Fredericton woman spends summer on P.E.I. stage after scoring dream role

Rose Messenger of Fredericton is living a dream this summer after scoring the role of Josie Pye in the musical Anne & Gilbert, on Prince Edward Island.

"I grew up watching this musical with my family. I had a family reunion … here on P.E.I. and we would come and see the Anne & Gilbert musical every single year. And I always loved Josie Pye's music so it's a bit of a full-circle moment."

"It's very very special to me, and it's very special for my family."

Messenger grew up in Fredericton taking part in musicals and productions with Theatre New Brunswick and at Fredericton High School. After graduating from FHS, she moved to the United States where she attended the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music.

She graduated with a bachelor of fine arts in musical theatre and, since late May, she's been performing with the Anne & Gilbert cast at the Florence Simmons Performance Hall at Holland College in Charlottetown.

Messenger said the musical follows Anne, played by Becca Guilderson, as she grows up, falls in love and goes off to university. But it really focuses on Anne's relationship with Gilbert, played by Hugh Ritchie, as the two begin to have more "grown up feelings."

Rose Messenger, seen here on an Anne & Gilbert poster, plays Josie Pye in the show. (Submitted by Ellen Messenger)

She said the other characters from the first musical also return, including Messenger's own character, Josie Pye, who is a bit of a bully and also in love with Gilbert.

Anne & Gilbert is the sequel to Anne of Green Gables, the beloved musical that has played at the Charlottetown Festival for decades, now playing only every second year.

Messenger said it has been an interesting experience acting in Anne & Gilbert while its predecessor isn't playing.

"Usually a lot of people will do kind of a double whammy and you know, they'll go to the Anne show one night and they'll come to Anne & Gilbert and see the sequel after," she said.

But because only the sequel is playing this year, Messenger said anyone seeking the "Anne experience" is going to Anne & Gilbert, leading to a sold out audience nearly every night.

"Performing for these full houses every night has just kept things so exciting," she said.

Anne debut

Along with playing Josie Pye, Messenger is also the understudy for Anne, which she got to play once, soon after the show had opened.

One morning around 9, Messenger said she was woken up by her roommate, who is also in the show, pounding on her door and telling her that the stage manager was trying to get in touch with her.

And it wasn't just the Anne actress who was sick, but Gilbert's actor had also fallen ill.

Messenger said at this point, they hadn't had a single understudy rehearsal yet, so there were five understudies having to go on for the same show with no rehearsal.

She said she ran to the theatre where they rehearsed from 10 a.m. right until opening, all while the costume team rooted through their archives to try to find something that would fit.

"I had texted my dad — he's in New Brunswick — I texted him very quickly that morning saying, 'I know it's probably impossible for you to get here. But I'm on for Anne tonight.' And my dad hopped in the car … and he sat right in the front row."

The show runs until Oct. 5 and after that Messenger will be moving to New York, where she plans to start auditioning for more roles.