The cast has been revealed for a fresh production of Calendar Girls the Musical later this year.
Set to open at Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre, the Yorkshire-set show will run from June 27 to July 25.
The musical, which tells the uplifting true story of a group of Yorkshire women who create a nude charity calendar after the death of a loved one, will be directed by Paul Robinson, the theatre’s artistic director.
Mr Robinson said: "Our new in-the-round staging of Calendar Girls the Musical brings the audience into the heart of the Rylstone Women's Institute, making this true story of friendship and determination feel more personal and immediate.
"This intimate production will create a unique, shared experience, reminiscent of gathering around a community hall or a close friend's living room, allowing for a deeper connection to the characters and creating a collective, communal atmosphere that fully immerses everyone in the moving story of these ‘ordinary women’ doing something quite extraordinary."
Gary Barlow and Tim Firth, writers of the musical, said: "As writers, one of the most exciting things that can happen is when someone comes up with a totally new way of staging something you’ve created.
"When Paul described his vision for a new production of Calendar Girls the Musical, it was instantly clear he was talking about something we’d never seen before, never imagined, and to be honest, never thought possible."
The cast features Karen Holmes as Chris and Christina Meehan as Annie, alongside Angela Caesar, Pippa Duffy, Sarah Groarke, Rachel Hammond, Matt Heslop, Matt Ian Kelly, Annie Kirkman, Alicia McKenzie, Neil Moors, and Fenella Norman.
Mr Firth added: "Scarborough always feels like my home as a writer.
"Not only was it the first place to give me a main stage, but the plays of Alan Ayckbourn embody so much of what I love about theatre.
"It was en route to a meeting with him about a new play that I called into a Wharfedale fete and bought a calendar from a WI stall.
"Now, years later, it seems wonderfully fitting to be starting a production of a musical about that story at the Stephen Joseph Theatre."
Tickets for the SJT are available from the box office on 01723 370541 and online at www.sjt.uk.com
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