Over the weekend Mr. Hagemeister and his drama class presented their fall play “Anne of Green Gables” at the Career Academy Campus in Settles auditorium. This composition was presented on both Friday, November 20th and Saturday, November 21st. This classic playwright filled a multitude of seats in Settles auditorium on both Friday and Saturday.

Anne of Green Gables is about a little girl named Anne Shirley (Kai Roberts) who lives in an orphanage with a man named Frederick Remsen (Brent Seals) who although reluctant to keep her, he knows the trouble she often stirs up and thinks that it would be best to give her to another family. A lady named Marilla (Bella Omann) and her older brother Matthew Cuthbert (Jordan Biggs) live in the small town of Green Gables.Because of Matthew Cuthbert’s old age Marilla Cuthbert sends a lady named Mrs. Spencer (Kalyn Love) to retrieve a boy from the orphanage to help them around the farm but when Mrs. Spencer arrives at the orphanage she tells Mr.Remsen that Marilla requested a girl.

The lead role of Anne Shirley is played by Kai Roberts. “A lot of my lines talk about what is going to happen in other people’s lines so if I forgot one of my lines theirs wouldn’t make any sense so I had to know every single line or think could get awkward so that was really stressful trying to remember a lot of them,” said Roberts.

Marilla Cuthbert is seen as a woman that you should never make enemies with. She is arrogant, uptight, controlling, and according to Anne Shirley, Marilla lacks imagination and creativity. Her brother Matthew Cuthbert is the complete opposite of his younger sister. Although he is older he lets his sister dictate his life and makes him feel inferior of her. He is quiet, timid, and according to Anne Shirley they are the best of friends.

When asked if there was anything challenging about bringing her role to life Bella Omann said “I think the most important part is to learn your character and become your character and that’s what acting is. And just as Kai said the memorization of lines was probably the hardest thing.” said Omann. Also when asked if the character that she plays is anything like her in real life she stated “Well I hope i’m nothing like my character. My character is really uppity I suppose if you want to use words like that. She mellows out but I like to think that I am easygoing and hopefully the opposite of Marilla.”   

Matthew Cuthbert would numerously say “I can’t say that there is and I can’t say that there ain’t” or “I can’t say that I am and I can’t say that i’m not” exploding a roar of laughter throughout the audience.

“The biggest challenge about taking on this role was probably the country accent and having to walk like an old man having to be hunched over. The inflection on how to say each word and just thinking about the accent was really challenging.” said Biggs.

The Cuthberts also have a meddling neighbor named Rachel Lynde (Kirstyn Groff) that sparks laughter in the crowd every time she says “If you’d asked my advice but which of course you didn’t…”

Knowing that Anne Shirley is a pest and she causes a bit of trouble Mr.Remsen feels sympathy for her and wants to actually keep her, but Ms. Minnie, a nurse at the orphanage has grown tired of Anne and her shenanigans and tells Mrs. Spencer that Anne is a very gracious and well behaved young girl.

When Matthew Cuthbert walks into their house with Anne behind him Marilla grows furious as she was expecting for a young boy to be with him. From the moment Anne gets there she has already expressed her imaginative mind that not many people comprehend. Although she causes more trouble than she is worth Marilla is determined to keep her and turn her into a well behaved and obedient child. Despite Anne’s disability to become the person that Marilla wants her to be she soon begins to grow on Marilla.

Although this person doesn’t play a lead role she is still someone that plays a big part in the play. Makayla Higby who plays as Mrs. Allen is a Freshman. When asked if she ever feels pressure to be equal or better than the upperclassmen Higby said “Yes I feel pressured because I am the only young one in the group and that puts pressure on me to be as good as them, not better than them but as good.”

The cast of the play includes Freshman: Makaya Higby. Juniors: Megan Berry, Cameron Black, Jaedn Cooper, Kalyn Love, Brianna Miller, Samantha Stunkel, and Isaac Williams. Seniors: Jordan Biggs, Ryan Boland, Ciara Brown, Lauryn Gaines, Kirstyn Groff, Nathaniel Hancock, Bella Omann, Kai Roberts, and Brent Seals.

The play was concluded with a bow from the cast that led to a standing ovation by the audience.