A recent show at the Gaiety Theatre has raised more than £46,000 for an island charity.

Stage Door Entertainment’s production of ‘Calendar Girls’ raised a total of £46,449.70 for the BIG Manx Community Charity, a charity close to the hearts of those involved.

The 2003 Calendar Girls film, which stars Helen Mirren and Julie Walters, follows the true story of a group of women in a small Yorkshire Women’s Institute who, following the death of a much-loved husband, set about creating a nude calendar to raise money for charity.

The inspiration to take on the adaptation came from Stage Door co-director Krissy Wilson, whose husband Chris was diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2022.

Stage Door member Lisa Kreisky commented: ‘Chris was diagnosed with stage three prostate cancer two years ago, shortly after his 50th birthday. It was a total shock and completely turned our world upside down.

‘He has good days and bad days but is responding well to the ongoing treatment. It is unlikely he will be able to stop treatment and ever be cancer free, but all things considered, he is doing well.’

The charity was set up by Krissy’s sister and niece to enable the profits of a Noble’s Hospital comedy show to be shared between worthy causes.

The charity allows fundraising for different types of charities and individuals, but all proceeds raised from Calendar Girls will look to aid people living with and dying from cancer.

The final showing of Calendar Girls took place at the beginning of June, and the show received a large amount of praise.

Lisa added: ‘This show has been nothing short of incredible in so many ways. From the cast and crew, production team and band to our huge audiences and standing ovations each night.

‘The support that we have felt from the Isle of Man community has been beautiful and heart warming. We couldn’t be more thankful.

‘Once again thank you from the bottom of our heart and in the words of John Clarke: “sow these seeds and wherever light is, these flowers will find it. Which is such an admirable thing. And such a lesson in life.”

‘It was an honour to tell this inspiring story and the feedback has been phenomenal, both inside the theatre and out.

‘Of course, none of it would have been possible without the support of our sponsors, Interlink HR, Canaccord, STEP, KPMG, Auxesia, Aston and of course our amazing friends and family. It’s been a whirlwind but one we would do again and again.

‘Thank you all for being our sunflowers!’

Stage Door Entertainment was founded by performers Lisa and Krissy in 2014, which has now evolved to include ‘The Stage Door Academy’, a drama school which started in 2023.

The theatre group is best known for its previous productions of ‘Theatrefest’, ‘M is for Manx Cat on Tour’, ‘Our Day Out’ (starring Joe Locke), ‘You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown’ and ‘Steel Magnolias’.