Make a hot date with Calendar Girls

Publicity officer for Hawera Repertory Society Ben Thomas is urging people to go and see Calendar Girls to raise money fore Taranaki Hopice.

Hawera people are being urged to make a date with Calendar Girls.

Hawera Repertory Society publicity officer Ben Thomas said the group's production of the comedy will be a fundraiser for the Taranaki Hospice on its opening night February 15.

A Hawera panelbeater by day, Mr Thomas said it was important to get publicity for the show rolling early. This is the third production for the society directed by Samantha Turner of Hawera. The cast are from Patea and Hawera.

This production is a theatrical milestone because Hawera is presenting the last amateur production of Calendar Girls.

The amateur rights had been released by writers Tim Firth and Julie Towhidi from September 1, 2012 for 18 months only.

By August 2012, 520 applications throughout the world had been received and 322 licences were granted.

"And we were one of them ... well thank goodness we're staging it before the amateur rights were cut off. We've just scraped in" said Mr Thomas.

The 2003 comedy film, directed by Nigel Cole, was based on the true story of a group of Yorkshire women who produced a calendar of themselves nude to raise money for Leukaemia Research under the auspices of the Women's Institute.

The group of daring women persuaded one another to pose for the calendar with a difference - no more photos of scenic countryside bridges or Norman churches for them.

Overcoming their initial reserve, the friends drop their dressing gowns, their modesty spared only by artfully placed cakes, knitting and flower arrangements. The cast was headed by Helen Mirren and Julie Walters. The film received great reviews from critics and became a major success, grossing $96 million worldwide. The stage adaptation of the film opened in London's West End in 2009. It was also a financial success and Mr Thomas said it undoubtedly will be in Hawera as well.

"We're a very supportive town in all our community events."

On opening night $5 from every seat sold at the Memorial Theatre will be donated to the hospice. Hawera Repertory would like nothing more than having a full house to donate the best possible amount to hospice, Mr Thomas said.

"But the fundraising won't stop on opening night. Donations will be able to be made to hospice during show's season at the Memorial Theatre."

Each time the play is produced around the world, a percentage of the rights paid by repertory societies is given to leukaemia research and this includes Hawera's season, Mr Thomas said.

The show at the Memorial Theatre runs from February 15-22.

Tickets would make great Christmas presents, he said.