World première of Anne of Green Gables brightens the 2025 Season!

Stratford, ON… Grab a glass of raspberry cordial and join us for a story of love, family and friendship as Kat Sandler’s adaptation of Anne of Green Gables makes its world première at the Stratford Festival. Directed by Sandler and led by Caroline Toal, Tim Campbell and Sarah Dodd, the east-coast charmer begins previews today at the Avon Theatre.

When Anne Shirley arrives at Green Gables she’s a bit of a surprise to Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, the brother and sister who had planned to adopt a boy to help out around the farm. With her tenacious spirit and winning personality, Anne earns their love and respect. But when Anne’s fiery temper causes sparks to fly in Avonlea, will she be able to win the town over too? Will her best friend Diana be lost to her forever? What about her arch nemesis Gilbert Blythe?

Generations of readers have fallen in love with Lucy Maud Montgomery’s timeless tale about the red-headed orphan longing for a forever home. Prepare to be swept off your feet once more by a fresh, new adaptation that will touch your heart, tickle your funny bone and feed your imagination.

“At its heart, this production is about the power of imagination. As a young theatregoer, I was always in awe of the simplest bits of theatre magic,” says Sandler. “Being asked to use my imagination made me feel like part of the story, as if I were necessary to the telling of it. That feeling eventually led me to a career in storytelling.”

Anne of Green Gables features Caroline Toal as Anne Shirley, Tim Campbell as Matthew Cuthbert, Sarah Dodd as Marilla Cuthbert, with Yoshie Bancroft, Maev Beaty as Rachel Lynde, Helen Belay as Josie Pye, Ijeoma Emesowum, Jordin Hall as Gilbert Blythe, 郝邦宇 Steven Hao as Jane Andrews, Manami Hara, Jenna-Lee Hyde, Josue Laboucane as Moody Spurgeon, Julie Lumsden as Diana Barry, Allison Lynch, Douglas Oyama, Irene Poole, Jennifer Villaverde as Prissy Andrews and Rylan Wilkie.

Sandler is joined by Set and Costume Designer Joanna Yu 余頌恩, Lighting Designer Davida Tkach, Composer James Smith, Sound Designer Debashis Sinha and Movement Director Julie Tomaino.

Anne of Green Gables is a Stratford Festival Commission and officially opens on May 31 and runs until October 25 at the Avon Theatre. Tickets are available at stratfordfestival.ca or by calling 1.800.567.1600.

The 2025 season also features As You Like It, Annie, Sense and Sensibility, Dangerous Liaisons, Macbeth, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Winter’s Tale, Forgiveness, Ransacking Troy and The Art of War. For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca.

The 2025 season is generously supported by Ophelia Lazaridis.

Proud 2025 Season Partners: BMO Financial Group, Canada Life and RBC Royal Bank.

Production support is generously provided by The Schulich Foundation.

CAST (in alphabetical order)

Yoshie Bancroft                      Understudy

Maev Beaty                            Rachel Lynde, Chorus

Helen Belay                            Josie Pye, Chorus

Tim Campbell                         Matthew Cuthbert

Sarah Dodd                             Marilla Cuthbert

Ijeoma Emesowum                 Understudy

Jordin Hall                              Gilbert Blythe, Chorus

郝邦宇 Steven Hao                 Jane Andrews, Chorus

Manami Hara                          Understudy

Jenna-Lee Hyde                      Understudy

Josue Laboucane                     Moody Spurgeon, Chorus

Julie Lumsden                         Diana Barry, Chorus

Allison Lynch                         Understudy

Douglas Oyama                      Understudy

Irene Poole                              Understudy

Caroline Toal                          Anne Shirley

Jennifer Villaverde                 Prissy Andrews, Chorus

Rylan Wilkie                          Understudy

ARTISTIC CREDITS

Director, Playwright                                       Kat Sandler

Book                                                               Lucy Maud Montgomery

Set and Costume Designer                             Joanna Yu 余頌恩

Lighting Designer                                           Davida Tkach

Composer                                                        James Smith

Sound Designer                                              Debashis Sinha

Fight and Intimacy Director                           Anita Nittoly

Movement Director                                        Julie Tomaino

Associate Director                                          Luke Reece

Assistant Set and Costume Designer              Paige Prystupa

Assistant Lighting Designer                           Arantza Luna

Assistant to the Composer                              Jake Schindler

Dramaturge                                                     Keith Barker

Dramaturge                                                     Jill Harper

Stage Manager                                                Kim Lott

Assistant Stage Manager                                Erin Fitzgerald

Assistant Stage Manager                                Brian Scott

Assistant Stage Manager                                Abby Stevenson

Production Stage Manager                             Bona Duncan

Production Assistant                                       Madie Bennett

Technical Director                                          Tristan Goethel