BWW Q&A: Wayne R. Scott of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES at LifeHouse Theater

An award-winning hit musical, Anne of Green Gables, is coming to The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre.  The hilarious misadventures of Anne Shirley and the beloved characters of Avonlea are tunefully recreated on stage in this critically acclaimed production that marks the debut of LifeHouse Theater in this region.

Two performances of Anne of Green Gables will be presented Saturday, May 18 at 7:00 PM and Sunday, May 19, at 2:00 PM.  The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre is located at 405 Brooks Street, Wake Forest.  Ample free parking is available in front of the arts facility.

Tickets are available online at lifehousetheater.com  Please choose the North Carolina tab from the top main menu.  Guests are encouraged to reserve seats early as performances do sell out.

Bringing Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic 1908 novel to life through song, dance and the escapades of a precocious orphan, Anne of Green Gables faithfully follows the original story popularized by the hit movie versions.  Anne’s search for love and acceptance provides heartwarming drama as well as amusing mishaps.

We are delighted to present this audience favorite as we establish our theater company here in the Raleigh-Wake Forest area, comments writer, composer and LifeHouse President Wayne R. Scott.  Our theater has been a regional attraction in Southern California for more than 30 years.  Because ‘Anne of Green Gables’ is so popular, we’re excited this musical comedy is LifeHouse Theater’s first production in North Carolina.

Anne of Green Gables features Neely Prince as Anne Shirley, Caroline Meyers as Diana Barry, Allen Stevens as Gilbert Blythe, Aaron Yanez as Mr. Phillips, and William Fernandez, Sr. as Matthew Cuthbert.  Allison McGee portrays Marilla Cuthbert, Libby Mitchiner plays Aunt Josephine and Diana Handy performs as Rachel Lynde.  Also featured are: Alex Earl, Benji Kemp, Ian Kemp, Abigail Meyers, Caroline Meyers, Michael Meyers, Jordan Mills, Joe Mitchiner, Robyn Orr, Melissa Osadchuck, Lola VanWells, Stephanie VanWells, and Rebekah Wrenn.

Anne of Green Gables is directed by Wayne R. Scott, with assistant producer Dr. Tammy Bradshaw-Scott serving as choreographer.   Jordan Mills is the assistant director, Joy Blashaw is music director and Robin Roberts serves as production assistant.

LifeHouse Theater founders Wayne Scott and Dr. Tammy Bradshaw-Scott relocated to Wake Forest three years ago and are now launching an east coast affiliate of their award-winning California theater company in this area.  By establishing a presence in Wake Forest, Scott hopes to showcase local talent and encourage live theater.

As newer residents of Wake Forest, my wife Tammy  and I are excited to bring our fun musicals to families here who are searching for wholesome live theater experiences, Scott said.  We look forward to working with those who want to share their talents and make a positive impact through theater.

More information is available by visiting the theater website at www.lifehousetheater.com or by calling (909) 488-8429.

Two performances of Anne of Green Gables will be presented Saturday, May 18 at 7:00 PM and Sunday, May 19, at 2:00 PM.  The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre is located at 405 Brooks Street, Wake Forest.  Ample free parking is available in front of the arts facility.

Wayne R. Scott is the president and founder of LifeHouse Productions, Inc. and LifeHouse Theater of Redlands, CA.  He is a writer, composer, producer and director who has authored 30 original musicals and numerous other widely produced works.  He has also produced and directed nine musicals at the internationally known Redlands Bowl, including Annie, The Sound of Music, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and most recently, Disney’s Mary Poppins for the Redlands Community Music Association.

A UC Riverside political science and religious studies double major, Scott holds a master’s degree in theological studies.  His master’s thesis, a musical version of the novel Ben-Hur, has been widely produced to audiences of many thousands and earned him his seminary President’s Award for Creative Biblical Thinking.

Scott has also served the California State Legislature as a field representative and office manager for Assemblyman William R. Leonard; as a social studies teacher, Vice Principal and Drama Department founder for Arrowhead Christian Academy (where he wrote the school’s alma mater); and as an associate pastor with Trinity Church of Redlands.

In addition to his original musicals, Scott is the author and designer of the popular Bethlehem Marketplace walk-through adventure, an annual Christmas interactive production seen by thousands of guests at select locations around the United States.  He also wrote a thirteen episode nationally distributed video series for children, The Kids of Rainbow Cove.

He has also written, produced and narrated numerous commercial video productions for a variety of companies and non-profit organizations, including Hospital Chaplains of America, Mission Aviation Fellowship, and Ronald McDonald House.

Scott has won nine Inland Theater League awards for writing, composing, and directing.  He has also received two Inland Theater League Awards for acting and a special citation for founding LifeHouse Productions.

Among Scott’s critically acclaimed productions are original versions of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Treasure Island, Oliver, Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, It’s A Wonderful Life, Scrooge, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Esther, Joseph, Zorro, Cinderella, and Aladdin.  He has also co-authored original musical versions of Pocahontas, Moses, The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, Florence Nightingale, Anne of Avonlea, The Secret Garden, Tom Sawyer, Sleeping Beauty, and others.  He has dramatized many of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories and the works of Anton Chekov.

A theater unique in the nation, LifeHouse produces original musicals nearly every week of the year to more than 25,000 guests and season subscribers.  Located in a historic Redlands building, which Scott’s company remodeled in 1999, LifeHouse Theater features 215 stadium-style seats.  Currently entering its 24th season, LifeHouse Theater has received a California Legislature Resolution honoring the theater’s work and community service as well as been voted Best Theatre in the Inland Empire five times by viewers of Good Day L.A.  LifeHouse also offers programs in musical theater production for youngsters.  In addition, LifeHouse Productions also tours musicals and offers LifeTales, a musical biography series for school students that features curriculum guides available to educators.  The critically acclaimed series profiles Alexander Graham Bell, Abraham Lincoln, Jackie Robinson, and others.

What inspired you to start LifeHouse Productions?

We began more than 30 years ago to develop a theater and original musical productions that tell well-known classic stories from literature that are family friendly. A huge number of families are looking for wholesome, faith-affirming and thought-provoking theater. Our growth as a company demonstrates that so people appreciate seeing their favorite stories from childhood come to life on stage. They enjoy sharing these kind of theater experiences with their children and grandchildren.

As a writer, composer, producer, and director, how do you balance these different roles during a production?

Having knowledge and experience in each discipline (writing, composing, producing and directing) helps carry out the responsibilities of the other disciplines. When I’m writing for theater, for example, I try to think like a director so that what is on the page will translate practically and easily to the stage. I also wear the producer’s hat as I write so that when companies other than ours stage the work, it won’t break their budget. Through the years, I’ve developed a personal time management system to balance these aspects of theater—they are each rewarding labors of love. It is a great blessing to see talented actors blossom as they perform the stories before responsive live audiences.

How does your background in religious studies influence your work in theatre?

As a political science-religious studies double major, I can often see a thread of political behavior and faith woven through so many classic stories that are staged. Politics has been defined as the pursuit of incompatible goals and the study of who gets what, when, where and how—this is most certainly the stuff of conflict and drama. We seem naturally wired as human beings to tell and receive stories. We are naturally drawn to stories with conflicts and problems for protagonists to solve. Many protagonists from classic stories rely upon their personal faith to help cope with life situations. Writers like Dickens, Austin, Tolstoy, Alcott, Hugo, Montgomery, Lewis, and many others incorporate faith and even theological perspectives to some degree. It has been a great joy to adapt many of their works for the stage and audiences find the universal situations depicted are as timeless as ever. The broad area of personal faith is something I embrace in writing.

What is unique about LifeHouse's rendition of "Anne of Green Gables"?

Our adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s 1908 novel is very faithful to her work. The original music distinguishes this production from others, the songs are fun and tuneful, and they complement the period, the setting and the characters. Amusing insights into each of the beloved characters are also enhanced and given special attention. First staged in 1998, this award-winning and critically acclaimed musical has been among the most popular of LifeHouse Theater’s productions.

Can you share any challenges you faced while producing "Anne of Green Gables"?

LifeHouse Theater is firmly established as a regional attraction in Southern California. The challenge has been to replicate that success almost from scratch in Wake Forest, North Carolina. We are renting facilities and each member of the production team is wearing many hats. Thankfully, we are working with many volunteers, both on stage and behind the scenes, who share the vision of offering this production to the community.

How has the relocation to Wake Forest influenced your work and the direction of LifeHouse Theater?

The Raleigh-Wake Forest region is filled with families who tell us they are eager to embrace the kind of stories and theater we produce. We look forward to working with many local talents to make a positive impact in the community. And we’re already enjoying synergy with our theater in California as three of our performers from there are joining us here in Wake Forest as guest stars. We look forward to a long association with this wonderful region.

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