Saint Ursula Academy's ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

Review by Justin Hughes, Taylor High School Critic Team

Around the "Lake of Shining Waters" and down the "White Way of Delight," the company of Saint Ursula Academy took audiences on a moving journey to Avonlea in their production of Anne of Green Gables.

Deriving from Lucy Maud Montgomery's novel of the same title, Joseph Robinette breathes life into the enduring classic Anne of Green Gables with his new adaptation, which premiered in August of 2009. Robinette's Anne of Green Gables is a perfect blend of excitement and simplicity, as a feisty and headstrong young girl, Anne Shirley, is mistakenly adopted by siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. This coming-of-age tale follows Anne Shirley in triumph and tragedy as she grows from adolescence to adulthood.

Anne of Green Gables at Saint Ursula Academy was a beautiful display of storytelling brought to life by the collaborative efforts and cohesion between onstage portrayals and efficient technical elements.

Standing at the forefront of this production was Molly Heffernan in a captivating embodiment of Anne Shirley. Heffernan won the hearts of the Cuthberts and audiences alike as she navigated a shift from the witty adolescent Anne to a maturing and established young woman. She displayed a variety of sentiments and an understanding of not only the role, but her influence upon the show. Her vast use of facial expressions in moments of joviality to more nuanced acting choices in moments of longing and intimacy showcased her ability to influence the motives and choices made by other performers. Most notable was her contrast in scenes alongside Logan Dunn as Marilla Cuthbert. Heffernan and Dunn's opposing motives complemented each other's performances and ultimately formed a beautiful bond of love and friendship. Dunn brought to life a captivating performance as she embodied the crumbling of Marilla's tough facade as she allows herself to love Anne, becoming her mother figure. Her maturity as an actor and powerful choices were on full display as she seamlessly transitioned through a myriad of expressions.

Adding a layer of lighthearted hilarity to this powerful piece was Bella Roda as Rachel Lynde. Roda took on the role of Rachel Lynde with full commitment to character and a consistent accent matching her elegant nature. Roda played into the comedic relief, leaving the audience in billows of laughter with impeccably timed one-liners. Anne of Green Gables is truly an ensemble piece, and it was evident that the cast at Saint Ursula Academy was close-knit and thoroughly comprehended the beauty of the story they told. The full cast moments ranged greatly in emotion, but each felt just as important and powerful as the ones it follows and precedes.

Beautifully complementing the onstage portrayals were seamless efforts by the crew at Saint Ursula Academy. The stage management crew, consisting of Maggie Baker, Maya Chavez, Riley Connley, Nora Goodwin, and Lujayn Mohamed, contributed to smooth and fast scene changes, keeping the show well-paced. Three of their members dressed in costume to keep scene changes seamless and seem like that of the actors' efforts. The efficiency of the stage crew perfectly worked in tandem with the efforts of the lights crew. The lights crew, consisting of Brooklyn Jenkins, Shannon McDonald, and Anna Nienhaus, added depth to this production. Each cue or chosen color perfectly represented the gravity of each scene and allowed the actors to shine.

Saint Ursula Academy's Anne of Green Gables was a beautifully moving collaboration of performance and backstage diligence that reinforced themes of friendship, growing up, and the power of love.

Review by Grace Siener, Mercy McAuley High School Critic Team

A girl simply can't survive if she never experiences the quaint story of Anne of Green Gables; for it is a lesson exploding with an abundance of knowledge, laughter, and sincerity, that was exquisitely encapsulated by the skillful students of Saint Ursula Academy.

This play is based on the 1908 novel written by Lucy Maud Montgomery, which has also been retold in multiple hit TV series. Anne of Green Gables follows the life of the 11-year-old orphan, Anne Shirley, who has an uncontrollable temperament due to the sensitivity she has toward her hair color. Miss Anne talks the ear off anyone she comes face-to-face with, which is both a blessing and a curse for her. She consistently gets herself into trouble, but with her intelligent charms and the people she loves by her side, she ventures into her responsibility-bearing future and overcomes many challenges while flourishing into the unknown.

Saint Ursula Academy introduced a warm world in which Anne abided as they depicted this delightful story. This production was beautifully coordinated among the cast and crew members as they opened the floodgates to what the curiosity and wonderment of childhood feel like.

Molly Heffernan, who inhabited her role as Anne Shirley, made the show so very lovely with her sweet and genuine stage presence. Heffernan made sure that Anne was as lovable, intelligent, and hilarious as she could be, through her tomboyish mannerisms and wonderfully executed lines. In addition to Anne was her "kindred spirit," Matthew Cuthbert (Gabrielle Plummer), who was simply there to let his darling adopted daughter ramble. Although Matthew is not a man of many words, Plummer did a phenomenal job balancing his awkwardness and gentle compassion.

With the tranquility of this show also comes the hilarious chaos. Bella Roda, who portrayed the perplexing Rachel Lynde, stole the show with her entrancing stage presence and the hysterical mannerisms she added to each one of her witty remarks. Along with Rachel Lynde, there was another poised lady, Josephine Barry (Abbey Mader). Despite not being a very crucial character in the performance, Mader took this smaller role and made Josephine Barry into a charismatic character that made the audience burst into laughter.

This performance wouldn't have flowed as smoothly as it did if not for the stage managers (Maggie Baker, Maya Chavez, Riley Connley, Nora Goodwin, Lujayn Mohamed) . Stage management in this show was absolutely remarkable, and it was obvious not only in the well-executed performance but throughout the entire process. The stage managers handled issues behind the scenes with their organized scheduling, and some were even in costumes, becoming the run crew themselves. Accompanying stage management came the period-accurate costuming (Shannon Walsh and Kali Boeing) . The ornate costumes in this production were absolutely stunning and were one of the most crucial pieces that truly fabricated Anne's cozy and amiable perspective. These crews, both individually and united, were critical pieces in capturing the childlike nostalgia of the story, and they achieved it magnificently.

Anne may seem small, but ultimately the mighty Anne of Green Gables is a story that many hold close to their hearts. It is also a performance that not many can pull off, yet Saint Ursula Academy most certainly did, and they did it with exceeding finesse.

Review by Ravyn Jones, William Mason High School Critic Team

Fields of flowers, rolling hills, and quaint cottages—from the second the curtain opened on Saint Ursula Academy's production of Anne of Green Gables, the audience's minds were filled with these beautiful images of the Canadian countryside.

Anne of Green Gables is based on the classic novel of the same name and follows the life of orphan Anne Shirley as she grows up on the farm Green Gables in the small town of Avonlea. The play details Anne's struggles as she matures, with her friendships, school life, and the challenges of being different.

Saint Ursula Academy's production had a wonderfully quaint energy that captured the spirit of Avonlea. Their lighting, set, costumes, and more all worked together to achieve this spirit, alongside actors who, when looking at the understanding of their characters, seemed to have grown up with the books and adored them just as much as the audience.

Anne Shirley, known for her fiery red hair and even more fiery spirit, was a charismatic and compelling lead thanks to the work of Molly Heffernan. Heffernan was faced with the difficult task of portraying a young girl at the start of the play and a mature young adult by the end, yet she mastered the art of using her mannerisms to depict Anne's age. Gabrielle Plummer played Anne's adoptive father Matthew Cuthbert, and her calm and gentle spirit was harmonious with Heffernan's adventurous and curious personality.

Perhaps one of the most famous parts of Anne's story is her friendship with her bosom friend, Diana Barry, played by Sierra Rahe. They had such natural chemistry and energy that it seemed as if they had always been friends, even offstage. Diana's aunt Josephine Barry, played by Abbey Mader, had a natural comedic energy whether she was scolding the young girls or telling them about her own youth.

While it was certainly a challenge to portray these children growing up, Costumes (Shannon Walsh, Kali Boeing) used simple dresses which gradually grew more mature and complex, showing the children's aging. Lighting (Anna Nienhaus, Brooklyn Jenkins, Shannon McDonald) used subtle changes within scenes to show a shift in tone, using lighting elements in a way that didn't feel obtrusive but still got their point across.

Anne of Green Gables is a book now over a hundred years old, yet it is still being read by children across generations. To adapt this beloved story into a play takes a charm and understanding which Saint Ursula Academy absolutely had. With performances like these, Anne of Green Gables is sure to be remembered for generations to come.

Excerpts From Other Top Reviews

"Starting the show off with her rompish stage entrance, Molly Heffernan, playing Anne Shirley, sparkled on stage with her witty and vibrant personality. Heffernan flawlessly mixed the appropriate mirthful and waggish traits that Anne is known for into all her movements and gestures. The full embodiment of Anne that Heffernan portrayed was mischievous and quirky in all the right ways, creating a cohesive dynamic between herself and her co-stars."

-Cece Rasmussen, Mariemont High School Critic Team

"Costumes crew, led by Shannon Walsh , pulled outfits that were not only period-accurate but also seamless and uniform across the ensemble. All schoolchildren donned either a dress or suit accurate to place and time, which greatly helped make principal characters such as Anne or Diana stand out even further. Additionally, the costumes of these principal characters were pulled in a way to differentiate them from the rest of their peers, symbolizing how different Anne initially was from the rest of the children her age. Props crew, led by Nora Bower , Lora Conners , and Josie Elsass , created pieces that also emphasized the uniformity of the ensemble, all while staying accurate to the period. Items such as a small chalkboard and books were mass-produced to look uniform and blend in with the general aesthetic of the show."

-Violet Hisey, Highlands High School Critic Team

"When Anne first arrived at Green Gables, the Light Crew, Anna Nienhaus, Brooklyn Jenkins, and Shannon McDonald, created a dreamlike mood with a vivid green. They later created silhouettes of Anne and her friends by keeping them unlit with vivid colors behind them, which created a sense of suspense and drama. The Sound Crew, Lia Beimesche and Geraldina Jeronimo Simon, ensured voices were heard crisply and clearly. They used instrumental tracks in between scenes to create a soundscape of storybook whimsy."

-Thea Godel, Taylor High School Critic Team

"Logan Dunn had an eye-catching take on the strong-willed Marilla Cuthbert. Her headstrong take contrasted perfectly with Heffernan's Anne. This also aligned perfectly with Gabrielle Plummer's loving take on Matthew Cuthbert. This striking family dynamic created a welcoming environment that made the audience feel at home. As well as this, Sierra Rahe did an excellent job at playing Anne's bosom buddy, Diana Barry. Her stylings worked perfectly to fit the storybook friendship. Her hilarious intoxication in the cherry cordial scene brought fits of laughter all around."

-Jonathan Rubin, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team

"As for tech, all crews created a beautiful sense of what Green Gables was really like. Hair and makeup designer Mara Moore did an amazing job of creating each character's look. Most notable was Anne's fiery red hair, which was done using wigs that were styled by the crew. Another technical element that was exceptionally well executed was sound. Designed by Lia Beimesche and Geraldina Jeronimo Simon, it transported the audience into Avonlea by adding soundscapes with birds as well as music during scene changes."

-Adah Mosher, Walnut Hills High School Critic Team

"The show's impeccable pacing was a standout facet of Saint Ursula Academy's performance due to swift set changes by costumed stage managers. The acoustic musical underscoring, historical garments, and lively motion of the ensemble built an immersive experience."

-Norah Shadwell, Highlands High School Critic Team

"With each flash of light, Saint Ursula Academy's Anne of Green Gables worked in harmony to bring L.M. Montgomery's beloved story to life. Through clear dedication, the audience did more than just watch Anne's journey; they lived it alongside her, empathizing with every challenge she faced."

-Samuel Aronoff, William Mason High School Critic Team