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Thank
you
TO THE WONDERFUL CAST FOR A GREAT READING!!!!
About
the authors:
Michael
Upward, music/book, has a Master's Degree in musical
composition. He has written many choral compositions which are published by Maestro Music Press, including two full-length dramatic musical presentations for Lent: Amazing Grace and Soul of My Savior. In addition to The Bend in the Road, Michael has written three other full-length musicals including Detention! The Musical. He has written two mini-musicals the value of good nutrition called Indy Jo and the TemPLATE of Health and Mission Nutrition: The Musical which are performed over 200 times a year to school children throughout Southern California. He
is a pianist, singer and musical director working with many Los Angeles
area theater, opera and church groups. He dedicates this show to his
kindred spirit and wonderful daughter, Kelsey Upward. www.michaelupward.com.
Benita Scheckel, lyrics/book, is a SAG actor and a professional singer. Having guest starred in ABC's supernatural thriller, Miracles and on CBS's crime drama, Close to Home, Scheckel turned her talents to voicover as the Christmas caroler, Becky in Disney Channel's hit televsion series, Phineas and Ferb. As a teacher, Benita has taught songwriting and composition workshops for Southland Opera
in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Currently, she is the
performing arts director for Blair School in the Pasadena Unified
School District. Ms. Scheckel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Music and a Masters degree in Cross-Cultural Education. She lives in
Pasadena with her husband, Nick, and two daughters, Madison and Anna. IMDB
Synopsis:
Matthew
Cuthbert and his sister Marilla Cuthbert live on a small
farm in the town of Avonlea called Green Gables. Because
Matthew is advanced in age, he and his sister decide to
adopt a boy to help on the farm. To their surprise, and
because of an error, they receive an orphan girl, Anne
Shirley. Anne is very talkative and has an extremely vivid
imagination. When she doesn't like the name of a place or
person, she imagines a new one, and she only spells her
name with an "E." Winning over the hearts of
Matthew and Marilla, she begins to settle in to life in
Avonlea. Rachel Lynde, town busybody, is horrified at the
prospect of an orphan living at Green Gables. Her best friend and kindred spirit is Diana
Barry. Gilbert Blythe, the school heartthrob, is very
popular among the girls, including the snobby and
self-centered Josie Pye. Anne has no interest in the drama
between the boys and the girls, and often just sticks to
her imagination and reading. Constantly making huge
mistakes, Anne accidentally intoxicates her best friend
Diana and they are banned from seeing one another for
several months partially due to Rachel Lynde putting in
her oar.
Anne's true character comes to light when she saves
Diana's sister's life, and Rachel Lynde decides to give
Anne a chance. Eventually they become fast friends. Anne's
imagination continues in full force and eventually comes
back to haunt her as she enters the Haunted Wood one
night. She is terrorized by her imaginary ghosts and
spirits. Not being able to resist a dare, Anne one day
climbs the school house roof and falls off. Gilbert
Blythe, her arch enemy, comes to the rescue and Anne
secretly realizes her love for him, although continuing
not to show it. As Anne's 17th birthday approaches,
Matthew solicits the help of Rachel to make her a
beautiful new dress. After giving her this gift,
Matthew realizes that his little girl is grown up, and
they sing together: "One Little Drop." Matthew
passes away soon after, and Anne graduates from school as valedictorian.
Anne decides to stay and become the Avonlea schoolteacher
until Gilbert offers to take her place. Anne and
Diana go off to college excited about their new life at
The Bend in the Road.
The
Characters:
Anne
Shirley: Anne is a fiery red-headed, opinionated, super
intelligent, highly imaginative girl. Able to talk the
"hind leg off a mule" she is always living deep
within her imagination.
Rachel
Lynde: Rachel
is the town busybody. She loves to be at the heart
of all the drama that takes place to the point of causing
a problem, then promptly fixing it.
Marilla
Cuthbert: Marilla
is a very serious, hardworking homemaker. Sister to
Matthew, she is continuously trying to keep order in the
house and to give Anne a proper upbringing.
Matthew
Cuthbert: Matthew is an elderly, not highly educated man,
who is the brother of Marilla. He loves Anne's talking and
her company and becomes like a father to her.
Gilbert
Blythe: Gilbert is gorgeous, very smart, and loves
to tease the girls. He continuously tries to get Anne to
like him, but she refuses.
Anne and Gilbert compete in their school work.
Diana
Barry: Diana is beautiful, dainty,
prim and proper.
Anne’s best friend, and "kindred
spirit."
Teddy
Phillips: Teddy is the nerdy first year teacher of the
Avonlea school. He is dreadfully in love with Prissy Andrews who is just
about to graduate. He
wears glasses and a bow tie. Too intellectual for his own
good. (Also plays stationmaster, headless man and
ensemble)
Mrs.
Barry: Diana’s very proper
mother, rather serious and stuffy.
(Also
plays mother, old woman/mother in-law and ensemble)
Josie
Pye:
Josie's character is like
Nellie Olsen. She
has over done hair in ringlets, she is popular, mean and a
bully.
Sophia
Sloan:
Friend and cohort to Josie.
Small minded, always follows Josie's lead.
Ruby
Gillis: Josie's
2nd friend. The three of them are constantly gossiping
together, daring one another and lording their beauty over
the other girls.
Charlie
Sloan: Gilbert's best friend.
Follows Gilbert's lead, also teases the girls. (Also plays porter and skeleton).
Billy
Andrews: Gilbert's
other friend. Prone to horseplay and tricks. (Also plays porter and
skeleton).
Prissy
Andrews: Billy’s older sister.
Beautiful, waif, constantly giggling, no lines, great dancer.
Has a crush on the teacher, Mr. Phillips. (Also plays
soldier’s wife and the white lady).
Production:
For
questions, please email benita.scheckel@maestrocompany.com
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