A NEW musical, inspired by the story of the Rylstone WI Calendar Girls, will have its world premiere at Leeds Grand on Saturday.

The Girls, by Take That star Gary Barlow and Calendar Girls scriptwriter Tim Firth, tells how the ladies decided to disrobe for a charity calendar and, with the help of a few strategically placed pots and kitchen utensils, took the world by storm.

It shows life in their Yorkshire village, the effect on husbands, sons and daughters and how a group of ordinary ladies achieved something extraordinary.

The story started in 1999 when members decided to raise cash to buy a sofa for their local hospital, in memory of WI member Angela Baker's husband John, who died from non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 1998.

The idea of posing naked for a calendar for the millennium was born, an idea that swiftly gripped the popular imagination - so much so that by 2003 the story had been filmed as Calendar Girls with major stars Helen Mirren, Julie Walters and Penelope Wilton.

It later became a stage play, which became the most successful touring play of all time.

The new musical version stars Debbie Chazen, Sara Kestelman, Claire Machin, Claire Moore, Vivien Parry, Joanna Riding as Annie and Harriet Thorpe.

Debbie Chazen played Ethel Kingsley in Mike Leigh’s film Topsy-Turvy and her many television credits include the lead roles of Annie in Smoking Room and Kelly-Su Crabtree in Psychoville.

Sara Kestelman won an Olivier Award for her performance as Fraulein Schneider in Sam Mendes’ Cabaret at the Donmar.

Sara has appeared extensively with the RSC, including playing Titania in Peter Brook’s landmark production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Harriet Thorpe’s many television roles include Carole in Brittas Empire and Fleur in Absolutely Fabulous.

Gary Barlow and Tim Firth auditioned more than 1,000 young hopefuls for leading roles as teenagers in the story, with Ben Hunter, 17, from Hull, Josh Benson, 18, from York and 17-year-old Chloe May Jackson, of Blackburn, winning the roles.

“This musical is about life in the village, so I very much wanted to include the effect the calendar had on everybody,” said Tim, who won an Olivier Award, the UK Theatre Award and the Comedy Film Award for Calendar Girls.

The show runs until December 2 and tickets are available from leedsgrandtheatre.com.uk or call 0844 848 2700.