CCADS' cast bare all in Take That star's Calendar Girls - The Musical at Station Theatre, Hayling Island

They are staging Take That’s Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s Calendar Girls – The Musical, running from Tuesday to Saturday January 24 to 28 at 7.30pm nightly and with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.

Poignant and funny in equal measure, CCADS Theatre return to this inspirational story in its musical form 10 years after being one of the first companies to perform the play version.

The death of a much-loved husband prompts a group of ordinary women in a small Yorkshire Women’s Institute to do an extraordinary thing. Blasting away all preconceptions of what it is to be in a WI, they decide to do an artistic nude calendar to raise money for charity.

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But upturning preconceptions is a dangerous business and none of them expect the emotional and personal ramifications. However, gradually the making of the fabulous and funny calendar brings each woman unexpectedly into flower.

The true story of the Calendar Girls launched a global phenomenon, a million copycat calendars, a record-breaking movie, stage play and now this musical.

CCADS’ artistic director John-Paul McCrohon directs an 18-strong local cast of some of the area’s finest talents that includes five cast members – Kerry McCrohon, Marie Ridley, Caroline Westmorland, Sean Ridley and Tony Dart – who appeared in the company’s award-winning production of the original play a decade ago.

In addition to their work in rehearsals, life mirrored art when the eight actresses portraying the title characters took part in their very own calendar shoot at Warwick Lane Antiques Market in Wickham in the build-up to production week. The results can be seen during show week.

Tickets £16 for Calendar Girls. Go to stationtheatre.co.uk.