From Belfast to the Barn: Sharon Baynard Returns to the Stage in Calendar Girls

Sharon Baynard as Calendar Girl Celia

As the song goes, "It's a Long Way to Tipperary."   And it’s even longer to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where Sharon Baynard studied acting many calendars ago at the Lyric Theater.   Sharon grew up in Belfast during the Irish Civil War in the 1970s before coming to America.  Sharon is making her long-awaited return to the stage as Celia in Calendar Girls at the Farmington Players.   The play is based on the 2003 movie Calendar Girls, which depicts the true story of a British Women's Institute (WI) chapter that raises money for a local hospital by posing nude for a WI calendar … a becomes a media sensation in the process.

Sharon describes her character Celia as follows:  “Celia has money; shopping is her favorite past-time, and she likes to play golf. She indulges in the finer things in life and drives a Porsche (what else?). However, don't be fooled: she is more at home with the women of the WI than with her golf girls. The women of the WI are down to earth and Celia doesn't feel the need to put on any airs or graces with them.”   Sharon loves Celia because “she has a lot of spunk to her. The challenge is showing her rebel side as well as her insecurities.”

Sharon describes the play as “a journey of women recognizing their worth outside of the knitting, cooking and gardening projects of the WI. I wanted to be in Calendar Girls as I had the seen the film and knew it was based on a true story of courageous women supporting each other. The play brings a sense of reality to the story that you can't feel as much by watching the film. Audiences will enjoy this show as they can see themselves in the many women it represents.”

Celia is one of the Calendar Girls that poses nude for the WI calendar. How does Sharon feel about baring more than her soul on stage?  “Regarding the nudity, it is Art! I have gone on a diet and have been hitting the gym, need I say more!” 

Sharon loves acting and recently appeared in the Cinetopia International Film Festival in a short film called Task Force, playing the part of the Mother. Her goal one day is to be on Broadway!  When she is not pursuing acting, Sharon is learning to play the saxophone and likes to practice hot yoga.

Calendar Girls has 11 performances at Farmington Players Barn Theater from September 22 – October 14.  The show is proudly sponsored by Mall Malisow & Cooney.  Tickets are available online at farmingtonplayers.org or by emailing boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or calling the Barn box office at 248-553-2955.