Chalkboard Theatre company is back with their first production since the pandemic with the iconic Canadian story of Anne of Green Gables adapted from the 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Chalkboard brings this beloved Canadian classic in the form of a musical to the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre for a 7 p.m. evening show on May 5, and a 2 p.m. matinee on May 6 with all tickets costing $18. Co-director Cathy Schmidt, who has known the stage at CPAC since opening day and has artistic ties to it herself, couldn’t be more excited.
“We took the kids to the theatre at the end of March so they could have one theatre rehearsal. It was great to see the kids back in such a beautiful and commanding venue, and to share with them this gift called the Cowichan Theatre stage,” said Schmidt. “We told them the theatre is our home and the stage wouldn’t let us down, and that magic from past shows would give them the energy to be successful. We needed to find a show that suited our small cast with us rebuilding the company since COVID. We thought that Anne was traditional, it was Canadian, and that this would be a wonderful time to put this show on in the Cowichan Valley.”
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Set in the late 19th century, this timeless tale follows 11-year-old orphan girl Anne Shirley who is sent by mistake to two middle-aged siblings, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who originally intended to adopt a boy to help them with farm work in the fictional town of Avonlea in Prince Edward Island.
Chalkboard Theatre company, founded in 2010, was set to bring Spamalot to the stage when COVID reared its ugly head and halted productions in 2020. In 2022, an interest to register for Anne of Green Gables was renewed with a slightly smaller cast than the company is used to, with 35 actors ranging from seven to 18 years of age. Schmidt co-directs the show alongside Kari Cowan. Both are passionate, and have taken on a myriad of roles in community theatre over the years.
“I think for both of us, nothing is more exciting than watching the kids’ realization of the character they are building,” said Schmidt. “To see them ask themselves those deep questions about the relationships they have with other characters, and how they are going to grow that relationship throughout the show, and then witness the kids getting it, and then doing it, is amazing. It’s exciting to watch them get excited.”
The adults at Chalkboard pride themselves on setting the children up for success and believing they can do it, before they do. Many of them discover talents they never knew they had, for the first time.
“We watch these kiddos become more confident in their abilities and who they are,” said Schmidt. “We have kids this year that have never done this before, and others that have been with us for many years. So to watch them start to gel, and come together, and see the pride as we get closer to show date, it really touches our heart to see the kids start believing in themselves. We hope the children take away teamwork, and relationships,” says Schmidt. “Theatre kids are a unique blend of kid, and theatre relationships last a lifetime. I think the teamwork that these kids have shown, and the support they have shown one another through difficult rehearsals after long days at school, I think the kids will always know each other. Once they go on stage and share the magic of live community theatre it’s like no other, and once that curtain goes down for the final time that’s a bond that these kids are never going to lose with each other. I hope our community can see what kids are really capable of, we want to show them how amazing kids can be.”
chadd.cawson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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