CALENDAR GIRLS is Now Playing at ActorsNET

ActorsNET will continue its 29th Season with CALENDAR GIRLS, Tim Firth's uplifting comedy based on an extraordinary true story, which enters its final weekend of performances at the Heritage Center Theatre in Morrisville.

CALENDAR GIRLS is a heartwarming comedy about love, loss, and the boldness it takes to “bare” it all. When Annie's husband John passes away from leukemia, the women of the Knapeley Women's Institute band together to raise money for a memorial in his honor. Their unconventional plan? To create a fundraising calendar featuring themselves – tastefully posed in the nude! What begins as a heartfelt local effort quickly blossoms into an unexpected media sensation, pushing the women far beyond their quiet village and into the national spotlight.

As the calendar gains attention, friendships are tested, boundaries are challenged, and the women discover that courage sometimes arrives in the most unlikely ways. Filled with laughter, warmth, and genuine emotion, CALENDAR GIRLS celebrates the power of friendship, community, and the healing strength of humor in the face of loss.

Directed by Ernie Albanesius in his directing debut at ActorsNET, the production brings together a vibrant ensemble cast to tell this charming and inspiring story. Balancing laugh-out-loud comedy with heartfelt emotion, the play captures both the humor and humanity of ordinary women doing something extraordinary.

“What really resonated with me about this play is that, at its core, it's about relationships. The relationships between the women, the relationships between the couples; we get to watch these people grow together and watch their relationships evolve, and the play celebrates those connections and what they mean to each of the women, and each of us,” says Albanesius.

The show's producer and Intimacy Coordinator, Cat Milone, adds: “It's rare to get a play that so beautifully captures the absolute and unshakable wonder that is female friendship, so it was a priority for us to really celebrate that dynamic and spotlight the beauty inherent in a relationship that grows and evolves as we do, and is tried and tested by life and remains the constant. And in keeping with that sense of celebration, we wanted to emphasize that same sense of celebration in each of the women individually; their own natural beauty and strength, so our goal throughout was to celebrate and empower these characters, the women who play them, and hopefully, the audience who sees it!”

Based on the Miramax motion picture by Juliette Towhidi and Tim Firth, CALENDAR GIRLS has become one of the most beloved contemporary comedies on stage. Inspired by the real-life Women's Institute members of Yorkshire who posed for a calendar to raise funds for leukemia research, the story continues to delight audiences around the world with its wit, warmth, and uplifting message.

The production is dedicated to the real Calendar Girls: Angela Baker, Tricia Stewart, Ros Fawcett, Chris Clancy, Beryl Bamforth and Lynda Logan. Also, to the real John, John Baker; the real Lawrence, Terry Logan; and the real May Wilkinson, May Wilkinson. ActorsNET's production celebrates the spirit of these remarkable women while inviting audiences to laugh, reflect, and perhaps even be inspired by their bold and heartfelt act of friendship.

The show features a stellar cast of Cathy Liebars as Chris, Debi Kierst as Annie, Caren Cronin as Cora, Scottie Campbell as Jessie, Rebecca Zack Callahan as Celia, Morgaine Ford-Workman as Ruth, Zoe Brookes as Marie, Mary Menna as Brenda, Rick Pine as John, Ken Ammerman as Rod, T.C. Tropiano as Lawrence, Adele Batchelder as Lady Cravenshire, Sarah Jane Zawodniak as Elaine, and Jose Padilla as Liam.

The production is stage managed and produced by Karolina Matyka, with Cat Milone serving as intimacy coordinator and producer. Andrena Wishnie designs the lighting, while set design and practical effects - including the scenic tribute known as John's Hill - are created by Ernie Albanesius.