Calendar Girls (musical)

Annie's husband John dies from leukaemia at an early age. Her close friend, Chris, wants to purchase a comfortable sofa for the visitors' lounge in the hospital where John was treated. She hits upon the idea of printing a calendar featuring some of the members of the Knapely branch of the Women's Institute, discreetly posing nude while engaged in traditional WI activities, such as baking and knitting, in order to raise funds. Her proposal is initially met with great scepticism, but she eventually convinces ten women to participate in the project with her. They enlist one of the hospital workers, an amateur photographer named Lawrence, to help them with the calendar.

The musical is based on the 2003 film Calendar Girls. The film itself was produced on a budget of $10 million, earning over $96 million in global box office receipts.^[1] A stage play adaptation was launched in 2008 at the Chichester Festival Theatre,^[2] before embarking on a national tour and transferring to the West End's Noël Coward Theatre in 2009.^[3]

The musical originally made its world premiere under its original title The Girls at the Grand Theatre, Leeds running from 14 November to 12 December 2015,^[4] followed by a transfer to The Lowry, Salford from 13 to 30 January 2016. The production was directed by Roger Haines and Tim Firth.^[5]

Following the Leeds and Salford tryouts, the production transferred to London's West End at the Phoenix Theatre with an official opening night on 21 February 2017, with previews from 28 January 2017.^[6] The production was directed by Tim Firth, with sets and costume design by Rob Jones, lighting by Tim Lutkin, musical staging by Lizzi Gee, comedy staging by Jos Houben, sound design by Terry Jardine and Nick Lidster for Autograph Design, assistant direction by Jack Ryder and James Robert Moore and projection design by Alex Uragllo,^[7][6] The production closed on 15 July 2017.^[8]

In 2017 it was announced that the musical would embark a UK tour under a new title; Calendar Girls The Musical.^[9] The tour opened on 16 August 2018 with a return visit to the Grand Theatre, Leeds and toured for 15 months until 23 November 2019, ending at the Chichester Festival Theatre (the originating theatre of the original play adaptation).^[10][11]

A new production, with revised score and book and produced by Bill Kenwright, is to begin a UK tour at the Theatre Royal, Windsor in August 2023.^[12] The cast includes Tayna Franks, Maureen Nolan, Lyn Paul, Amy Robbins, Paula Tappenden, Marti Webb and Honeysuckle Weeks.^[13]

The London Cast Recording was released on 9 March 2018.^[14]

• Official website