Murfreesboro Post
MURFREESBORO WEATHER

‘Calendar Girls’ shows off its funny side




Calendar Girls director

Calendar Girls director

The Murfreesboro Center for the Arts endearing and funny comedy “Calendar Girls” is an unusual play for community theater.

It is the true story of a group of women in Yorkshire, England, who decides to “bare it all but tastefully and within limits” to create a calendar to raise funds for the local leukemia hospital.  

The women belong to an organization called “The Women’s Institute”. Annie Clarke (played by Connie Downer), has just lost her husband to cancer. She and her close friend Chris Harper (played by Denise Parton) had spent many hours in uncomfortable seating in the cancer lounge with her dying husband, John (played by Ryan Green).

They know a nice couch is needed. However, their previous charity effort lost money, so Chris suggests a calendar, having seen a men’s calendar in the local pub.

After an interesting debate on the meaning of nude and naked — it seems “nude” means it is more artistic, and with the promise that “nothing will really be shown”, just suggested by covering up important parts with carefully placed objects.

The show, however, is about survival and the struggle that goes with it. The women, who come in all shapes and sizes, are all survivors. It takes all their determination and strength to make the calendar, as they stand up to the organization, each other and even themselves just to make it.

It is a moving story with great energy and lots of laughs, because of a truly beautiful, delightful, vulnerable, and talented cast headed by Downer, Parton, and Green. The other “Calendar Girls” are Leah Williams as Celia: Wendy Travis as Cora; Debbie Kraski as Ruth; and Layne Sasser as Jessie. While not in the actual calendar, Keri Lambert plays Lady Cravenshire, and Bethany True plays Marie, the jealous local head of the WI, with evil glee.

The whole cast is truly excellent but both Mark David Williams, as Lawrence the photographer who has to direct the shooting from another room until he is finally allowed in as the women overcome their fears, and Russell Forbes as Liam, an Irish TV producer, who wants the “girls” to wear just sunflowers to sell soap suds, are worth special mention.

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CALENDAR GIRLS

Where: Murfreesboro Center for the Arts, 110 West College St.

When: March 8-10. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Tickets: $18 for adults; $16 for Seniors (65 or older), students or military members; $14 for children. Tickets on sale at boroarts.org or by calling (615) 904-ARTS (2787).

Note: This production is rated PG-13 for suggested nudity, some language and drug-related material.

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