Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical (2022)

Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical made its world premiere in 2022 at Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam, Connecticut. It's a reimagined folk-rock musical based on the novel Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. The musical's book and lyrics are by Matte O’Brien, and the music is by Matt Vinson.

The 2022 production featured Juliette Redden as Anne Shirley, Sharon Catherine Brown as Marilla Cuthbert, D.C. Anderson as Matthew Cuthbert, Pierre Marais as Gilbert Blythe, and Michelle Vientimilla as Diana Barry. The musical was directed by Jenn Thompson and choreographed by Jennifer Jancuska.

The musical was initially developed and produced with the title Anne of Green Gables: A New Folk Rock Musical by the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival in 2018.

Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical is described as follows by Goodspeed Musicals:

"Anne Shirley just arrived on Prince Edward Island and she’s already making waves. Adopted by siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, Anne is feisty, smart and eager to find her own place in the world. But is the world ready for her? Fall in love with the spirited redhead of the classic novel, now reimagined as a vibrant folk-rock musical for all generations. With bold choreography, witty humor and a revolutionary spirit, this is Green Gables as you’ve never seen it before!"

The concept album for the musical is available on Spotify.

Official Site:
Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical

Image Credit:
Promotional artwork from Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical (2022).

References:
Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical. Goodspeed Musicals. Retrieved from: https://www.goodspeed.org/shows/anne-of-green-gables

Ashley, Natasha. (2018, July 8). Review: A Bold and Creative ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: A NEW FOLK ROCK MUSICAL Makes History at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse. Broadway World. Retrieved from: https://www.broadwayworld.com/central-new-york/article/BWW-Review-A-Bold-and-Creative-ANNE-OF-GREEN-GABLES-A-NEW-FOLK-ROCK-MUSICAL-Makes-History-at-Merry-Go-Round-Playhouse-20180708

Created May 4, 2024. Last updated June 5, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Ten Books You’ll Enjoy if You Love Anne of Green Gables

Which books strike the same chord as L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables? What stories have charming, imaginative heroines and themes of discovering one’s place, finding true friends, and self-discovery? Here is a list of ten books you might enjoy if you’re a fan of Anne of Green Gables:

1. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett – Published in 1905, the tale of Sara Crewe is one of my favorite stories of all time. Sara has a vivid imagination and a kind heart. Her father sends her to a boarding school in London after she lived with him in India. Sara has enjoyed a life of luxury, but her beloved father’s sudden death leaves her a penniless orphan who is alone in the world. Like Anne, Sara remains optimistic despite her grim reality.
   
   
2. The Emily of New Moon series by L.M. Montgomery – Like Anne, Emily Starr becomes an orphan after losing her father, but in contrast with Anne, Emily has an extended family that raises her. L.M. Montgomery based many of Emily’s qualities on herself. For example, Emily loves to write and is determined to be a writer. She has dreams and goals that she actively works towards.
   
   
3. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – Alcott’s Little Women is the well-loved story of the four March sisters, who are growing up during the Civil War. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy have unique personalities and their own goals and dreams. I often wish that Jo ended up with Laurie, as Anne did with Gilbert.
   
   
4. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett – The Secret Garden is the story of Mary Lennox. Mary is orphaned after a cholera outbreak in India and is sent to live with her uncle in Yorkshire, England. Mary’s uncle is reclusive, so she begins to explore his vast estate alone. Mary discovers a neglected garden that was locked off and surrounded by walls. She begins restoring the garden, finding purpose and peace, and making friends along the way.
   
   
5. The Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace – This series of books is the story of Betsy Ray, her best friend Tacy, and close friend Tib as they grow up in Deep Valley, Minnesota. Betsy is imaginative and charismatic and dreams of becoming an author. A member of the Sullivan Anne of Green Gables forum recommended these books to fellow Anne fans years ago, and I read and enjoyed them all. The stories are a beautiful example of deep and lasting friendship that spans across the years.
   
   
6. Heidi by Johanna Spyri – Heidi is a cheerful young girl who was orphaned as a young child. She is sent to live with her cranky, reclusive grandfather in the Swiss Alps. Heidi’s joyful nature wins her grandfather over. Later on, Heidi must leave her grandfather and the mountains she loves to work in Frankfurt, but homesickness overwhelms her. Much like Anne, Heidi has a sense of where she belongs and where she is needed.
   
   
7. A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter – This is the story of Elnora Comstock, a girl who lives on the banks of the Limberlost Swamp in Indiana. Elnora is resourceful and intelligent, but must cope with her cruel mother who attempts to spoil her dreams. Determined to pay for her own education, Elnora sells artifacts and specimens that she collects in the Limberlost. Stratton-Porter’s writings show her deep love and appreciation for nature, similar to L.M. Montgomery's stories.
   
   
8. The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder – These stories are based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s childhood growing up on the Western frontier. Young Laura and her family travel west as pioneers and encounter many adventures along the way. The books and TV series are beloved classics.
   
   
9. Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter – Published in 1913, the novel tells the story of an eleven-year-old orphan named Pollyanna Whittier. She is sent to live with her stern Aunt Polly in Vermont. Pollyanna has a bright and optimistic philosophy, which positively influences those around her. She plays what she calls “The Glad Game” and attempts to always find something to be glad about to cope with difficult situations.
   
   
10. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin – Published in 1903, this novel tells the story of ten-year-old Rebecca Rowena Randall who goes to live with her two aunts on their farm in Riverboro, Maine. Rebecca is sent there to help relieve the economic burden on her family following her father’s death. Much like Anne, Rebecca is bright and imaginative with a keen love of beauty. She names their farm Sunnybrook.

Image credits:
Combined graphic of ten book covers: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace, Heidi by Johanna Spyri, A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter, The Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter, and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin.

Created May 3, 2024. Last updated May 13, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

L.M. Montgomery and the Magic of Spring

As winter gives way to spring, there is freshness in the air. Sprouts emerge from the cold soil, leaves take form on bare tree limbs, and animals return to activity.

L.M. Montgomery captured this sensation as she wrote in her journal on May 1, 1899 in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island:

"There is a magic about the spring—some power that revives half-dead hopes and faiths and thrills numbed souls with the elixir of new life. There is no age in spring—everybody seems young and joyful. Care is in abeyance for a little while and hearts throb with the instinct for immortality."

In spring, Montgomery feels that everyone is ageless. The return of warmth brings cheer; the sense of revival in nature brings hope.

When Montgomery wrote Anne of Green Gables, she again reflected on the magic of spring, writing:

"Marilla, walking home one late April evening from an Aid meeting, realized that the winter was over and gone with the thrill of delight that spring never fails to bring to the oldest and saddest as well as to the youngest and merriest."

Today, like L.M. Montgomery, I’m glad it’s spring—a season that warms spirits, revives half-dead hopes, and allows us to feel youthful and joyful.


Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Reference:
Montgomery, L.M. The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1889-1900. ed. Mary Henley Rubio and Elizabeth Hillman Waterston. Oxford University Press. 2017.

Created May 2, 2024. Last updated August 21, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Sweet as a May mist

"On that road we heard the song of morning stars; we drank in fragrances aerial and sweet as a May mist..."
-L.M. Montgomery
The Golden Road

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read The Story Girl and The Golden Road:



Created May 1, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

On a wild wet morning in late April...

"On a wild wet morning in late April the letter came."
-L.M. Montgomery
Jane of Lantern Hill

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Jane of Lantern Hill:



Created April 22, 2024.
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Review of the Oh My Anne Mobile Game

Last month, I received a notification that the "Oh My Anne" mobile game was available to download for iOS, and I decided to check it out and review the game.

This new mobile app was announced back in December 2022. The game is based on L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. After the game's soft launch, it was released more widely this spring.

You can view the lovely "Oh My Anne" trailer here:

The game's trailer begins with Anne looking for her daughter Rilla Blythe. Rilla is holding a dandelion puffball. When Anne asks Rilla what she is doing, Rilla uses sign language to explain that she is making a wish to the "dandelion fairy" to be less of a burden to her mother. Anne is shocked at Rilla's fears and reassures Rilla that she is not a burden. Anne explains that when she was young, she was just like Rilla and that the unconditional love she received at Green Gables changed her life. Rilla asks to hear more about the story of Green Gables. Anne tells her to make a wish to the dandelion fairy to hear the story.



Anne counts to three and Rilla makes her wish and blows. A dandelion seed flies through the air and across time to the door of Green Gables where a young Anne Shirley turns around.



The mobile game begins with this same sweet trailer. I found it touching and surprising that Rilla was deaf and had fears that she was a burden to Anne considering that Rilla was not deaf in L.M. Montgomery's stories.

After the trailer, you begin the gameplay. Each day when you log in to the game, you receive a reward for your attendance.



In episode 1, Anne encounters Green Gables with Matthew.



According to the game's storyline, Marilla was injured when she fell off her rocking chair, so Green Gables is quite dusty. Anne aims to help by cleaning and re-decorating Green Gables with new furniture. She's just entered the house and hasn't even met Marilla yet, so her behavior is quite forward and a bit odd.



You can play various matching games to earn coins and dandelion fairy points. These coins and points allow you to redecorate and move forward in the gameplay.



In this matching game, Anne Shirley is being chased by an angry bee.



The game is free-to-play, but there are additional locked features and rewards for players who purchase in-game virtual goods for microtransactions with real money. These features include special photos and dresses for Anne.



The dialogue for the game is a bit amusing. At times, Anne is even more dramatic in the game than in L.M. Montgomery's stories.



Overall, the game is good for passing time if you enjoy matching puzzle games and decorating games. The animation scenes are playful, and Anne is very expressive. I'm not quite sure where the storyline is going as Anne discovers more about Green Gables and Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. I think younger players might find the game more enjoyable than older ones (like me).

I hope that the animators who created the trailer will make an animated Anne of Green Gables film in the future. I was intrigued at the relationship between Anne and Rilla, the fact that Rilla was deaf, and the use of sign language in the trailer. I'd love to see how they would continue Anne and Rilla's storyline in a novel way.

Have you played the "Oh My Anne" mobile game? What did you think of it?

Image credit:
Screencaptures from the "Oh My Anne" mobile game and trailer.

Created April 21, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

And then came March

"And then came March, with its mad, galloping winds..."
-L.M. Montgomery
Pat of Silver Bush

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read the Pat of Silver Bush series:

Created March 1, 2024. Last updated April 19, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Golden Road Finds Me

Sometimes our lives intersect with people, with places, and with stories in unexplainable ways. These moments can feel like manifestations of serendipity, unexpected occurrences in life that bring us untold joy.

Earlier this week, my husband and I went out to dinner, and I experienced one of these unusual moments. We were walking down a beautiful staircase lined with books. I was admiring the design of the room and the old book covers. As I walked along, there was an old copy of The Golden Road by L.M. Montgomery directly in front of me. Although I was scanning the shelves, I wasn't looking to find any book or author in particular. But somehow this book found me.

I stopped and stared at the book's blue spine for a moment. As I pulled my phone out of my purse to snap a photo, I called my husband back and pointed to the book. He looked at the book in surprise and bewilderment, asking me, "How did you find it?" I didn't have an answer. I hadn't been looking. Montgomery just tends to find me at various moments, on sometimes significant days, and in improbable places around the world. I'm left in wonder at the reason.


Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Created February 9, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com