Anne and Jersey Boys to headline Charlottetown festival next summer
The Confederation Centre of the Arts has announced the two musicals that will headline next year's Charlottetown Festival: Its long-time centrepiece about a beloved red-haired orphan, and a classic jukebox musical.
Anne of Green Gables — The Musical will be back on the centre's main stage after producers hit pause for 2023. The return in 2024 coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Confederation Centre, and the 150th birthday of Island-born author L.M. Montgomery.
Jersey Boys will also hit the Charlottetown stage next summer. The Broadway show with a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, based on the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, has won awards including a Grammy and multiple Tonys.
Anne will run from June 19 to Aug. 31. Jersey Boys will be staged from June 25 to Sept. 21.
Adam Brazier will be directing the Charlottetown Festival version of Jersey Boys, based on the lives and music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. (Confederation Centre of the Arts)
"We were really excited to announce the return of Anne of Green Gables," said Steve Bellamy, the Confederation Centre's CEO. "This incredible, historic, legendary show is returning to our stage.
"And alongside it will be Jersey Boys ... another legendary musical. It has been performed all over the world."
Anne of Green Gables — The Musical had been performed every year at the centre since 1965, until it was put on a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. It came back in 2022, but the centre decided it would only be staging the show every two years from then on to make room for other productions.
Bellamy said that's still the plan.
"This summer we were so excited to present Maggie, which is an original Canadian musical and something we want to keep doing. And we had The Play That Goes Wrong, which of course was a comedy hit on Broadway and London's West End," he said.
"It was fun to try something different, and the shows were beautiful shows. We were very happy."
Robin Calvert will take over as Anne's director as Adam Brazier moves on to direct Jersey Boys. Actors Kelsey Verzotti and Laurie Murdoch will be back as Anne Shirley and Matthew Cuthbert this year.
Tickets are on sale now for Confederation Centre members. The general public can purchase them starting Saturday, and some tickets for the preview period will be offered at a discount.
Shows planned for The Mack and the Outdoor Amphitheatre will be announced at a later date.
