20 June 1908 may have been an
epoch in L.M. Montgomery's life, but its centenery was an epoch in the
lives of Leo and AMJ! After almost three years of work, The Nine Lives
of L.M. Montgomery opened on their target date of 20 June 2008, the
dream realized. Of course, there's a difference between writing a musical
on paper and getting it up on the stage - once into the run, the show ran
longer than expected, and some elements came across darker than intended.
So AMJ and Leo changed some staging, deleted some songs - and even more
dialogue - and wound up with a tighter, lighter show that ultimately worked
much better. With this first history-making production under their belts,
the big question was what to do next. Why, do it all again for 2009, of course!
Photos
in this gallery courtesy of Lisa Lightbourn-Lay, Jordan Lay, Sara Deveau
and Perry Williams.
Hugh Montgomery (Michael Farrell) appraises daughter Maud's first poem. |
With footage of L.M. Montgomery's actual homestead behind her, Young Maud (Celia Koughan) sings It's In My Nature. |
Now a teenager, Ingénue Maud (Haley Batchilder) listens as lovesick school chum Nate (Adam Gauthier) tries to confess his feelings at Cavendish Beach. |
Maud's grandparents (Paul Whelan and Hazel St. Amand) read Hugh's letter asking for Maud to come to Prince Albert, Northwest Territories. |
On a train, ecstatic Maud declares herself An Orphan No More as the Canadian countryside whizzes by behind her. |
Maud discovers that her new stepmother, Mary (Jennifer Carson, right) is a force to be reckoned with. |
Father and daughter have an emotional parting in So I Say Farewell. |
At Lovers' Lane, Nate, left, finds himself competing with Jack (Jonah Anderson), Lem (John MacCormac) and Edwin (Kyle Gillis) for Maud's affections in More Important Things. |
Anne Shirley (Alicia Altass) appears as Maud first thinks up her idea for "Anne of Green Gables", 10 years before writing it. |
Maud shares a passionate encounter with Herman Leard (Adam Gauthier). Or does she? |
Paul Whelan, Jonah Anderson, Adam-Michael James, and Kyle Gills are Maud's co-workers at the Halifax Echo in I Am A Newspaper Woman! |
Maud learns the meaning of "kindred spirit" from her beloved cousin, Frede (Sharon Eyster). |
At the Lake of Shining Waters, Anne discovers that green hair truly is ten times worse. |
The Reverend Ewan Macdonald (Michael Farrell) makes his intentions clear to a dubious Maud in What Do You Propose. |
It's An Epoch In My Life for Maud as she receives the first copy of "Anne of Green Gables", with L.M. Montgomery's actual journal entry from that day serving as a backdrop. |
Hounded by fans and reporters, Maud Meets Her Public in Boston. |
Maud realizes it is Too Late after exchanging vows with Ewan. |
The wedding guests dance heartily against an archival photo of the room in which L.M. Montgomery was actuallly married. |
Overwhelmed by her new duties as a mother and minister's wife, Adult Maud (Lori Linkletter, right) commiserates with Sara (Samantha Saunders) in I Hate Interruptions. |
Frede explains to Maud why they are of The Race That Knows Joseph. |
The people in Maud's life examine the effect of The Great War on her in 1917. |
Anne and Gilbert lament their story being taken over by new characters in the now-deleted "Rainbow Valley" sequence. |
Maud realizes the extent of Ewan's religious melancholia as he declares himself Eternally Lost. |
Anne's daughter Rilla (Madelyn Deveau) is happy to be in Maud's landmark book about the experience of Canadian women at home during World War I. |
Maud journals in her Grumble Book about the lawsuit she had to file against her publisher. |
A more tranquil existence is in store for Maud and Ewan during The Dream Life Waltz. |
Young Stuart (Jacob Hemphill) wonders why all of Maud's books are set on Prince Edward Island. |
Maud tries to get in the mood to write "The Blue Castle". |
Fictional heroines Valancy (Jennifer Carson), Marigold (Emma Huestis), Emily (Celia Koughan), Kilmeny (Kyla Cook) and Sara (Samantha Saunders) gather for a little Character Analysis. |
Good friend Nora (Mary Fay Coady) gives Maud a pep talk. |
Maud's son Chester (Jonah Anderson) prepares to tell his mother about his secret marriage to pregnant Luella (Jemima Sutherland). |
Maud tries to cover for Ewan in the now-deleted Fugue for Ewan sequence. The backdrop was a photo taken at Norval Presbyterian Church, where Ewan preached. |
All grown up, Stuart (John MacCormac) does his best to comfort his mother. |
The upbeat jitterbug number Two-Timin' Timmy betrays the family drama about to ensue. |
Despondent Maud writes an important entry into her journal. |
For opening night's finale, former Prince Edward Island Premier Alexander B. Campbell, left, stepped into the role of his father, former Chief Justice Thane A. Campbell, who declared L.M. Montgomery a Canadian of National Importance in 1948. |
Website © 2006-2010
Adam-Michael James
The Nine Lives of L.M. Montgomery © 2008-2010 Nine Lives Musicals, Inc.
"L.M. Montgomery", "L.M. Montgomery's signature and cat design", and other names and images created by L.M. Montgomery
are trademarks of the Heirs of L.M. Montgomery, Inc. and are used with permission. All rights reserved.
The Nine Lives of L.M. Montgomery © 2008-2010 Nine Lives Musicals, Inc.
"L.M. Montgomery", "L.M. Montgomery's signature and cat design", and other names and images created by L.M. Montgomery
are trademarks of the Heirs of L.M. Montgomery, Inc. and are used with permission. All rights reserved.