The musical Anne and Gilbert will be touring the province of Ontario this fall in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Anne of Green Gables.
It’s been running for three years in Summerside, PEI; and had its first Ontario production–in Kingston–this year, at the Thousand Islands Playhouse.
The tour will run from September 23 to November 2.
The Charlottetown Festival wants to know something. Is Anne of Green Gables: The Musical the longest-running musical ever? If so, could a spot in the Guinness Book of Records be in its future?
The musical will be entering its 44th
At the moment, Guinness does not recognize any musical as being longest-running in its record book.
The Anne musical does have some competition. The Fantasticks ran at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in New York City for nearly 42 years (May 1960 to January 2002); and it claims to be the world’s longest-running musical. In terms of performances staged, they’d be correct. Compared to Anne’s 2600 to date, The Fantasticks was performed 17,162 times during its run. In terms of years, the Anne musical would have the edge (44 years and counting to 41 and change).
If the Guinness organization were to agree with the Confederation Centre in Charlottetown, Anne of Green Gables: The Musical would get recognition for it.
The website annesdiary.com, which came under fire by the Anne Authority for using Anne’s image without a license, has applied for one.
“They just send you an invitation to see if you would like to utilize their logo, and then they’ll just have to work with us on pricing and revenue sharing,” said company CEO Pino Baldassarre.
“We just have to come to a quick agreement and move on. It would be great for us, it would be great for Prince Edward Island, it would be great. I hope they would consider it great, for the family as well.”
If he doesn’t get a licensing agreement, there is a back-up plan. He’s talking to licensing authorities like Little House on the Prairie and Anne Frank.
A letter-writing contest has been launched in Canada in honour of Anne of Green Gables‘ 100th anniversary.
All entrants have to do is write a letter — 500 words or less, please — to the fictional red-head describing what she has meant to them. 20 entries will be selected for four different age groups and will be judged by former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, newspaper columnist Roy MacGregor, TV book host Carolyn Weaver, and LMM’s granddaughter Kate MacDonald-Butler.
Winners in each age group will receive a $2500 travel voucher to PEI, where they will be able to see Anne of Green Gables: The Musical for free. They and the runners-up will receive three copies of the 100th anniversary edition of the novel itself.
Entry forms may be downloaded at the 100 Years of Anne website, the Canada Post website, or Amazon.ca. They may also be picked up in person at participating Shoppers Drug Marts and Indigo stores. The deadline is April 30.
In June, Anne of Green Gables will mark its centennial. However, celebrations are starting this month on Prince Edward Island.
Throughout this month, and during the beginning of next, illustrated lectures about “The Architecture of Anne’s Land” have been given at various locations throughout the Island. These will wrap up on February 7. Most of the other Island commemorations will take place starting in the spring, culminating in a special party at Green Gables on what would be Maud’s 134th birthday.
Other commemorative acts will inclue the issuing of collectors’ stamps by Canada Post, which will happen on the anniversary of the book’s publication, on June 20. Penguin Canada will publish a special commemorative edition of Anne of Green Gables along with Budge Wilson’s prequel novel Before Green Gables this spring. CTV will air Sullivan’s prequel miniseries Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning. Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery co-editor Mary Rubio will publish her biography of LMM this year; and University of PEI Professor Elizabeth Epperly’s book Imagining Anne: The Island Scrapbooks will be released next month.
Toronto Star: Anne of Green Gables Turns 100
Anne 2008
Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning
