History of The Charlottetown Festival

 

The Charlottetown Festival is held each summer at Confederation Centre. The Festival has long been home to Anne of Green Gables-The Musical™, which holds the Guinness World Record as the “longest-running annual musical,” having played on our stage every summer from 1965 to 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just how did The Charlottetown Festival arrive in such a prominent place in the cultural life of Canada? Like Charlottetown’s improbable place in Canadian history, the existence of the Festival in the capital city of Canada’s smallest province has been both extraordinary and unexpected.

Founded in 1965 as a “festival of music and laughter” by first Artistic Director Mavor Moore, the Festival was meant to channel the celebratory Island spirit with which the Fathers of Confederation were famously hosted during the 1864 Charlottetown Conference.

Over the same six decades that Canada has had 10 prime ministers, The Charlottetown Festival has had just seven artistic directors. Mavor Moore, Alan Lund, Walter Learning, Jacques Lemay, Duncan McIntosh, Anne Allen, and Adam Brazier have provided the essential leadership, creativity, innovation, and in many instances, daring, that a festival of this scale demands. These seven leaders have balanced art, commerce, heritage, and mandate for close to six decades, threading the needle of new Canadian works with mainstage entertainment for tourists and local patrons alike. Today, the Festival is a national stronghold for Canadian musical theatre and has launched more than 85 original productions, touring many across the country and beyond.

Of course, Charlottetown’s artistic directors would be a unique study in any PhD thesis on musical theatre in that each has served as the guardian of Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™, dubbed “the most wholesome musical since The Sound of Music” (Daily Express) and “the major family musical at its best (London Times). This responsibility and the extent to which Anne has held such “evergreen” and universal appeal has been evident in her incredible run of more than 2,500 performances internationally and on the Mainstage (up until 202 and the COVID-19 pandemic).

Current Artistic Director Adam Brazier (2015-) strives to celebrate Canadian stories through musical theatre, upholding the Festival’s reputation as an incubator for new musical works that go on to travel the country. Brazier aims to shed light on stories “written by Canadians for Canadians”, including major Canadian productions he’s shepherded in like Belles Soeurs, Evangeline, Spoon River, Atlantic Blue, and Kronborg—The Hamlet Rock Musical, along with world premieres Bittergirl, A Misfortune, On the Road with Dutch Mason, Stories from the Red Dirt Road, Dear Rita, and others. Brazier looks forward to 2021 and beyond, developing more stories that “hold a mirror up to ourselves and ask questions that both challenge and entertain us as a province and a nation.”

Festival Productions

*denotes original production

1965 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Laugh with Leacock* Wayne and Shuster Spring Thaw	1966 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* The Ottawa Man Turvey!* Children’s Theatre	1967 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Paradise Hill* Yesterday the Children Were Dancing Rose La Tulipe Children’s Theatre
1968 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Johnny Belinda* Sunshine Town* Beyond the Fringe Children’s Theatre	1969 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Johnny Belinda* Life Can Be Like Wow!*	1970 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Private Turvey’s War* Jane Eyre* Children’s Theatre
1971 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Mary, Queen of Scots* Jane Eyre* Children’s Theatre	1972 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Ballade* Mary, Queen of Scots* Les Feux Follets* Squeeze Children’s Theatre	1973 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Ballade* Joey* Les Feux Follets*
1974 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Kronborg: 1582* Johnny Belinda*	1975 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Kronborg: 1582* Johnny Belinda*	1976 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Rowdyman! By George!
1977 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* By George! The Legend of the Dumbells* The Road to Charlottetown	1978 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Windsor The Legend of the Dumbells* Eight to the Bar* Lies and Other Lyrics*	1979 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* On a Summer’s Night* Les Feux Follets* Eight to the Bar* The Family Way* Winnie*
1980 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Fauntelroy* Les Feux Follets* Love in the Backseat* Happily Ever After* Come by the Hills* Flash in the Pan* The Three Bears*	1981 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Fauntelroy* Aimee* Magcap* Cocktails for Two Hundred* The Three Bears*	1982 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Skin Deep* Singin’ & Dancin’ TONIGHT My Many Husbands* The Winkle Pickers*
1983 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Singin’ & Dancin’ TONIGHT* Johnny Belinda* Step Right Up, Ladies and Jellybeans* Take Five* The Kneebone Connection*	1984 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Singin’ & Dancin’ TONIGHT* Ye Gods!* Sleeping Arrangements* Little Red Riding Hood*	1985 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Swing! Fauntelroy! Sleeping Arrangements* Hansel & Gretel*
1986 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Babies—Bless Them All!* Salt-Water Moon Pump Boys and Dinettes Chris Elliot Comedy Show Rapunzel* How She Lied to Her Husband When god Comes to Breakfast, You Don’t Burn the Toast* Culture Shock* The Night the Raccoons Went Berserk*	1987 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Are You Lonesome Tonight?* Babies—Bless Them All!* Salt-Water Moon Billy Bishop Goes to War Chris Elliot Comedy Show Noel Coward—A Portrait* Take Two Modern Housewives and…* The Venerables* .	1988 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Are You Lonesome Tonight?* Alexandra—The Last Empress* The Mind Bogles* Happy Birthday Irving* Dead Air* Rumpelstiltskin* New Canadian Kid I’ll be Back Before Midnight The Venerables*
1989 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Encore!* Not Available in Stores* I’ll Be Back Before Midnight Maud for Myself* Merlin and Arthur*	1990 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™*The Strike at Putney Church* Don Messer’s Jubilee Les Belles Histoires de Thadde a Damien The Strike at Putney Church! After Marlene! Brendan Behan: Confessions of an Irish Rebel* Lunch with Leacock* Bogeyman Blues* The Island Soirees*	1991 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Broue/Brew A Child’s Garden of Verses I am a Bear Lorne Elliot Comedy
1992 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* The Great Adventure* A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline Le Café Acadien Head a Tete	1993 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* The Shooting of Dan McGrew A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline The Princess and the Handmaiden La Passion de Narcisse Mondoux Spirit of a Nation*	1994 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Puttin’ on the Ritz Dads Lovers in Bedeque Rendez-vous Acadien* Pirates* Spirit of a Nation*
1995 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Guys and Dolls A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline Step Right up, Ladies and Jellybeans Rendez-vous Acadien We Will Not Forget* Spirit of a Nation*	1996 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline Rendez-vous Acadien* We Will Not Forget* Spirit of a Nation*	1997 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Johnny Belinda* 2 Pianos, 4 Hands 18 Wheels Barachois Drill Queens Comedy Rik Barron’s Family Concert Somewhere in the World*
1998 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Johnny Belinda Letter from Wingfield Farm Bending the Bows Barachois Drill Queens Comedy Somewhere in the World*	1999 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Emily Forever Plaid Barachois Acadilac Drill Queens Comedy Somewhere in the World*	2000 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Emily Forever Plaid Barachois Drill Queens Comedy The Conjuror Suite Ceilidh on the Road Somewhere in the World*
2001 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Stan Rogers – A Matter of Heart 2 Pianos, 4 Hands Ceilidh on the Road Barachois Celtitude Somewhere in the World*	2002 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* The Legend of the Dumbells If You Could Read My Mind: The Music of Gordon Lightfoot Fire Ceilidh on the Road Menopositive! The Musical Songs of the Island The Happy Prince Barbara Budd Concert Series Barachois Celtitude	2003 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Dracula: a Chamber Musical Fire Eight to the Bar Arianna La Famille Ross en concert Barachois
2004 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Something Wonderful* A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline Broadway Heroes Les Feux Follets Fete acadienne* Musique de l’Acadie* The Cottars Island Flavours*	2005 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Canada ROCKS!* A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline Hedgerow C’est What?	2006 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Canada ROCKS!* Celtic Blaze Shear Madness Les Feux Follets Confederation Bridge Concert Series
2007 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* British Invasion: A Musical Revue* Shear Madness Salt-Water Moon Les Girls Ode a l’Acadie Confederation Bridge Concert Series Alberta Fusion*	2008 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* British Invasion 2: America Strikes Back! The Ballad of Stompin’ Tom Stones in His Pocket Quebec a la carte	2009 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Disco Cirque!* Stan Rogers—A Matter of Heart Charlie Farquharson and Them Udders* Sketch 22 Abegweit: The Soul of the Island* Gadelle En Acadie Vishten
2010 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story Hairspray Sexy Laundry The Last Resort The Island Standup Showcase Abegweit: The Soul of the Island*	2011 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story The Full Monty Come-All-Ye* Separate Beds The Talking Stick	2012 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Ring of Fire The Kitchen Witches Come-All-Ye* Les Feux Follets
2013 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Evangeline* Dear Johnny Deere Les Feux Follets	2014 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Canada ROCKS!* Searching for Abegweit: The Songs & Stories of Lennie Gallant* We Are Canadian*	2015 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Alice Through the Looking-glass Evangeline* Bittergirl* The Voices of Canada*
2016 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Mamma Mia! Belles Soeurs Glenda’s Kitchen* Spoon River The Dream Catchers*	2017 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Million Dollar Quartet Bittergirl* A Misfortune* Glenda’s Kitchen The Dream Catchers*	2018 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Jesus Christ Superstar Stories from the Red Dirt Road* Ghost Light Métis Mutt On the Road Dutch Mason* Aqsaarnit*
2019 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Kronborg—The Hamlet Rock Musical* Mamma Mia! Spinning Yarns Atlantic Blue* Aqsarniit*	2020 Festival Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.Online Digital Content: Feelin’ Mighty Proud Postcards from the Island  Set in the Sun	2021 Between Breaths Dear Rita OLD STOCK: A Refugee Love Story The Voices of Resilience Street Fusion

2022 Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™* Tell Tale Harbour* Betty’s Song* Hey Viola