderland.

Beating off all other dancers were Mhairi McLean, 21, of Thornhill, Sunderland and Lyndsay Marsden, 18, of Whitburn, Sunderland.

At earlier auditions, five North-East children were selected to join the cast of the musical The King And I, from October 22 to November 9.

They were: Lisa Ly, of Gateshead, Shannon Duke, from Sunderland, Kayleigh Leung, of Little Benton, near Wallsend, Ivy Chui, of Choppington, Northumberland, and Den Smith of Colburn, North Yorkshire.

More auditions coming up at the Empire involve Jim Davidson Productions seeking junior dancers for this year's pantomime, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. The show runs from December 13 until January 12 and stars Danielle Nicholls as Snow White and Aaron Bayley as Prince Danilo.

Auditions are at 11am on Saturday, October 26, at the Crowtree Leisure Centre, Sunderland. The minimum age is six years on or before next December 13, and maximum height 4ft 8in.

Youngsters must be trained in basic ballet and modern dance.