New cast coming to Blackpool for Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s Calendar Girls The Musical

Based on a true story, film, and award-winning play by Tim Firth, the musical comes to the Opera House, Winter Gardens, from Tuesday October 15 to Saturday, October 19.

The new cast will feature Sarah Jane Buckley as Annie, Coronation Street’s Sue Devaney as Cora, Julia Hills as Ruth, Cold Feet actress Judy Holt as Marie and Lisa Maxwell – known for playing Samantha Nixon in The Bill – as Celia.

Ruth Madoc and Rebecca Storm will continue to play Jessie and Chris respectively.

Also in the cast are Phil Corbitt as John, Ian Mercer as Rod, Sebastian Aberneri as Colin, Alan Stocks as Denis, Pauline Daniels as Lady Cravenshire, Ellie Leah as Miss Wilson, Danny Howker as Danny, Isabel Caswell as Jenny and Tyler Dobbs as Tommo.

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.

The critically acclaimed and award-winning production played a six-month London season at the Phoenix Theatre in 2017, and, before that, it played sold-out seasons in Leeds and Manchester.

A spokesman said: “Gary Barlow and Tim Firth grew up in the same village in the north of England and have been friends for 25 years.

“With Take That, Gary has written and co-written 14 number one singles, has sold over 50 million records worldwide and is a six times Ivor Novello Award winner.

“Tim has won the Olivier Award and UK Theatre Award for Best New Musical, and the British Comedy Awards Best Comedy Film for Calendar Girls.”

Calendar Girls The Musical is directed by Matt Ryan and designed by Robert Jones, with comedy staging by Jos Houben, movement by Lucy Hind and casting by Sarah Bird.

Bloodwise, the UK’s specialist blood cancer charity, receives monies from the production.

- Calendar Girls The Musical, Opera House, Blackpool, Tuesday October 15 to Saturday, October 19.

To book tickets, visit www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk.