The musical, which is written by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth, will star Amy Robbins and Tanya Franks, who are both well-known for playing Christina Boyd in Coronation Street and Rainie Cross in EastEnders respectively.

The pair will be joined by three artists whose records have collectively sold nearly 70 million copies - Lyn Paul (The New Seekers), Maureen Nolan (The Nolans) and Marti Webb (musical theatre star). 

Honeysuckle Weeks (Foyles War) and Paula Tappenden (Blood Brothers) will make up the rest of the main cast, telling the true story of a group of ordinary women in a small Yorkshire town who created a nude calendar to raise money for charity.

“We’ve already had a fantastic time in the rehearsal room workshopping the show and weaving in new music, as well as reworking songs and reimagining the book.” 

Gary Barlow, Take That member and Calendar Girls the Musical co-writer

The tour kicks off at Theatre Royal Windsor on 30th August, with this cast performing at multiple venues until 2nd December - current touring dates and venues can be seen here, with a new cast and more dates to be added across 2024. 

Tim Firth, co-writer of the show, said: “Pre-pandemic I had been preparing the musical for a foreign production which was of course then postponed. When the skies cleared and a new production in the UK was proposed I looked back and thought, ‘this is the version we ought to stage’.

“The story and songs, a little like the real world, had been thrown in the air and come back slightly different. What we had in our hands lay somewhere between the original play and the original musical and it seemed right for a time when sunlight, optimism and humour seemed more necessary than ever.”

What to expect

Calendar Girls follows a group of extraordinary women in a small Yorkshire Women’s Institute, prompted to create a calendar following the death of a much-loved husband, to raise funds for charity.

But upturning preconceptions is a dangerous business and none of the women are prepared for the emotional and personal ramifications they will face, as the calendar brings each woman unexpectedly into flower.

The true story launched a million copycat calendars, a record-breaking movie, and now celebrating 20 years since its release, the fastest-selling stage play in British theatre history which has since been transformed into a musical.

Gary Barlow, co-writer of the show, said: “It’s been 20 years this year since the film was released, and around ten years since I first saw Tim’s play with my mum Marjorie.

“We’ve already had a fantastic time in the rehearsal room workshopping the show and weaving in new music, as well as reworking songs and reimagining the book. We cannot wait to see the way these incredible leading ladies bring the story to bloom as we head out on tour later this year.”

Amy Robbins will star as Chris Harper, Tanya Franks as Annie Clarke, Lyn Paul as Jessie, Maureen Nolan as Ruth, Marti Webb as Celia, Honeysuckle Weeks as Cora and Paula Tappenden as Marie until 2nd December at Hull New Theatre.