CUMNOCK’S rising star took to the stage for a wickedly good performance.

Ali Cleland is back by popular demand and shines as she pulls on her panto villain persona.

She took the role of the Evil Stepmother, Baroness Verruca, mother ofthe ugliest sisters in panto land.

The Christmas Lights have been switched on and Christmas is most definitely in the air and so is panto magic as Cinderella bursts on to the Palace Theatre stage.

An actor and musician, Ali, trained in Musical Theatre at Motherwell College.

To date she has appeared in Girls Night Oot, as Enid Hoopes in Legally Blonde, as Crystal in Little Shop of Horrors and Natalie Weiss in Concert to name just a few.

Ali has also featured in Festival de La Sierra in Fregenal in Spain and has been a song writer and recording vocalist for ABC and Disney’s Violetta and The Sopranos.

She also appeared in the National Theatre of Scotland and Royal Court Theatre original workshop for Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour.

East Ayrshire Leisure is delighted to announce that the charity of choice for this year’s Panto Cinderella at the Palace Theatre is Cash for Kids.

Cash for Kids makes a difference to the lives of local children, especially at Christmas.

Even in 2019 there are still children who don’t have access to a hot meal, warm clothing, and enough electricity to heat three children in parts of Ayrshire are living in these circumstances.

By giving spare change when leaving the panto, people can help and light their houses never mind a small gift this Christmas.

These children are on our doorstep, as many as one in make a big difference. All money raised for Cash for Kids stays in Ayrshire and supports Ayrshire’s Children.