Annekenstein is back in Guild's 2016 summer theatre lineup
Popular sketch comedy show revived, shares stage with Anne & Gilbert, Stan Rogers
Annekenstein is back.
The once-popular sketch comedy show, which pokes irreverent fun at L.M. Montgomery's red-headed literary heroine, is staging a revival, entitled Annekenstein and Friends. It played seven seasons previously in Charlottetown, but hasn't been seen for years. The show will play Saturday nights at The Guild in Charlottetown through July and August.
The announcement came as The Guild announced its summer entertainment lineup via written release Wednesday.
"Every summer people meet me on the street and say 'When's Annekenstein coming back?'," said Rob MacDonald, one of the original writers and actors. "So it's always sort of been in the back of my mind to do it."
MacDonald said some of the original Annekenstein sketches that debuted 25 years ago are coming back — including "Win a Waif," in which Anne competes with Oliver Twist and Huckleberry Finn to win a parent, and 'Anne-a-holics Anonymous,' whose participants attempt to gain control over their obsession with Anne.
The show will also include MacDonald's best-of from Sketch-22, another sketch comedy show he starred in for seven years.
Also starring in the show: Graham Putnam, Cameron MacDonald and Alicia Arsenault — all castmates from improv group Popalopalots — with two members yet to be cast.
Summer lineup revealed
Anne & Gilbert: The Musical, the Guild's popular mainstay, will return to headline its fourth summer.
It's billed as the sequel to the Charlottetown Festival's production of Anne of Green Gables — The Musical, and shows Anne as she goes to university and is pursued by suitors including her rival Gilbert Blythe.
Stan Rogers A Matter of Heart, the critically-acclaimed musical tribute to the Canadian folk legend, will return to Charlottetown. The show previously played at the Confederation Centre in 2009 and 2001 as part of its summer festival. Stan hits the stage Tuesday and Wednesday nights July through September.
Locals Pamela Campbell and Nancy Beck's home-grown musical Blessed Assurance also returns.
All told, the Guild will host more than 300 live performances between June and October, and The Gallery at The Guild will present more than 20 new exhibits and displays from Canadian artists.
Anne and Gilbert debuted at the Victoria Playhouse 11 years ago, then played the Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside for several seasons before moving to The Guild.