Newcastle Theatre Royal’s panto Dick Whittington opens on Tuesday and runs until 17 January.
At Northern Stage, the show for the under-6s, Up and Out Christmas Sprout, runs until 2 January in Stage 2, while The Wonderful Wizard of Oz opens on Saturday, also running until 2 January.
From Wednesday to Saturday at Alphabetti, Gary Kitching & Co and Ovalhouse in association with Greyscale present Me and Mr C.
Opera & Ballet International presents the Ellen Kent production of Bizet’s Carmen at Sunderland Empire on Wednesday.
Also in Sunderland, at the Minster (just across the road from the Empire) on Friday, Music in the Minster presents Miracle!, an opera (about football) for Sunderland, written by David Almond and composer Marcos Fernandez which features 42 local singers with a cast of professional soloists.
On Thursday, ARC Stockton presents Going Viral, written and performed by Daniel Bye, at Arts Centre Washington.
On Friday, RedCape Theatre presents Be Brave and Leave for the Unknown at Alnwick Playhouse.
The Shakespeare Schools Festival is at the Playhouse Whitley Bay on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Cinderella opens at Durham’s Gala Theatre on Thursday and runs until 3 January.
A musical version of A Christmas Carol is at Billingham Forum from Wednesday to Saturday.
Ballet Theatre UK presents The Snow Queen at Middlesbrough Theatre on Tuesday.
Be Brave and Leave for the Unknown is at Hartlepool’s Town Hall Theatre on Thursday.
At various times during the day on Friday and Saturday, ARC Stockton presents a Polka Theatre production, Daniel Bye’s Error 404, which is aimed at ages 8+.
The Russian State Ballet and Opera House comes to the Royal Hall in Harrogate this week with Swan Lake on Monday and Don Quixote on Tuesday.