Shaw Media announced casting and production details for Global Television’s original drama series,Bomb Girls. Starring Oscar® nominated actress Meg Tilly (Agnes of God, The Big Chill), the series begins production in Toronto on September 12 and runs through November 16, 2011. Commissioned by Shaw Media’s original content team and produced by Muse Entertainment/Back Alley Films, the six-part, one-hour series is scheduled to premiere on Global in January 2012.
Set in the 1940s, Bomb Girls tells the remarkable stories of the women who risked their lives in a munitions factory building bombs for the Allied forces fighting on the European front. The series delves into the lives of these exceptional women from all walks of life – peers, friends and rivals – who find themselves thrust into new worlds and changed profoundly as they are liberated from their home and social restrictions.
“Bomb Girls is rich with historical significance, stemming from the efforts of Canadian women during the Second World War, and we are proud to spotlight the groundbreaking bravery of these unsung heroes through this new Global original,” said Barbara Williams, Senior Vice-President, Content, Shaw Media. “With its fresh-faced cast, seasoned production team, intriguing storylines and unflappable characters, this six-part series is a dynamic addition to our midseason slate.”
Bomb Girls stars Meg Tilly as Lorna, a supervisor at the munitions factory with two sons on the front; Jodi Balfour (The Sinking of the Laconia) as Gladys, a wealthy socialite who becomes a bomb girl despite her parents’ disapproval; Charlotte Hegele (Murdoch Mysteries) as Kate, a preacher’s daughter with a golden voice who’s running from her fundamentalist father; Ali Liebert (Hellcats) as Betty, a fast-talking girl from the Prairies responsible for training the bomb girls; Anastasia Philips (Skins) as Vera, whose life is forever changed by her work on the assembly line; Lisa Norton (72 Hours: True Crime) as Edith, a forlorn mother of two youngsters; and Antonio Cupo (L’Ombra del destino) as Marco, an Italian-born factory worker who is banned from the army because of his ethnic background.
“We’re stepping away from the familiar romantic notions of the ’40s to instead explore the astonishing and little-known truths about the home front,” said co-creator Michael MacLennan (Flashpoint, Queer as Folk). Further to this, co-creator Adrienne Mitchell (Durham County, Bliss) added, “When an explosive could blast in your face today, when your overseas lover could be shot dead tomorrow, when you’re not sure if the free world will be standing next month, you play your cards however you want — and you don’t play by the old rules.”
Produced by Muse Entertainment (The Kennedys) and Back Alley Films (Durham County), executive producers include Michael MacLennan, Michael Prupas(Muse Entertainment), Janis Lundman (Back Alley Films) and Adrienne Mitchell (Back Alley Films). Adrienne Mitchell is also the co-showrunner along with Michael MacLennan, who serves as the series’ head writer. Bomb Girls will be directed by Adrienne Mitchell, Ken Girotti (Rescue Me, Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and Anne Wheeler (Da Vinci’s Inquest, Cra$h and Burn).
The series will be distributed worldwide by Muse Distribution International.
