Yesterday, they staged a cheeky preview for the comedy production next up on the big stage in Tamworth. 

Auditions start on Monday night for the Tamworth Dramatic Society – and there’s likely to be a naked rush for an acting spot in the ensemble cast.

President Rosie Crossing admits the decision to present the classic comic play Calendar Girls has really titillated local theatrical circles – and not just for the cheekiness of the costumes and the expanse of skin they’ll bare on stage.

It’s a classic story of women showing off their best bits.

Auditions start on Monday night for the Tamworth dramatic society’s Calendar Girls – and there’s likely to be a naked rush for an acting spot in the ensemble cast.

President Rosie Crossing admits the decision to present the classic comic play Calendar Girls has really titillated local theatrical circles – and not just for the cheekiness of the costumes and the expanse of skin they’ll bare on stage.

You might get lost in the rush, but plenty of women of a certain age have shown some initial interest in getting their gear off for the amateur group’s production.

But while they think there’s a lot of enthusiasm and interest in this production, the two theatrical managers are worried that the girls might go cold on the idea – and not enough will turn out to try it out.

The local production calls for 10 women – and six of them will take it off on stage – but very discreetly, say director Curnow and president Crossing.

“No one will see anything really but they will have to disrobe and there’s the hint of nudity,” the two said.

Ms Curnow hopes to cast her female roles from auditions on Monday but admits she doesn’t really know what to expect and who might turn up for the casting call.

Four male parts are contained in this version for the Capitol Theatre season – and no, there’s no nudity required there at all.

There is for the women – and this time around, and provocatively so, the roles are for 

middle-aged women, a phenomenon not exactly box office flavour in most stage shows.

The real attraction, Curnow and Crossing argue, is that this all stems from the true story of a village group of women who decided to do a nude calendar to raise funds for a sofa – to commemorate the tragic death of one woman’s husband from leukaemia. The film starred Helen Mirren and Julie Walters and was a box office hit about eight years ago. It was made into a stage play four years ago and the Tamworth group secured the rights to it.

Curnow is having her first tryout as a mainstream dramatic director in Tamworth, but has an impressive musical theatre, acting, and television and radio presenting background.

Mrs Crossing, a former ABC television producer, hopes it will be a success in the mould of the Mousetrap production the society did last year. They say they have a great story to work with that will entice women, and men too, up front. 

“It’s an inspiring thing. The original story was true and that inspired a group of really ordinary women to come up with this idea. It’s quirky and people never expected it to take off like it did. It’s just one of those feel-good stories,” the girls said.

Ms Curnow will play it for fun more than naked truth and is looking for middle-aged women.

She’s already produced a video production as a pre-run promo – she went to her mums groups and asked if they had mums who might drop their dress for some research stuff – and was run over in the rush. 

No, she’s not showing that yet, because some of those grans didn’t even tell their husbands what they’d done. Getting naked is a new thing for old ladies but you have to respect their privacy in the end, even if it is for the camera.

So, looking for ladies to line up might not be a hard thing when it comes to Monday night’s turnout.

You can be thin, fat, well endowed or less buxom, it really doesn’t matter a tad. Looks don’t do it. But you do need to be able to do a British accent – although anything goes vocally there, too.

Lest the girls get cold feet while thinking of stripping, they will do auditions fully clothed. The backstage boys will be girls this theatrical time around, but, and you don’t really know if she’s joking or not, Ms Curnow is having topless, buffed blokes as program-sellers for front of house duties when the curtain finally goes up.