Joanna Riding and Claire Moore to lead cast of Gary Barlow's new musical The Girls

 Gary Barlow and Tim Firth have found their leading ladies for their new British musical THE GIRLS, based on  Calendar Girls.

Joanna Riding and Claire Moore will star in the world premiere of the show which runs at  Leeds Grand from 14 November-12 December and  the Salford Lowry from13 - 30 January 2016.

Both actresses took part  in Barlow & Firth's  private workshop production last weekend  at Burnsall Village Hall just outside Skipton,

along with Sally Dexter, Debbie Chazen, Michelle Dotrice, Rachel Lumberg and Harriet Thorpe,Ben Hunter, Chloe May Jackson and Jake Mitchell. The company will perform another workshop in a few weeks before the show begins rehearsals , and it seems likely the whole team is set to reunite  in the full production.

Riding recently played Cinderella's Mother in Rob Marshall's film Into the Woods and has an impressive list of West End credits including  The Pajama Game, My Fair Lady, The Witches of Eastwick , Guys & Dolls, A Little Night Music and Carousel.

Claire  Moore's London stage credits include Phantom, Miss Saigon, Little Shop of Horrors, Camelot and Putting It Together.