Behind the Veil: A Lucy Maud Concert Experience

Behind the Veil: A Lucy Maud Concert Experience is a new show produced in celebration of L.M. Montgomery's 150th birthday. The show was created by Alicia Toner and Mike Ross as a "song cycle," a collection of songs performed in sequence. Behind the Veil is made up of songs that blend Lucy Maud Montgomery's journal entries, letters, and poetry with original songwriting. Produced by Harmony House, the concert aims to pull back the veil to reveal L.M. Montgomery's true spirit and to celebrate her life and love of Prince Edward Island.

The show premieres today on November 15, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. The ensemble cast features Julain Molnar, Brielle Ansems, Carlie Howell, Alicia Toner, Mike Ross, and Garrett Sherwood. Five additional performances will take place on November 16th at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., on November 22nd at 8:00 p.m., and on November 23rd at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Tickets for the 2-hour concert cost $40.00. Harmony House is located at 19814 Route 2, Hunter River, PE C0A 1N0.

You can listen to Alicia Toner and Mike Ross discuss the show in an interview by Matt Rainnie on CBC Mainstreet. It sounds like such a special event!

Official Website
Harmony House

Image Credit:
Image advertising Behind the Veil: A Lucy Maud Concert Experience from Harmony House.

Created November 15, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

#Maud150 Events at Acadia University

Later this month, two #Maud150 events will take place at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada to commemorate L.M. Montgomery's 150th birthday.

The first is a speech by Dr. Brenton Dickieson of the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI). He will present a talk titled, "Friends, Lovers, and Revivalist Shudders: L.M. Montgomery and Baptists" in the Reading Room of the Vaughan Memorial Library on November 18, 2024 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. The speech is free and open to the public.

Here is the description of the talk from the Acadia University website:

Acadia celebrates L.M. Montgomery's 150th birthday with a free talk titled "Friends, Lovers, and Revivalist Shudders: L.M. Montgomery and Baptists" by Dr. Brenton Dickieson (UPEI) in the Reading Room of Vaughan Memorial Library from 7-8 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

One of L.M. Montgomery’s more vividly drawn characters had “a holy horror of Methodists.” The main characters in the Anne series are thoroughly Presbyterian, but Montgomery has some fun playing with the cultural differences between the various Protestant denominations. The Cavendish Baptist church was part of Montgomery’s everyday life growing up, and she found herself frequenting the Baptists during her latter years in Toronto. Despite these connections, there were times when Montgomery’s journals reveal something like “a holy horror of Baptists.” From broken engagements to a threat of police action, a peek at Montgomery’s imagination of “Baptists” invites us to think about particular cultural moments in Eastern Canadian history and to enjoy her peculiar sense of religious humour that shapes our religious social imagination.

As a theologian of literature, Dr. Dickieson (UPEI) writes the popular website, A Pilgrim in Narnia, which explores the intersections of faith, fantasy, and fiction. With more than 2,000,000 views and fostering significant networks within the scholarly and readerly worlds of C.S. Lewis and the Inklings, Brenton has created a powerful platform for considering the literary, spiritual, and theological interest of some of our most famous world-builders, including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, L.M. Montgomery, and others. Brenton also is the host of Maudcast: the official podcast of the L.M. Montgomery Institute at University of Prince Edward Island.

The second #Maud150 event is a mini-conference that will be held at the university. On November 25th and 27th, the honours and master's students enrolled in the course on "Adapting L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables" will host a mini-conference and present their research on L.M. Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables to the community. The conference will take place from 4:00-5:20 p.m. on November 25th and 27th in BAC203. This event is open to the public according to Acadia University's calendar of events.

Image Credit:
Poster advertising Brenton Dickieson's speech from Acadia University.

Created November 15, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Book-Shaped Ceramic Vase

If you're looking for a gift for a fan of Anne of Green Gables, then this ceramic vase by Steel Mill and Co. might be the perfect gift. The vase is shaped like a book, and you can place flowers in it. You can also use it in the kitchen to store utensils.

Last year, my mother gave me The Secret Garden book vase as a Christmas gift, and I love it. I have it displayed on my bookshelf as a bookend with some artificial flowers in it.

The Secret Garden vase is a smaller size than the Anne of Green Gables vase. Steel Mill and Co. offers several vases featuring different books, including Pride & Prejudice, The Nutcracker, The Wizard of Oz, Dracula, and The Great Gatsby.

Image credit:
Photograph of the Anne of Green Gables book-shaped ceramic vase by Steel Mill and Co.

Purchase an Anne of Green Gables book-shaped ceramic vase:


Created November 14, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

One must face things—even ghosts

"One must face things—even ghosts."
-L.M. Montgomery
Emily's Quest

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read the Emily of New Moon series:



Created October 31, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family (2024)

Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family (2024) is a play by Chris Henry that adapts L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables for the stage. The play presents Marilla Cuthbert's perspective and is the second part of a two-part adaptation of the story. The first part is titled Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home. The two productions can be watched independently as stand-alone plays or viewed together as a whole.

The plays premiered on October 17, 2024 and will run through November 4, 2024 at the Royal Family Performing Arts Space in Times Square located on 145 West 46th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036. Both plays were produced by Royal Family Productions, where Chris Henry serves as the artistic director, and they were adapted and co-directed by Henry, with choreography and co-direction by Lorna Ventura. The cast of Marilla of Green Gables includes Ephraim Birney, Francesca Fernandez, Desi Waters, Emily Anne Davis, and Madison McLean.

Chris Henry discussed her inspiration to bring the plays to the stage because of her personal connection to the story with BroadwayWorld saying, "As someone who was adopted, the story of a fiery, strong, imaginative orphan girl really resonated with me throughout my childhood and throughout my life. I was inspired to take this material and adapt Ms. Montgomery's text for the Royal Family stage with my collaborator, Lorna Ventura. We have stripped down the book to its essence and have broken it up into two parts. We hope that anyone who has ever tried to find their place in the world will find joy, inspiration, and home in the story of Anne of Green Gables."

The play is described as follows:

"Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family shifts over to Marilla’s point of view as we see her navigate what becoming a mother really means as she continues to deal with Anne’s adventures growing up. Royal Family Productions presents this world premiere in repertory with Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home. These pieces are each stand-alone plays, but together they tell the story of three unlikely people meeting and eventually becoming a family."

Tickets are $35 for general admission, $100/$65 for tax-deductible reserved seats, and $250/$215 for tax-deductible VIP tickets. The show is 1 hour and 25 minutes long, with no intermission.


Official Website:
Royal Family Productions

Image Credit:
Poster for Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family (2024) from Royal Family Productions.

References:
Rabinowitz, Chloe. (2024, October 3). Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home & Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family to Run Off-Broadway. BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved from: https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/ANNE-OF-GREEN-GABLES-FINDING-HOME-MARILLA-OF-GREEN-GABLES-BECOMING-A-FAMILY-to-Run-Off-Broadway-20241003.

Created October 30, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home (2024)

Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home (2024) is a play by Chris Henry that brings L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables to life on the stage. The play is the first part of a two-part adaptation of the story; the second part is titled Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family. The two productions can be watched independently as stand-alone plays or viewed together as a whole.

The plays premiered on October 17, 2024 and will run through November 4, 2024 at the Royal Family Performing Arts Space in Times Square located on 145 West 46th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036. Both plays were produced by Royal Family Productions, where Chris Henry serves as the artistic director, and they were adapted and co-directed by Henry, with choreography and co-direction by Lorna Ventura. The cast of Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home features Emmaline Goia and Maggie Langhorne.

Chris Henry discussed her inspiration to bring the plays to the stage because of her personal connection to the story with BroadwayWorld saying, "As someone who was adopted, the story of a fiery, strong, imaginative orphan girl really resonated with me throughout my childhood and throughout my life. I was inspired to take this material and adapt Ms. Montgomery's text for the Royal Family stage with my collaborator, Lorna Ventura. We have stripped down the book to its essence and have broken it up into two parts. We hope that anyone who has ever tried to find their place in the world will find joy, inspiration, and home in the story of Anne of Green Gables."

Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home was previously presented in 2019 in a substantially different form.

The new version of the play is described as follows:

"Royal Family artistic director Chris Henry’s Anne of Green Gables is a one-woman, movement-fueled, theatrical experience for all ages, featuring dynamic choreography by Lorna Ventura. Finding Home shares the journey of Anne Shirley, an imaginative, red-headed, hot-tempered, eleven-year-old orphan, and what happens when she is accidentally brought to the home of quiet siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert in Prince Edward Island. Royal Family Productions presents this new version in repertory with the world premiere of Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family."

Tickets are $35 for general admission, $100/$65 for tax-deductible reserved seats, and $250/$215 for tax-deductible VIP tickets. The show is 1 hour long, with no intermission.


Official Website:
Royal Family Productions

Image Credit:
Poster for Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home (2024) from Royal Family Productions.

References:
Rabinowitz, Chloe. (2024, October 3). Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home & Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family to Run Off-Broadway. BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved from: https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/ANNE-OF-GREEN-GABLES-FINDING-HOME-MARILLA-OF-GREEN-GABLES-BECOMING-A-FAMILY-to-Run-Off-Broadway-20241003.

Created October 30, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Josie Pye: A Tale from Avonlea

Josie Pye: A Tale from Avonlea by Laura Kelly and Jane Kelly was independently published in June 2022. The book tells the story of Josie Pye, who dreams of a life bigger than Avonlea can offer. Have you ever wondered what made Josie tick? Maybe this story holds the answer.


Here is the description of the story from the book's back cover:

JOSIE PYE IS NOT A KINDRED SPIRIT...

In fact, she could not care less about the red-headed Anne Shirley, with her freckled nose always in a book. And while the whole village of Avonlea may have been infatuated with the dramatic goody-goody orphan, Josie has her heart set on a far more glamorous and exciting life than her small Canadian village can offer. Her opportunity finally comes with the arrival of a handsome stranger to Avonlea. Could this be the fulfillment of all her dreams and ambitions?

Here is the description of the book from Amazon:

Devoted readers of Anne of Green Gables will remember the coastal farming village of Avonlea as the home of kindred spirits -- a community of close-knit characters that opened their hearts to the bright, talkative, and imaginative red-headed orphan, Anne Shirley. Well... mostly kindred spirits. The cruel Pye sisters, led by Josie Pye, instantly disliked Anne for her intelligence, charm, and the attention she drew from others, especially Gilbert Blythe. Josie, described as spoiled, vain, and vindictive, knew she was better than Anne, better than Avonlea. She deserved a life more glamorous and exciting than even Anne Shirley could imagine.

This book continues the story of Josie Pye, as she sets her sights on a handsome stranger as her ticket out of her humdrum home. She soon discovers that the best laid plans can lead you astray. Josie faces new challenges that force her to reconsider her perception of Avonlea, its people, and her own desires. Josie Pye may yet become a kindred spirit after all, with many misadventures and a budding romance along the way. Beloved characters, including Diana Barry, Ruby Gillis, Marilla Cuthbert, and Rachel Lynde, are all part of this continuing story.

Image credit:
Book cover of Josie Pye: A Tale from Avonlea.

Purchase and read Josie Pye: A Tale from Avonlea:


Created October 27, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

A glorious October

"It was October again when Anne was ready to go back to school—a glorious October, all red and gold..."
-L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Anne of Green Gables:



Created October 26, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com