OH ANNE! (2025)

OH ANNE! (2025) is a musical comedy written by Bridget Ryan that is based on L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables.

The show's description declares it is: "A beloved Canadian story. Completely reimagined," and continues by saying, "Fast-paced, funny and full of heart, four powerhouse performers bring dozens of characters to life in a fresh theatrical take on the beloved classic. With bold storytelling, infectious East Coast music and a distinctly Canadian spirit, OH, ANNE! turns a familiar story into something completely new."

OH ANNE! premiered at the Carter-Ryan Theatre in Canmore, Alberta, Canada on June 12, 2025. The production starred Emma Reynolds, Jorja Polischuk, Jordan Empson, and Emma Ryan and was directed by Bridget Ryan. The 90-minute show was produced Bridget Ryan and Jason Carter and had musical direction by Lisa MacDougall.

In an article published in the Edmonton Journal, Bridget Ryan talks about her inspiration to write a new Anne musical. She grew up in a family of musical theatre actors and was more a fan of Little Orphan Annie than L.M. Montgomery's Anne Shirley. During the pandemic, Bridget Ryan listened to an Anne of Green Gables audiobook that was narrated by Megan Follows, who portrayed Anne Shirley in the 1985 Anne of Green Gables miniseries, and she found herself captivated by the story. She described the feeling saying, "I found myself just lost in this beautiful, eloquent word wizardry of Lucy Maud Montgomery, and the way Anne described the life lived, the eternal optimism."

After revisiting the story, Bridget Ryan decided to adapt Anne of Green Gables as a new musical. She was not a fan of the long-running Anne of Green Gables musical put on by the Charlottetown Festival. In the Edmonton Journal, Ryan recounts her intention to tell Anne's story "with a new, contemporary weight" and describes her musical as “a love letter, not just to Anne, the character, but to the spirit and the words of Lucy Maud Montgomery." She also aimed to capture the spirit of Prince Edward Island by including several traditional Canadian sea shanties in the musical. Her new adaptation was performed throughout the summer of 2025 at the Carter-Ryan Gallery and Live Art Venue in Canmore.

In a review of the musical, Liane Faulder describes OH ANNE! saying, "It’s smart, funny, and heart-breaking, too. Just like our girl, Anne."

OH ANNE! includes the following songs (according to its program):

Island Hymn
My Hat
Leave Her
Here's a Toast
Wellerman
What'll We Do
The Ballad of Mary McGee
Roll the Ol' Chariot
Matthew's Song
Blow the Winds
Wellerman (Reprise)

The Theatre Network describes OH ANNE! as follows:

Inspired by the beloved classic Anne of Green Gables, OH, ANNE! is a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud theatrical romp that reimagines Avonlea with a spirited East Coast twist. Fiddles soar, tempers flare, and Anne’s unstoppable imagination takes centre stage as the iconic red-haired heroine brings her signature charm, wit, and fiery determination to life like never before.

Four extraordinary, high-energy actors take on dozens of characters in this whirlwind production, transforming the stage with lightning-fast costume changes, inventive staging, and playful storytelling. Infectious Maritime-inspired music and lively theatricality create a joyful celebration of community, friendship, and the enduring spirit of one of Canada’s most cherished literary characters.

Expect a lively night of laughter, music, and theatrical magic as Avonlea springs vividly to life. With foot-stomping rhythms, heartfelt humour, and inventive staging, OH, ANNE! has quickly become a crowd favourite, charming theatre-goers of all ages.

Official Website:
OH ANNE! - Carter-Ryan Gallery and Theatre

Image Credit:
OH ANNE! graphic from the Carter-Ryan Gallery and Theatre.

References:
Faulder, Liane. (September 10, 2026). Bridget Ryan brings new spin on Anne of Green Gables to Roxy Theatre. Edmonton Journal. Retrieved from: https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/bridget-ryan-brings-new-spin-on-anne-of-green-gables-to-roxy-theatre

Faulder, Liane. (September 18, 2026). Review: Theatre Network's Oh Anne! a smart, funny adaptation. Edmonton Journal. Retrieved from: https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/review-oh-anne-theatre-network-roxy

Created October 5, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

PEI and Anne of Green Gables Featured in AAA Explorer Magazine's Fall 2026 Issue

Last week, I received the Oct/Nov/Dec 2026 issue of AAA Explorer magazine in the mail, and I had an Anne of Green Gables sighting. The magazine featured an article called "Iconic Canada: 10 epic trips to the Great White North" with "awe-inspiring" travel ideas for each of Canada's 10 provinces.


For Prince Edward Island, the suggested experience is "The Island Walk," a 435-mile (700-km) journey around the island. The walk is made up of 32 sections of trails, and each section is walkable in roughly one day. The Island Walk was created by Bryson Guptill, an avid hiker and musician, who was inspired after he completed the Camino de Santiago in Spain.

AAA Explorer magazine describes the "Whoa factor" of The Island Walk saying,

"Pastoral scenes along the walk evoke the flights of fancy of Anne of Green Gables, the literary figure created by PEI writer Lucy Maud Montgomery."

You can read the article online to see the suggested experiences for the other Canadian provinces. It really made me want to travel back to Prince Edward Island.


Image Credits:
Photographs of AAA Explorer magazine by World of Anne Shirley.

Websites:
10 one-of-a-kind experiences across Canada by AAA Explorer magazine
The Island Walk

Created October 4, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Thistle Harvest: Celebrating 100 Years of The Blue Castle (2026)

Thistle Harvest: Celebrating 100 Years of The Blue Castle (2026) is a new theatrical adaptation by Taylor Grist based on L.M. Montgomery's novel The Blue Castle, which was first published in 1926.

Thistle Harvest was produced to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the novel. According to the production's website, "One hundred years later, Thistle Harvest brings Valancy's funny, romantic and quietly rebellious story to the stage for a new audience—as readers and scholars around the world celebrate the novel's centenary."

The play premiered on September 26, 2026, and performances are scheduled for September 27th and October 1st–4th at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Norval, Ontario, Canada. This location is near where L.M. Montgomery once lived when she wrote The Blue Castle 100 years ago. Thistle Harvest is directed and produced by Taylor Grist and Katie Cleland-Busuttil.

In an article published in The Hamilton Spectator, Taylor Grist talks about translating the play's language for the stage. He explains that the play's name Thistle Harvest is taken from the novel. In The Blue Castle, the protagonist Valancy Stirling reads a book called Thistle Harvest by John Foster that gives her courage in her darkest moments. In the same interview, Grist expresses his hope that the play leaves the audience with the following message: "It’s never too late in your life to live the life you want to live and to start living that life."

In an article published in HaltonHillsToday.ca, Grist gives the background on how he was asked to adapt L.M. Montgomery's work as a play to celebrate the novel's centennial. He also talks about his approach in bringing the story to the stage in an impactful and energetic way.

Thistle Harvest is described as follows at the production's website:

Twenty-nine years of being good is quite enough.

For twenty-nine years, Valancy Stirling has been the dutiful daughter, the family wallflower and, by her own estimation, rather spectacularly unhappy.

Then a devastating piece of news gives her something she has never had before: permission to stop being afraid.

Suddenly, Valancy is speaking her mind, defying her formidable family and stepping into a life that bears a surprising resemblance to the imaginary "Blue Castle" where she has always escaped. And somewhere along the way there is a mysterious nature writer, an infamous man named Barney Snaith, a scandal or two—and perhaps even love.

Funny, theatrical and full of heart, Thistle Harvest brings L.M. Montgomery's The Blue Castle to the stage as Valancy takes the audience along on her unconventional journey toward a life that is finally her own.

Official Website:
Thistle Harvest Prod.

Image Credit:
Thistle Harvest graphic from Thistle Harvest Prod.

References:
Collington, Christian. (August 25, 2026). ‘Thistle Harvest’ brings beloved Lucy Maud Montgomery novel to the stage in Halton Hills. The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved from: https://www.thespec.com/news/canada/thistle-harvest-brings-beloved-lucy-maud-montgomery-novel-to-the-stage-in-halton-hills/article_6147d97f-09d4-5709-81eb-6994c5d51456.html

Garbutt, Herb. (September 21, 2026). New play debuting in Norval marks 100 years of L.M. Montgomery’s ‘The Blue Castle.’ HaltonHillsToday.ca. Retrieved from: https://www.haltonhillstoday.ca/local-news/new-play-debuting-in-norval-marks-100-years-of-lm-montgomerys-the-blue-castle-12802891

Created October 1, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

September slipped by...

"September slipped by into a gold and crimson graciousness of October."
-L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Avonlea

Read more quotes by L.M. Montgomery.

Image credit:
Photograph by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Anne of Avonlea:



Created September 30, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The New York Times Features Anne of Green Gables in Its Book Review Quiz Bowl

The New York Times featured an Anne of Green Gables quote in its weekly Book Review Quiz Bowl on Monday, September 28, 2026.

This week’s installment is a Literary Quotable Quotes Quiz by J. D. Biersdorfer that tests the reader's recognition of classic lines from literature. The quiz highlights quotes about the autumn season from popular books. The reader is asked: "Can You Match These Autumnal Quotes to the Correct Book?" In question 1 of the five multiple choice questions, one possible answer is Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.


Did you get question 1 right? How did you do on the rest of the quiz?

If you're interested in answering more Book Review Quiz Bowl questions, you can check out the archive of 200+ past quizzes.


Links:
The New York Times Book Review Quiz Bowl for Monday, September 28, 2026

Image Credits:
Screencaptures of a portions of The New York Times Book Review Quiz Bowl for Monday, September 28, 2026.

Created September 30, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Blue Castle at 100: Symposium & Exhibit Launch at the University of Guelph

On Friday, October 23, 2026, the University of Guelph and the L.M. Montgomery Institute at the University of Prince Edward Island are co-sponsoring a special event to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the publication of L.M. Montgomery's novel The Blue Castle.

The special event includes a symposium and an exhibit launch at The University of Guelph. The symposium will take place from 9:00 am–3:30 pm (EDT) on October 23, 2026 in the McLaughlin Library 246 Robert Whitelaw Room.

You can register to attend the event in person, and if you don't live nearby, you can register to view the event online at the University of Guelph website.

Here are the details on the event from the L.M. Montgomery Institute:

In 1922, L.M. Montgomery and her family vacationed in the Muskoka Lakes region of Ontario. The beauty of rugged landscape inspired her to write The Blue Castle (1926), a departure from her previous works, and her only novel set entirely outside of Prince Edward Island. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of this unique, beloved text, join us for a one-day symposium and exhibit launch, hosted by the University of Guelph’s McLaughlin Library in partnership with the L.M. Montgomery Institute at the University of Prince Edward Island. Hear presentations about the novel’s literary legacies and learn more about the Muskoka region that captured Montgomery’s imagination.

The Blue Castle at 100: L.M. Montgomery’s Ontario Story, Event Schedule

9:00–10:30 AM, Welcome and Session 1: “The Blue Castle’s Productive Disruptions”

Session Chair: Heidi Lawrence (Brigham Young University)
Rita Bode (Trent University), “Family Life Interrupted”
Laura Robinson (Chair, LMMI Management Committee, Acadia University), “‘mosque and palace and minaret’: Decentering Whiteness in The Blue Castle”
Melanie Fishbane (Western University), “Finding Her Happy Hour: Queering Happily Ever After in The Blue Castle”

10:30–11:00 AM, Refreshment Break

11:00 AM–12:15 PM, Session 2: “Time, Place, and Things of The Blue Castle”

Session Chair: Heidi Lawrence (Brigham Young University)
Allison McBain Hudson (Current LMMI Visiting Scholar, Dublin City University), “Objects as Agents of Change in The Blue Castle”
Tara K. Parmiter (New York University), “‘The Son of Purple Pills’: The Nature of Family Shame in The Blue Castle,”
Andrea McKenzie (York University), “A Jazz Age Fairy Tale

12:15–1:30 PM Lunch on your own (many options available on and near campus)

1:30–2:30 PM, Session 3: “100 Years of The Blue Castle: The Exhibit Overview”

Exhibit Curators: Ashley Shifflett McBrayne (University of Guelph) and Emily Woster (The College of St. Scholastica)

2:30–2:45 PM, Special Guests: Jack and Linda Hutton, from Bala’s Museum with Memories of Lucy Maud Montgomery

2:45 PM-, Refreshments and time to explore the exhibit

Official Websites:
Registration for the Symposium and Exhibit Launch - The Blue Castle at 100: L.M. Montgomery's Ontario Story at the University of Guelph
Symposium & Exhibit Launch: 100 Years of The Blue Castle at the University of Guelph - schedule and info at the L.M. Montgomery Institute webpage

Image Credit:
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. Book cover of the 1941 Harrap edition.

Created September 28, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Support an Anne of Green Gables Project at LEGO IDEAS, Part II

For the past two years, I've been following Iyan Ha's efforts to make an Anne of Green Gables LEGO set a reality. The first attempt failed, but he is trying again. Iyan Ha's LEGO project recreates Green Gables and includes five minifigures: Anne Shirley, Matthew Cuthbert, Marilla Cuthbert, Gilbert Blythe, and Diana Barry. The intricate design involves 2,935 LEGO bricks, and you can model several pivotal scenes from L.M. Montgomery's novel.

The product idea has a chance of becoming a real LEGO set if it gains 10,000 supporters. After it reaches this goal, the idea will undergo an expert review by LEGO before the project is approved for production. Last month (when I took this screencap), I became supporter #1,372. As of today, the project has gained the support of 4,968 people!

You can sign up to support the project too at the Anne of Green Gables project page at LEGO IDEAS. Let's hope the proposal succeeds and goes into production!

Official Website:
Anne of Green Gables Product Idea at LEGO IDEAS by Iyan Ha

Image Credits:
Screencapture of the Anne of Green Gables Product Idea by Iyan Ha at LEGO IDEAS.

Created September 22, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Blue Castle Book Club Read

This September, Reddit's Book Club Community has selected L.M. Montgomery's The Blue Castle as one of its Gutenberg Novella selections. First published in 1926, The Blue Castle celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, making it a special time to read or re-read the story. Anyone who knows me, knows that Valancy Stirling is one of my favorite literary heroines. Years ago, I wrote The Blue Castle Encyclopedia (beware of spoilers in it if you're new to the book) and several other webpages about the book, back when there was little info about the story online at all.

Reddit's Book Club community is great fun. The moderators hold multiple concurrent book club reads each month. You can drop in and participate in as many discussions as you like. Here's a look at the book club's calendar. For September, it includes Katabasis, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Blue Castle, Hungry Ghosts, The Vegetarian, Ficciones, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, The Books of Jacob, The Moonstone, Parisian Days, Shattered Gods, City of Illusions, Among the Burning Flowers, 2010: Odyssey Two, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Platform Decay, Sweet Berries, The Trouble With Peace, plus The Monthly Mini and Poetry Corner. Beyond having a wide selection of options to read, I love that the Reddit Book Club is an open community and not a walled off part of the internet.

The Blue Castle discussion schedule has three check-in dates:

September 16, 2026 - Discussion 1 - Chapter I through XIII
September, 23, 2026 - Discussion 2 - Chapter XIV through XXVIII
September, 30, 2026 - Discussion 3 - Chapter XXIX through end
[Marginalia] Gutenberg Novella | The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery - for jotting down thoughts, musings, ideas, or background info while reading the novel
I hope you'll join us in reading The Blue Castle this month!


Website:
[Schedule] Gutenberg Novella | The Blue Castle by L M Montgomery

Image Credits:
Edited image of The Blue Castle (1926) from archive.org.

Created September 13, 2026. Last updated October 1, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com