Actors announced
Four more leads have been named for Anne of Green Gables-The Musical
Four more leads have been revealed for the upcoming season of the Charlottetown Festival.
Returning as Anne Shirley’s academic rival and would-be beau, Gilbert Blythe, in Anne of Green Gables-The Musical is Connor Lucas.
Anne’s guardians, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, will be played by Laurie Murdoch and Marlane O’Brien. Also joining the cast as kindred spirit Diana Barry is Quinn Dooley.
The pride of Comox Valley, B.C., Lucas will also perform this season in the hilarious jazz-age musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, as loyal best man George. He returns to the festival following roles in A Misfortune, Stories from the Red Dirt Road and the Young Company. He also recently starred as the title character in the acclaimed Pinocchio (Young People’s Theatre).
Lucas is grateful to share the stage with Emma Rudy once again. He says: “To me, Anne Shirley’s spirit is one bursting with fiery passion, but also gentle kindness, and above all, boundless imagination. Emma encompasses all those traits and dives into the role with a fervour befitting Anne herself.”
Dooley last appeared at the festival in 2015 in the critically acclaimed remount of Evangeline. She recently performed in Ring of Fire with the Citadel Theatre, Once with The Grand and RMTC and Mamma Mia! for the Capitol Theatre.
“I am so excited to be back on the Island working with the wonderful cast and creative team of Anne,” said Dooley, from Edmonton.
“I’ve always wanted to play Diana and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring her to life for festival audiences this summer.”
Playing Matthew Cuthbert is screen and stage actor Laurie Murdoch. Originally from Whalley, B.C., Murdoch played the conflicted Col. Winslow in Evangeline and was part of the Dora-winning cast of Once with Mirvish. He has appeared on screen in the Oscar-winning film Spotlight and on hit TV series Murdoch Mysteries, Rookie Blue, Dan for Mayor and Warehouse 13.
O’Brien, from P.E.I., returns to Anne of Green Gables-The Musical as Marilla, having memorably played the role on an emergency basis in 2019. She has also played Marilla, Rachel Lynde, Lucilla and other ladies of Avonlea to date.
A long-time festival favourite, O’Brien is known for her turns in A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline and her play, Stories from the Red Dirt Road (Charlottetown) as well as Calendar Girls and Annie with Neptune.