It is now all systems go at Esk Valley Theatre (EVT) following the news that Arts Council England has awarded the company a National Lottery grant of £10,000 towards its summer production of Second from Last in the Sack Race.

As a condition of the grant, the company has had to apply for other funding, and is also creating income with an exciting line-up of events.

The first of these is on Saturday 6 March – An Evening with Denis King, who was a member of one of the most successful pop groups of the 50s and 60s, The King Brothers.

With the disbanding of the group in 1970, Denis studied orchestration at the Guild Hall in London and got his first break in TV, writing the theme for Black Beauty which won the Ivor Novello Award.

To date, he has created themes and incidental music for more than 200 television series including Lovejoy, Dick Turpin, We'll Meet Again, Hannay and many others.

Denis is also an accomplished theatrical composer and wrote the music for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Privates On Parade which won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Musical.

Other productions include A Saint She Ain't, Stepping Out – The Musical and several collaborations with Alan Ayckbourn, including Orvin – Champion of Champions and Awaking Beauty when he also worked with EVT choreographer Sheila Carter.

Denis will be joining Mark Stratton on the Robinson Institute stage for an evening of conversation, anecdotes and a sprinkling of songs and music from his vast repertoire.

Mark said: "It's a thrill that Denis is coming to Glaisdale.

"He's a wonderful musician, a composer and a very charming man.

"Please come and share the evening with us."

Tickets for the event at 7.30pm are priced £8.

They are available from the EVT box office on (01947) 897587 or from Glaisdale Village Shop.

EVT is a not for profit company and further details can be found on their website www.eskvalleytheatre.co.uk