ABOUT
When Annie's husband John dies of Leukaemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow Women's Institute members to pose nude with them for an "alternative" calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence. The news of the women's charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie's friendship is put to the test under the strain of their newfound fame.
Based on the true story of eleven WI members who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund.
May/June 2024 || Red Tree Theatre
Director: Joshua Maxwell
Casting
We are looking for a cast of 10 and 3 understudies (who will also help with props, dressing, and backstage, but may need to cover performances where needed)
The roles of Chris and Annie have been cast.
Auditions
December 17th 10am - 3pm (or via video)
Rehearsals
Reading January 18th
Calendar Photoshoot Mid Febuary
Production Week
Early March - Mid May (roughly 10 weeks)
Sunday 6pm - 9pm
Tuesdays 7pm - 10pm
Performances May 17th - June 1st
Friday 17th 7:30pm
Saturday 18th 2pm
Saturday 18th 7:30pm
Sunday 19th 2pm
Wednesday 22nd 2pm
Thursday 23rd 7:30pm
Friday 24th 7:30pm
Saturday 25th 2pm
Saturday 25th 7:30pm
Sunday 26th 2pm
Wednesday 29th 2pm
Wednesday 29th 7:30pm
Friday 31st 7:30pm
Saturday 1st 2pm
Saturday 1st 7:30pm
CHARACTERS (Open to Audition)
CORA - around 40. She is the joker in the pack, but never plays the fool. Her wit is deadpan. It raises laughter in others, but rarely in herself. Her relationship with her daughter is more akin to that between Chris and Annie. Cora doesn’t need to sing like a diva but must be able to sing well enough to start the show with Jerusalem and sing the snatches of other songs required.
JESSIE - late 60s/70s. Get on the right side of Jessie as a teacher and she’ll be the teacher you remember for life. Get on the wrong side and you will regret every waking hour. A lover of life, Jessie doesn’t bother with cosmetics — her elixir of life is bravery.
CELIA - age anything 35-55. A woman more at home in a department store or the golf club than a church hall. She is about looks. She is particularly enamoured of Jessie, and despite the fact Jessie has very little time for most Celias of this world, there is a rebelliousness in Celia to which Jessie responds.
RUTH - 40s. Ruth’s journey is from the false self-confidence of the emotionally abused to the genuine self confidence of the woman happy in her own skin. Marie’s right-hand woman she is desperate to be the cartilage in the spine of the WI and keep everyone happy.
MARIE - 50s. Marie has gradually built the current ‘Marie’ around herself over the years as a defence mechanism. The WI is a trophy to her, which justifies her entire existence.
JOHN - 50s. John is a human sunflower. Not a saint. Not a hero. Just the kind of man you’d want in your car when crossing America. When he dies it feels like someone somewhere turned a light off.
ROD - Chris's husband, 50s. You have to be a certain kind of guy to stick with Chris and Rod loves it. He can give back what he gets, and has a deadpan humour which has always made Chris laugh.
LAWRENCE - late 20s. Hesitant without being nerdy, Lawrence is a shy young man with enough wit to make a joke and enough spirit to turn up at the WI hall in the first place.
LADY CRAVENSHIRE - 60s. Elegant and a Tori.
ELAINE - 20s. The make-up tech who works with the girls in act 2, and has worked with Ruth's Husband in Act 1.
QUESTIONS? Email Josh via josh@redtreetheatre.org.au