I’m not sure what it is about the North of England, but the people there seem to have a thing about taking their clothes off — in plays anyway.
First, there was “The Full Monty,” where unemployed steelworkers form a striptease act to raise money for one of their chums in need. Then “Calendar Girls” came on the scene. Here a group of respectable middle-aged ladies do a nude calendar to raise money for the cancer wing of a local hospital where one woman’s husband has been a patient.
You have a chance to see whether the ladies take it all off for charity or not as Masquers Playhouse — located on 105 Park Ave. in Richmond — presents Tim Firth’s “Calendar Girls” from Feb. 7 through March 2.
Set in the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales, the ladies from the Women’s Institute have lots of fun doing Chris’ version of Tai Chi, singing in local parades and driving their leader Marie crazy until Annie’s husband John dies of leukemia. They resolve to raise money for the hospital where he received treatments. Their usual calendar showing the natural beauty of the county, however, never yields much profit so they decide to do a calendar showing the members’ natural attributes instead. The calendar becomes a huge success testing friendships and helping others find unexpected strength and confidence.
Michael Sally directs a cast which includes Alicia Von Kugelgen (Annie), Jen Halsing (Chris), Sally Hogarty (Marie), Emme Clark (Cora), Michael Haven (Jessie), Isa Chu (Ruth), Virgie Poole (Celia), Jo Lusk (Lady Cravenshire), James Paul Gregory (Lawrence), Evan Mooney (John), Simon Patton (Rod), Miranda Bumstead (Elaine), Manuel Camacho (Liam) and Laila Weir (Brenda).
So, do these respectable ladies move out of their comfort zone and bear all? The intimate Masquers playhouse should leave little to the imagination. Let’s hope they keep the heat on!
For tickets, call 510-232-4031 or go to masquers.org/calendar-girls.
Casting call: Masquers will also be auditioning for its summer play “Into the Breeches” on Feb. 8 (11 a.m.-2 p.m.) and Feb. 9 (7-10 p.m.) at Masquers Playhouse. No appointments needed.
Prepare two contrasting monologues of no more than one minute each — one should be a Shakespearean character typically portrayed by a man, the other comedic which demonstrates physical expressiveness.
Marilyn Langbehn directs. The show runs July 11 through Aug. 3. Go to masquers.org/into-the-breeches for further information.
Berkeley: Once again, the Aurora Theatre Company tackles important topics that both tickle the funny bone and engage the mind and heart. Lloyd Suh’s “The Heart Sellers” runs Feb. 8 through March 9 at Aurora Theatre on 2081 Addison St.
Directed by Jennifer Chang, the play is a co-production between Aurora, Capital Stage in Sacramento and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley.
In Suh’s humorous and poignant work, two immigrants, Luna (Nicole Javier) and Jane (Wonjung Kim), find themselves alone on Thanksgiving while their husbands work at the local hospital. Over a bottle of wine and a less than successful turkey, the two women share how much they miss their native country and their dreams of a better life in their new home.
“Lloyd’s extraordinary writing touched my heart and made me laugh out loud and made me think anew about the idea of America and what it means to be an American,” said Aurora Artistic Director Josh Costello.
For tickets, call 510-843-4822 or go to auroratheatre.org.
Also in Berkeley: New Performance Traditions presents an experimental electroacoustic opera by Brooklyn-based composer Max Giteck Duykers and Berkeley-based librettist and playwright Philip Kan Gotanda on Feb. 15-16 at Zellerbach Playhouse on 2413 Bancroft Way.
In development for over a decade, “Both Eyes Open” documents the destruction and suffering experienced by the Japanese American incarceration on U.S. soil during World War II. Helmed by director Melissa Weaver and conductor David Milnes, the opera features baritone Suchan Kim, soprano Zen Wu, tenor John Kun Park, the Eco Ensemble and the 45-plus member UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus.
For tickets, go to secure-tickets.berkeley.edu/26079/26080.
Martinez: The Campbell Theater on 636 Ward St. continues its busy schedule with “The Gin Game” through Sunday featuring Pam Drummer-Williams and Alan Cameron in the challenging roles of two elderly residents at a nursing home who share intimate details of their lives over games of gin rummy.
The next weekend, Spontaneous Mind presents “Improv for Good” at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 1. Combining short form games with a scene-based twist, proceeds benefit local charity partners.
Spontaneous Mind moves to “Partners in Crime” on Feb. 2 at 2:30 p.m. The serial production follows the exploits of two partners who rely on audience suggestions to help create their evolving characters and investigations.
At 6 p.m. on Feb. 2, it’s time for the singers to take center stage as “Open Mic” allows first timers and seasoned performers to try out their material in a supportive environment.
Go to campbelltheater.com for information.
Reach Sally Hogarty at sallyhogarty@gmail.com, and read more of her reviews online at eastbaytimes.com/author/sally-hogarty.