Costuming the Anne of Green Gables Production

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the publication of the Canadian classic, Anne of Green Gables. If Geppetto could create a wooden boy that came to life as Pinocchio, it is no surprise that Lucy Maud Montgomery’s red-headed heroine lives as a real person in the hearts and minds of readers worldwide.

The story of Anne Shirley, a spirited orphan girl mistakenly sent to a middle-aged brother and sister wishing to adopt a farm boy, appealed immediately to Canadian and American readers who readily identified with its rural setting and cultural values. The original 1908 first-edition Anne of Green Gables, published by L.C. Page & Co. of Boston, featured the profile of a young woman with Gibson Girl hair on its light green, cloth cover. Anne’s book-cover appearance has changed numerous times over the course of its publishing history however. Throughout the last century widely variant graphic illustrations sold Anne to progressive generations as well as to foreign cultures. But the image that has stuck with contemporary fans is that of a freckle-faced, red-headed girl in pinafore and pigtails.

Anne, who wears her descriptive like a surname, has been featured in movies, musicals, and television series around the globe. Three critically acclaimed films tell Anne’s story on the silver screen while Anne of Green Gables - the Musical brings the legend to life on the stage.

A number of factors work together to perform this feat, not the least of which is costume, and what better place to investigate this phenomenon than backstage at the Charlottetown Confederation Centre for the Arts where Anne of Green Gables - the Musical returned this summer for its 45th season, making it Canada’s longest running musical.

I was delighted to be seated six rows from the stage at one of the performances this month and even more pleased to be given a behind the scenes tour, before and after the show. My tour-guide was Costumer and Theatrical Milliner Nancy Hooper, who was strategizing over dry-cleaning procedures when I arrived. She took me through the men’s and women’s dressing rooms where I glanced rows of woolen knickers, worn by the men in the classroom scenes, scores of Edwardian-looking ladies apparel, a row of tall-handled multi-coloured parasols and, of course, an assortment of wonderful feather-bedecked, buckled and jewellery -pinned hats. (After the performance I was introduced to singer/actress Janet MacEwen, who raved over the new black hat Nancy had made for her Marilla character.)

The costuming department is responsible for acquiring, making, and/or adapting the costumes and support garments (the clothes won’t look authentic without the appropriate underpinnings) as well as maintaining, repairing and laundering the pieces between performances.

How to Make an Anne Costume

If you’re channeling Anne for Halloween or an amateur performance here is what you will need:

• A Red wig, tied with green ribbons, in pigtails.
• A straw cartwheel hat. This is a shallow-crowned, wide-brimmed ,round hat in natural straw. (The hat should have a dark-coloured hat band).
• A loose, floral-print dress under a plain-coloured (preferably green) smock or pinafore.
• Dark-coloured knee socks or tights.
• Black, lace-up character shoes.
• A tapestry purse to resemble a carpet-bag.