PRESS RELEASE
Anne of Green Gables, A Western Canada Premiere
“Arts Alive" the Arts Festival in Surrey is featuring Anne of Green Gables
in March. The production is being mounted by the Suryey Arts Society with
the co-operation of Dovglas Cqlleg«. This will be the first time Anne of
Green Gables hag been produced in Western Canada.

Anne of Green Gables, adapted by Dqnald Harron with music by Norman Camphell
is based on the noyel by L.M. Montgomery. It was voted the best musical af
1969 in the London critics awards gponsored by the magazine "Play and Players”.
First written for television, then expanded in 1965 for the Charlottetown
Festival where it has been performed each year. A production toured Canada

in 1967. It was performed at Expo 70 by the Charlottetown company.

 

The director of the show is Dorothy Jones, a member of the Surrey Arts
Society, who comes from Alberta. She has studied at the Universities of
Alberta and Washington and the Banff Centre. While in Alberta, she was

head of the theatre department at Medicine Hat College. She has directed
and produced several musicals including: Sound of Music, L'il Abner, Oliver

and the Fantasticks. Mrs Jones is an instructor at Douglas College in Surrey.

The musical directors are Wally Robertson and Henry Waack. Wally Robertson,
presently a music instructor at Douglas College has directed musicals and
Operas in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and London,England. Henry Waack,
also an instructor at Douglas College, has worked on shows in Lethbridge,
Surrey and Edmonton. Hea is tne former president of the Surrey Arts Society.

Choreegrapny is by well known Dolores Kirkwood.

Gwyneth Walsh, who plays Anne, is a highly promising young actress from West
Vancouver. Mathew is played by Drew Kemp, well Known in local theatre.
Doreen Beiner of Surrey plays Marilla. The cast of forty is backed by a

20 piece orchestra.

Anne of Green Gables will be showing March 7,8 &nd:9 at the Centennial Arts
Centre, King George Highway and 88th Avenue in Surrey. The performance starts
at SPN.