It's almost showtime for Potters Bar Theatre Company's Calendar Girls.
This wonderful, uplifting musical written by Take That star Gary Barlow and Tim Firth tells the true-life story and phenomenon of the Calendar Girls, who were inspired by the death of Angela Baker's husband, John.
During his illness, John's friends began to raise money, initially with the aim of purchasing a sofa for the visitors' lounge in the hospital where he was treated.
Nothing could have prepared them for the way their original 'nude' calendar took off.
To date, they have raised over £5 million for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, the UK's leading blood cancer charity.
The story was turned into a star-studded film in 2003, and then into the musical ‘The Girls’ in 2015 and later renamed ‘Calendar Girls The Musical.’
An Olivier Award-winning actress is co-director of PBTC's forthcoming show, which opens at the Wyllyotts Theatre on Tuesday, April 26.
The local company have been lucky not only to have direction from David Bottomley but also Joanna Riding as co director.
Stage icon Joanna was in the original production of The Girls from its development in 2014 to the West End in 2017, playing the part of Annie.
Joanna said: “This is an extraordinary story. At its core it is about friendship. A celebration of friendship and community.”
Joanna has worked in London's West End and beyond since leaving Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 1989.
Among her many stage roles, she has won Olivier Awards for her performances as Julie in Carousel at the National and Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at Drury Lane.
She was also nominated for Olivier Awards as Jane Smart in The Witches of Eastwick at Drury Lane, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls at the National Theatre, and as Annie in The Girls, aka Calendar Girls the Musical.
The Girls' characters lead us through the story of friendship and their own personal challenges to the creation of the now world famous, ‘Alternative WI Calendar’.
There's no scenes of Yorkshire bridges in this wall calendar!
Potters Bar director David Bottomley said: “I love the characters’ stories and the way their lives are turned upside down by the calendar.”
The company will be raising money for Blood Cancer UK at their forthcoming production of the hit musical.
A PBTC spokesperson said: "Like many groups now performing the show, we wanted to continue to support Blood Cancer UK, so £1 from every ticket sold will go directly to the charity along with donations received."
With powerful songs, which bring this emotional and funny story about the friends in the Women’s Institute to life, Calendar Girls can be seen at the Wyllyotts Theatre in Potters Bar from Tuesday, April 26 to Saturday, April 30.
Tickets may be purchased from the Wyllyotts Theatre box office on 01707 645005 or online at www.tickets.wyllyottstheatre.co.uk
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