Casting Announced for Barlow & Firth's THE GIRLS 2018 UK National Tour

David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers, the producers of Gary Barlow and Tim Firth's new musical comedy, The Girls, based on the true story, the film and the award-winning play by Tim Firth, Calendar Girls, have announced that the production will return home to Yorkshire and open at the Leeds Grand Theatre on 15 August 2018 and visit 42 theatres across the United Kingdom.

Tonight the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye tweeted exclusive new photos from the promotional shoot with the cast of the upcoming tour. According to Baz, actors Denise Welch (Celia), Sara Crowe (Ruth), Lorraine Bruce (Cora), Fern Britton (Marie), Anna Jane Casey (Annie), Rebecca Storm (Chris), and Ruth Madoc (Jessie) will be the girls of the national tour of The Girls.

The critically acclaimed and award-winning production will complete its six-month London season at the Phoenix Theatre on Saturday 15 July 2017, and, before that, this musical comedy played sold-out seasons in Leeds and Manchester.

David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers said, "We are so proud and thrilled with this production, and we want to take it to everyone who wants to see it in the country, and at prices they can afford." Gary Barlow and Tim Firth added, "We are delighted with the reception our musical has received in Leeds, Manchester and now London, and are thrilled that the show will be visiting towns and cities up and down the country, so that more people can get a chance to see it and, we hope, will also fall in love with The Girls."

THE GIRLS is inspired by the true story of a group of ladies, who decide to appear nude for a Women's Institute calendar in order to raise funds to buy a settee for their local hospital, in memory of one of their husbands, and have to date raised almost £5million for Bloodwise. This musical comedy shows life in their Yorkshire village, how it happened, the effect on husbands, sons and daughters, and how a group of ordinary ladies achieved something extraordinary.

Gary Barlow and Tim Firth grew up in the same village in the north of England and have been friends for 25 years. With Take That, Gary has written and co-written 14 number one singles, has sold over 50 million records worldwide and is a six times Ivor Novello Award winner. Tim has won the Olivier Award and UK Theatre Award for Best New Musical, and the British Comedy Awards Best Comedy Film for Calendar Girls.

THE GIRLS is produced by David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers and The Shubert Organization.

Bloodwise, the UK's specialist blood cancer charity, will receive monies from this production.

For more about the show, visit www.thegirlsmusical.com.