The Sunflower Fund is being backed by a community theatre putting on a production of Calendar Girls… the show will raise much-needed funds for the charity.
Cape Town, South Africa – The funny and poignant play, Calendar Girls, based on the 2003 Calendar Girls film, tells the inspiring and true story about the ladies of a Women’s Institute who bravely pushed boundaries to raise funds in order to support those currently fighting the battle against leukaemia and those who have lost their loved ones to the ailment, by discreetly posing nude for a calendar that becomes a surprising success.
Calendar Girls is a charming and funny play that has striking similarities to The Full Monty – both share British humour and a hint of nudity, and both are about overcoming fears and insecurities and finding strength in each other. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of the original “nude” calendar – made by a group of extraordinary women – which became a runaway success and sparked a global fundraising phenomenon.
Calendar Girls is directed by Wesley Figaji for Pinelands Players in support of the Masque Theatre’s Reboot Initiative and The Sunflower Fund. The talented cast includes Laura Bosman, Lesley Boxall, Miranda Lewis, Melissa Sanderson, Santie Roy, Su Cunningham, Barbara Basel, James Skilton, Jane de Sousa, Jasmine Minter, Jason Bailey, Richard Whittaker, Wendy Goddard and Wayne Hendricks.
Pinelands Players is a community theatre society with a long, proud, award-winning history, spanning more than 70 years. Their production of Hairspray the Musical at Artscape Theatre earlier this year was their most successful show to date.
Annually, The Masque plays host to a wide variety of live productions of different genres – both community and professional productions. As a registered Non-Profit Organisation, The Masque strives to make theatre accessible to all – from both an onstage and an audience perspective.
The Masque was opened in 1959 by a local attorney, Bertie Stern. Stern had a vision to provide a platform for both amateur and professional performers, regardless of their social or political situation at that time. When The Masque opened, it was one of the only theatres in Cape Town that was open to people of all ethnic backgrounds.
Just like the original Calendar Girls, there will be calendars for 2020 on sale featuring the cast in tastefully discreet poses, with proceeds going towards The Sunflower Fund.
The Sunflower Fund will be present throughout the production and will be selling handcrafted paper flowers which will be displayed on a wall, in remembrance of those who have lost their lives to, and those who are still fighting the battle against leukaemia and other forms of cancer.
All proceeds raised by The Sunflower Fund go towards recruiting blood stem cell donors to give the hope of a cure to individuals fighting leukaemia and other life-threatening blood diseases who need a stem cell transplant.
Drop everything for a good cause and get the best seats in the house by booking your tickets now at Computicket at https://tickets.computicket.com/event/calendar_girls/7077400 or by calling The Masque Theatre on 021 788 1898. For more information, please contact Kirsten Veenstra on 082 926 3932 or email at pr@themasque.co.za