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Rehearsals are under way for Bridgetown Repertory Club’s production of Calendar Girls.

Due to open on March 5, the show is based on the women of Rycroft Women’s Institute who initially created a nude calendar to raise money for a sofa, for a hospital where a member’s husband was being treated.

The calendar instantly took off, and has raised more than $9 million to date, supporting research into leukaemia and lymphoma.

This led to the story’s adaptation into a 2003 film and eventually a stage show in 2008.

The Bridgetown show is to be directed by Robert Benson-Perry, a 45-year veteran of theatre.

“It has comedy, pathos and, as a vehicle for six female leads all in the same show, it’s a combination hard to resist,” he said.

The play features a nude scene, but Mr Benson-Perry nominated a different factor as the most difficult.

“With Calendar Girls, it might be assumed the nude scene would be the most difficult, but it actually allows a great deal of latitude with the staging,” he said.

“The main difficulty is the enormous number of props required and changing the set from the Women’s Institute Hall to another location.”

Calendar Girls will run from March 5-7 and 12-14 at 8pm, while matinees will be held at 2pm on March 8 and 15.

Tickets are available from the Bridgetown Visitor’s Centre or via the group’s website https://www.bridgetownrepertoryclub.com.au/.