A trio of performances by a talented cast of players helped ensure that Equinox Theatre’s latest production was another enjoyable success with local theatre lovers.
The newest selection was a classic Canadian story, the musical of “Anne of Green Gables”, which played over June 29, 30 and July 2, appropriately taking place over the Canada Day long weekend at the Outlook Civic Centre.
By the time the show made its debut on opening night, tickets for all three performances had sold out.
The story is an iconic one in Canadian literature and culture, set in the early 1900’s and telling the tale of Anne Shirley, a wide-eyed and imaginative orphan girl who begins to win over the people of Avonlea, a small community on Prince Edward Island.
Immersing herself in the titular role of the red-haired, freckle-faced Anne Shirley was Marcia Orton, who was given a big task of anchoring the production and managed to pull it off quite well, gaining much praise from theatre attendees for her mannerisms and vocal skills when it came to the numerous musical numbers.
Cast in the roles of Anne’s adoptive guardians were Kirk Friggstad and Justine Lustig, playing Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, respectively. A pro from many Equinox productions, Friggstad carried himself with thoughtful humanity in the role of Anne’s adoptive father figure, who sees her for the free spirit that she is right away, while Lustig was more of a standoff-ish figure who brought some authority to her role, but Anne’s ways eventually break down the stern mother’s emotional walls in a number of ways.
The rest of the large cast of characters brought a lot of authenticity to their roles as the townspeople of Avonlea who learn of Anne’s infectious ways and become impacted by the character. What also stood out in the show was the wardrobe of every character, as the clothes certainly looked like the real deal from the early 1900’s, and Equinox’s costume department is to be commended.
Rounding out the rest of the cast of “Anne of Green Gables” was Marilyn Gustafson, Donna Smith, Amber Turton, Kristen Friggstad, Conny Behenna, Trudy Rousell-Codling, Phil Guebert, Floyd Childerhose, Michelle Stalwick, Zoe Stalwick, Ellie-May Reddekopp, Ella Hopkins, Isla Cragg, McKenna Dillin, Annika Friggstad, Alexander Haugen, Trason Ridgewell, Daniel Yanez, Birgitte Friggstad, Caleb Turton, Abby Calvin, Bethany Kowalski, Nicholas Turton, Julianna Behenna, Delwyn Luedtke, Maureen Weiterman, Tekla Hunter, Justin Turton, and Garth Weiterman.
Equinox Theatre’s next production will be a return to dinner theatre in November, with an Elvis Presley-centric show entitled, “All The King’s Women”.
