Anne Shirley and Frankie Valli to headline The 2024 Charlottetown Festival

November 2, 2023 – As Confederation Centre of the Arts celebrates 60 years in 2024, it will present two legendary musicals as part of The Charlottetown Festival. Anne of Green Gables–The Musical™ and Jersey Boys will play at Sobey Family Theatre, the Centre’s main stage, through the summer.  

“The story of Anne is an integral part of Prince Edward Island culture, and the Centre is thrilled to continue the musical’s legacy,” says Adam Brazier, the Centre’s artistic director of performing arts.  

Brazier has directed the musical many times in his tenure at the Centre but will hand the baton to Robin Calvert next year. Calvert has a 20-year history with the Festival; she first came to Charlottetown as a dancer in Anne of Green Gables–The Musical™ and later became the production’s choreographer. She also directed the 2023 Festival show I’m Every Woman.   

“Robin has shown passion, resilience, and an unwavering dedication to this musical, and we are honoured to have her leadership and creativity in the role of director and choreographer,” says Brazier.  

Actors Kelsey Verzotti and Laurie Murdoch, who played Anne Shirley and Matthew Cuthbert in the 2022 Festival production, will reprise their roles. The 2024 presentation of Anne of Green Gables–The Musical™ coincides with 150th birthday celebrations for author Lucy Maud Montgomery.  

 Anne of Green Gables–The Musical™ runs from June 19 – August 31, 2024.  

Playing alongside Anne of Green Gables–The Musical™ is the wildly popular jukebox musical Jersey Boys, which tells the rags-to-riches story of the 1960s rock and roll group Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. As they rise to stardom, the lifelong friends celebrate the highs and endure the lows that come with fame. The musical features several hit songs from the group, including “Sherry”, “Beggin’”, and “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)”.  

Jersey Boys delighted audiences on Broadway and London’s West End, and has been honoured with four Tony Awards, including Best Musical; the Olivier Award for Best New Musical; and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album.  

“Jersey Boys is an international musical phenomenon that has played around the world, and we are excited to stage the first Atlantic Canadian production,” says Brazier, who will direct the show.   

 Jersey Boys runs from June 25 – September 21, 2024.  

Tickets for The 2024 Charlottetown Festival are on sale now to Centre members, and to the public on Saturday, November 4. Patrons who are not yet Centre members can sign up now to gain early access to Festival tickets. 

From now through November 17, patrons can get 50% off tickets for both shows for performances from June 29 – July 6 using the code ‘festival24’. This discount is valid for Tier 2/3 seating.  

Tickets can be purchased at confederationcentre.com, via phone at 1-800-565-0278, or in person at the Centre’s box office. 

The 2024 Charlottetown Festival will also feature shows at The Mack and Outdoor Amphitheatre, to be announced at a later date.  

 -30- 

Media Contact:
Emily McMahon, Communications Manager, Confederation Centre of the Arts
[email protected] | 902-628-6135