Tanya Laing Gahr is so enamoured with the production she sheds a tear every time she watches the magic unfold on stage.

And that香蕉视频直播檚 saying a lot considering Laing Gahr has been hard at work in the director香蕉视频直播檚 chair for four months to bring Calendar Girls to the Powerhouse Theatre May 2-12.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a very funny script but it香蕉视频直播檚 also incredibly touching,香蕉视频直播� Laing Gahr said. 香蕉视频直播淚t still makes me cry every time. These actors make me cry every time. It香蕉视频直播檚 a play that this audience will give themselves over to.香蕉视频直播�

Calendar Girls, written by playwright Tim Firth, originally hit the silver screen in 2003 and starred Helen Mirren and Julie Walters.

Following the true story of a group of Yorkshire gals and their monthly meetings at the local chapter of the Women香蕉视频直播檚 Institute, Annie 香蕉视频直播� played on screen by Walters and Powerhouse stage by Bev Steeves 香蕉视频直播� and her close friend Chris 香蕉视频直播� Mirren, Jennifer Goodsell 香蕉视频直播� go above and beyond to spice up the institute香蕉视频直播檚 annual calendar.

It was meant to be a banal calendar full of bridges that litter the English countryside, but when Annie香蕉视频直播檚 husband passes after a battle with leukemia, Chris and Annie rally the institute to put together a nude calendar and raise money for leukemia research.

香蕉视频直播淭his is such a wonderfully funny, poignant and powerful script,香蕉视频直播� Laing Gahr said.

While she stands firmly behind the power of the script, Laing Gahr opted not to watch the film.

香蕉视频直播淚 wanted to make sure the story was not a retelling of another director香蕉视频直播檚 vision,香蕉视频直播� Laing Gahr said. 香蕉视频直播淲e wanted to be as authentic in our telling as possible. They (audience) can expect to see some more authentic communication between actors, between each other and between the moments they developed. We香蕉视频直播檝e really been digging into the emotional aspect of live theatre.香蕉视频直播�

Unlike many community theatre performances, Laing Gahr said, Calendar Girls revolves around a women-centric cast.

香蕉视频直播淚 love women香蕉视频直播檚 stories,香蕉视频直播� Laing Gahr said. 香蕉视频直播淭here tends to be a lot of men with women in supporting roles. (In Calendar Girls) women are the driving force. Their stories are so real, they香蕉视频直播檙e so authentic.香蕉视频直播�

Laing Gahr, who has more than two decades experience in the industry, including a stint running a theatre company in Cranbrook and working as a director for hire, leads a cast comprised of four relatively new actors and nine veterans.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a really interesting blend of personality, experience and background,香蕉视频直播� Laing Gahr said. 香蕉视频直播淭he thing that truly unites them is they love this play so much. They香蕉视频直播檙e just bringing it.香蕉视频直播�

And, like the story itself, the cast and crew of Calendar Girls is putting together their own calendar, which will be available on performance nights and around town soon. Proceeds from the calendar support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.

香蕉视频直播淚 think it香蕉视频直播檚 an important story because of those relationships and the struggle of those characters to reach their fullest potential,香蕉视频直播� Laing Gahr said. 香蕉视频直播淭he removal of clothing is very good, very funny, but it香蕉视频直播檚 also a great metaphor.香蕉视频直播�

At the root of it, Laing Gahr said it香蕉视频直播檚 an inspiring story made possible by the dedication of cast and crew.

香蕉视频直播淲hat I really love is watching the culmination of so many people香蕉视频直播檚 efforts. It香蕉视频直播檚 this incredible effort of so many people to put two hours of story telling on stage,香蕉视频直播� Laing Gahr said. 香蕉视频直播淚 just think this is going to be one of the best plays we香蕉视频直播檙e going to see here.香蕉视频直播�

Calendar Girls runs at Powerhouse Theatre May 2-15 and 8-12 at 7:30 p.m., with matinees May 6 and 12 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $28 adult and $22 student and are available through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, . Following a new partnership with Little Tex restaurant, ticket holders are eligible for specials on performance nights.