Time to think about Christmas? Oh, yes it is!

The school summer holidays may only just be about to start, but attention is already turning to the fun of the festive season.

Open auditions are being held to help find the cast of this year’s Sands Centre panto in Carlisle, Jack and the Beanstalk, starring former Britain’s Got Talent winning dancer George Sampson.

Audiences gave rave reviews to last year’s production of Cinderella , so Sands bosses and production partners Enchanted Entertainments are already looking towards this year’s show.

And they’re giving a chance for a local actress to gain her first professional concert by landing the role of Jill, Jack’s girlfriend.

On Saturday, September 10, auditions will be held for women aged 18 and over for the part. Recalls will take place the following day.

A Sands spokesman said: “This will be a great opportunity for a budding local actress to gain her first professional contract.

“Hopefuls need to bring two contrasting songs of their choice with a CD backing track for the audition panel to listen to them sing.

“They will then be given some acting sections of the script to perform in front of the audition panel on the day.”

On top of that, they’re looking for children aged eight-plus to appear on stage alongside the professional cast and are holding a casting session on Sunday, September 11.

There will be auditions for dancers aged 16 and over on the same date. There is no upper age limit to audition to perform.

Producer Jezz Weatherall said: “We’re looking for local performers with dance experience and a strong jazz technique to be our dancers alongside our professional cast.

“All those auditioning need to bring appropriate clothing/footwear on the day and also be available to rehearse every Sunday from October 23 onwards as well as performing in the pantomime itself in December.”

There will be 33 performances of the panto – which will once again feature CFM presenter Robbie Dee this time alongside X Factor runner-up Andy Abraham and CBBC’s Gabrielle Green – between December 12 and 31.

Director Guy Pascall said: “We’d like as many local performers involved in the show as possible.

“This year’s professional cast is full of quality and we’re giving local performers the opportunity to dance with George, who also starred in the movies StreetDance 2 and StreetDance 3D .”

Call the Sands Centre for more details on the auditions.