Opening in August at the Leeds Grand Theatre, casting for the upcoming UK & Ireland tour of Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s musical has been announced.
Producers David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers have announced casting for the upcoming UK and Ireland tour of Calendar Girls the musical, opening at the Leeds Grand Theatre on 16 August 2018.
This new tour will star novelist and television presenter Fern Britton, returning to the stage for the first time in 30 years, as Marie, Lorraine Bruce (Kay Mellor’s The Syndicate and theatre credits include Piaf at The Donmar and Vernon God Little at the Young Vic) as Cora, Anna-Jane Casey (Billy Elliot on tour, Stepping Out in London’s West End, title role in Annie Get Your Gun at Sheffield Crucible) as Annie, Sara Crowe (West End roles include Bedroom Farce, The Real Inspector Hound & Black Comedy and Hay Fever) as Ruth, Ruth Madoc (Hi-De-Hi, Little Britain and Gypsy) as Jessie, Rebecca Storm (discovered by Willy Russell and cast as Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers, and her handprints are part of the Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre Walk of Fame) as Chris and Denise Welch (The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Coronation Street and Waterloo Road) as Celia.
Talking about the news Tim Firth said: “To be given a chance to revisit Calendar GirlsThe Musical is a unique opportunity. Gary [Barlow] and I have been working away and, as the great Stephen Sondheim said, ‘musical comedies aren’t written,they are rewritten.’ ”
Calendar Girls the Musical is inspired by the true story of a group of ladies, who decide to appear nude for a Women’s Institute calendar in order to raise funds to buy a settee for their local hospital, in memory of one of their husbands, and have to date raised almost £5million for Bloodwise. This musical comedy shows life in their Yorkshire village, how it happened, the effect on husbands, sons and daughters, and how a group of ordinary ladies achieved something extraordinary.
The production is directed by Matt Ryan and designed by Robert Jones, with comedy staging by Jos Hoube.
For more information about Calendar Girls the musical visit: http://www.calendargirlsthemusical.com/ and to book tickets for some of the venues visit: ATG Tickets.