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Show 6 Signpost-Tuesday, July 16, 1985 A first in the West: 'Anne of Green Gables' by UMT by Richard Jordan Staff Reporter The Utah Musical Theatre will premiere their production of "Anne of Green Gables" today at 8 p.m. in the Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts, Allred Theatre. Anne, an orphan, is a high spirited girl and because of this, has been moved from orphanage to orphanage. Anne wants to be a girl doing young lady things. She has a soft and sparkling outlook on life. In the story, an elderly couple apply to an orphanage for a boy. Anne is sent to them by mistake. The couple, who live on a farm, treat Anne as if she were a boy. They have her work on the farm and wear boy's clothes. Anne has other ideas and the play comes to life as the conflict between the needs and wants of Anne run headlong into the wants of her new found family members. The play is based on Lucy Maud Montgomery's popular novel. The novel has been published through out the world and is published in 39 languages. In 1922 the silent film version of "Anne of Green Gables" first appeared. It was followed in 1936 by a talking film version. Finally, in 1956, the story became a successful Canadian television musical. The Canadian stage version premiered in 1965 and has been playing in Prince Edward Island, the setting for the musical, every summer since. After a sell-out coast to coast tour of Canada in 1967 and a stint at EXPO 70 in Oska Japan, "Anne of Green Gables" opened in London. The Utah Musical Theatre's production of the play marks it's premier in the Western United States. The Utah Musical Theatre believes that the play will be a success and this success is a result of people such as Seth Reins, Jeanette Reimschussel and J.A.Hanson. Seth Reins, director of the play, was born in New York and raised in Georgia. He now resides in Chicago Illinois. Having extensive theatre experience, Reins is the owner of Arts Management Group Inc., a Chicago based company that casts New York and Chicago area theatre shows. Reins has a prior standing relationship with Weber State and some of the area's local talent, including Mike Palumbo, who is working as music director on the productions of "Anne of Green Gables" and "Little Mary Sunshine." A free-lance director, Reins has staged over 150 plays and musicals, including the world premiere of Squabbles, soon to be a major television series. In the past few years Reins has guest directed "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Arms and the Man" for Weber State Theatre. Reterning to Chicago this fall, Reins will direct a new musical entitled "The Magic Place." Excited about this year's production of "Anne of Green Gables" Reins has added a magical quality by the addition of fantasy creatures to supplement Anne's dream like state as she romances in her mind a resolution to her problems of being an orphan trying to find a place of happiness. Enjoying his stay in Utah and at Weber State College Reins said that the College and staff are being very special in their support of the Utah Musical Theatre. He is also directing the production of "Little Mary Sunshine," which will open on July 31. Staring as Anne is Jeanette Reimschussel of Roy. A Weber State Theatre student, Reimschussel is no ordinary actress. She comes from a local family with unlimited talent. Her father is a past performer in various high school productions and she has a brother who has performed in various Wber State Theatre productions. Reimschussel's sister teaches theatre in the Weber School District and is first chair violin in the Utah Musical Theatre productions. Beginning her music and vocal training at age two, Reimschussel said theatre is her sanity outlet. She said she loves the theatre and hopes to keep it a part of her life. No academic slouch, Reimschussel said the theatre experience has strengthened her commutative skills and feels this will complement her medical practice. She is majoring in premed and has ten applications out to various medical schools. Her empasis is on pediatrics. Reimschussel said she is more excited about playing Anne than she Weber State College Upward Bound gives Food for Africa Car Wash July 17, 1985 3 Locations 1-9 p.m. $2.00 Donation For trucks S3.00 Even bigger $4.00 Kar Kwick 490 40th Double Take 3605 Harrison Kar Kwick 41 04 Riverdale Road has felt about playing any part she has had before. Another important area in the production of "Anne of Green Gables" is the costume shop. The Weber State costume shop is run by J. A. Hanson. He and his staff of six have been busy in the design and construction of costumes for the play as well as for other shows. Hanson said that it takes his staff about two weeks to put together the required costumes and other fabric items for each play. He said the costumes for the fantasy creatures in the production of "Anne of Green Gables" were a real creative challenge and a lot of fun to construct. Another of the responabilities of the costume shop are screen changes for the actors and actresses. Hanson said that the actors and acresses rely a great deal on the helping hands on the costume crew. The actor may rush to the dressing table and have his mind on the requirements of the next screen with only a few seconds to work with. The crew must be careful and professional so as not to upset the actor for the upcomming screen. Productions of the Utah Musical Theatre begin scheduled performances at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at in the center lobby of the Browning Center, Z.C.M.I., and any Datatix Outlet. wawuiJw i. i i . i..i ii ji.j. i i ii ii I i ,,.,, .,liui..4..i.i;lpyii..i i.nni.imiii.u... 1.1 minpHmniHj ; t ,f ; St;nptst pholciJcff Bybi't Workmen rush to complete the set of Musical Theatre production opens "Anne of Green Gables". The Utah tonight in the Browning Center. iHin Tim ) The tlgnptt weleaeaes Indlvidaala af any race, ) creed, caler t planetary origin. Many paeltlons still (( ) available. Far further Inferaaatlon contact the (( Mlgupmt U.B. z7 (oath of the bawling alley) ar It |