A COMMUNITY play featuring a cast of local people and an Old English Sheepdog is nearing its first performance.

There are just a few days remaining until the performance of Helmsley Arts Centre’s first community play commissioned by the North York Moors National Park Authority as part of the Lime & Ice project.

The Drovers’ Road, written by Peter Spafford, explores the stories of an ancient road across the North York Moors, and on Friday and Saturday, a cast of 45 local people – including members of 1812 Youth Theatre, as well as an Old English Sheepdog called Drover – will take to the stage.

The drovers’ road meanders its way down the western edge of the North York Moors. Today, it is used by ramblers and cyclists but once, cattle and their drovers, robbers, vagabonds, storytellers and pedlars pounded this long road on their way from Scotland to London.

The play is about a four young people walking the drovers’ road and the interesting encounters they have along the way.

Drover the dog was born close to the route of the drovers’ road, or Hambleton Street as it is known, on which the play is based.

He is no stranger to the limelight, having once played Nana in Peter Pan with the Easingwold Players and appears to be equally at home among the play’s cast as his ancestors were among cattle on the drovers’ road.

Em Whitfield Brooks, artistic director at Helmsley Arts Centre, said: “It’s sure to be a great couple of nights for those in the play and those watching it. There aren’t many tickets left, so people need to book soon.”

The play starts at 7.30pm, phone 01439 771700 or book online at www.helmsleyarts.co.uk