Casting announced for West End transfer of The Girls by Gary Barlow & Tim Firth

Casting has been announced for the West End transfer of Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s new musical The Girls.

The musical will begin performances at the Phoenix Theatre on 28th January 2017. Tickets are on sale from 12 noon today (16th September). 

The cast will be led by Debbie Chazen as Ruth, Sophie-Louise Dann as Celia, Michele Dotrice as Jessie, Claire Machin as Cora, Claire Moore as Chris and Joanna Riding as Annie. 

The Girls by Gary Barlow transferring to West End in February 2017

The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye has revealed that Gary Barlow and Tim Firth's musical adaptation of Calendar Girls is transferring to the West End next year.

Entitled The Girls, performances will begin at the Phoenix Theatre in February 2017 with tickets on sale from 16th September 2016.

The Girls premiered at the Leeds Grand Theatre in late 2015 and played a second out-of-town tryout at The Lowry in Salford in early 2016.

The cast previously included Debbie Chazen as Ruth, Sara Kestelman as Jessie, Claire Machin as Cora, Claire Moore as Chris, Vivien Parry as Celia, Joanna Riding as Annie and Harriet Thorpe as Marie. Also in the cast were Stephen Boswell as Colin, Joe Caffrey as Rod, Jeremy Clyde as Denis, Susan Fay as Brenda, Steve Giles as Lawrence, Richard Huw as John, Shirley Jameson as Miss Wilson, Judith Street as Lady Cravenshire and Karen West as the other Miss Wilson.

GOSSIP: Gary Barlow developing casting competition for Take That musical?

Last year West End Frame reported that Gary Barlow was apparently "keen" to write a new Take That musical.

According to UnrealityTV, Barlow is now developing a reality casting competition for BBC One to find the musical's leads. Barlow is likely to be a judge on the show, if everything comes together.

The show would reportedly follow a similar formula to Andrew Lloyd Webber's casting shows including  I’d Do Anything, Any Dream Will Do and Over the Rainbow. 

Stephen Mear joins creative team of The Girls by Gary Barlow & Tim Firth

Leading West End choreographer Stephen Mear (Gypsy/Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) has joined the creative team of Gary Barlow and Tim Firth's musical adaptation of Calender Girls as "musical stager".

The Girls recently premiered at the Leeds Grand Theatre and is about to play its second out-of-town tryout at The Lowry in Salford where it runs between 13th and 30th January 2016. 

The creative team for The Girls also includes Robert Jones (design), Tim Lutkin (lighting), Terry Jardine & Nick Lidster (sound) and Richard Beadle (musical direction). Co-writer Firth has directed the production.

Casting announced for The Girls by Gary Barlow & Tim Firth

Casting has been announced for Gary Barlow and Tim Firth's musical adaptation of Calender Girls.

Entitled The Girls, the show will star: Debbie Chazen as Ruth, Sara Kestelman as Jessie, Claire Machin as Cora, Claire Moore as Chris, Vivien Parry as Celia, Joanna Riding as Annie and Harriet Thorpe as Marie.

Also in the cast will be Stephen Boswell as Colin, Joe Caffrey as Rod, Jeremy Clyde as Denis, Susan Fay as Brenda, Steve Giles as Lawrence, Richard Huw as John, Shirley Jameson as Miss Wilson, Judith Street as Lady Cravenshire and Karen West as the other Miss Wilson.

GOSSIP: Joanna Riding & Claire Moore to star in world premiere of The Girls

According to the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye, Joanna Riding (The Pajama Game / Billy Elliot, pictured right) and Claire Moor (Phantom of the Opera / Miss Saigon) will star in the world premiere of The Girls.

Gary Barlow and Tim Firth's new musical, which is inspired by the story of The Calendar Girls, opens at the Leeds Grand Theatre for a limited run between 14th November and 12th December 2015. 

The production will then transfer to The Lowry in Salford for a second out-of-town tryout between 13th and 30th January 2016. Tickets are now available. 

Riding and Moor both appeared in the show's recent workshop which was held at a village hall in the Yorkshire Dales. The cast also included Debbie Chazen, Sally Dexter, Michelle Dotrice, Rachel Lumberg and Harriet Thorpe. 

CONFIRMED: Gary Barlow's Calendar Girls musical to premiere at the Leeds Grand Theatre in November

Following reports from the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye, it has been confirmed that Gary Barlow's musical adaptation of The Calendar Girls will premiere at the Leeds Grand Theatre.

The show will begin performances on 14th November for a limited season until 12th December 2015.

Entitled The Girls, the production will then transfer to The Lowry in Salford for a second out-of-town tryout between 13th and 30th January 2016. Tickets are now available.