L.M. Montgomery Research Group

From CBC.ca:

The New London home where Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables, was born was broken into on Monday night.

The incident was part of a string of break and enters in the area that night.

The board that runs the museum and bookstore says none of the displays were damaged, and money isn’t kept in the facility overnight.

Montgomery was born in 1874 in a small white and green house, which sits at the corner of Route 6 and 20. A replica of the writer’s wedding dress and scrapbooks containing stories and poems are displayed at the museum.

Today I received notices of three separate L.M. Montgomery events and exhibits and a video.

From Mary Beth Cavert (Minnesota): A link to a page devoted to details and photos of the L.M. Montgomery Literary Society’s first Anne event;

From Rita Bode (Trent University): A notice that Robarts Library of the University of Toronto has launched its own exhibit titled “Picture of Green Gables Farm,” which runs from 21 April to 21 May 2008 on the first floor of the Robarts Library. Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the publication of Anne of Green Gables, the collection includes a number of editions, translations, adaptations, other books by the author, and items related to Prince Edward Island.

From Helen Salmon (University of Guelph library): Between 23 and 26 October 2008, the University of Guelph will host “The Cultural Influence of Lucy Maud Montgomery,” a symposium that will focus on Guelph’s extensive archival collection of Montgomery materials:

The university has undertaken an extensive digitization project to make its extensive collection of Montgomery memorabilia — including her private journals, scrapbooks, handiwork, photographs, and other records - more accessible to Montgomery scholars and fans everywhere. The symposium will offer the very first opportunity to explore the newly launched collections website, examine the archival collections first-hand, view an L.M. Montgomery exhibit at the University’s art gallery, and listen to speakers who will explore her impact on readers, writers, and women in the 20th century. Join with Canada’s foremost Montgomery scholars, biographers, enthusiasts, and fans to recognize her world-wide legacy and explore the mystery of her creativity. This four day weekend event will include coach tours to view several of  L.M. Montgomery’s residences in Ontario, the opening of an art exhibit,  film viewings, panel discussions, and scholarly presentations which will highlight author’s contributions to literary and popular culture.

Finally, Yuka has sent me a link to a video of a Leaskdale event also commemorating the centenary—please click here to see it.

The “Anne of Green Gables: A Literary Icon at 100″ exhibit is now open to the public at Spadina Museum: Historic House and Gardens (285 Spadina Road, open Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00 – 5:00 PM) until September 2. Be sure to also check out Irene Gammel’s blog for more information and updates. Also, the opening reception for the exhibit will coincide with the book launch for Looking for Anne on 1 May 2008 between 5:30 and 7:30 PM at Spadina Museum: Historic House and Gardens. If you care to attend, please send a message to rsvp@keyporter.com. Finally, Key Porter Books has launched its own website devoted to Looking for Anne, which includes a downloadable extract from the book, an interview with the author, little-known facts, and reviews. It can be found here.

Elizabeth Mawson, who played Marilla Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables: The Musical at the Confederation Centre for the Arts in Charlottetown between 1971 and 2003, died on Saturday in Toronto at the age of 81. Obituaries can be found at CBC.ca and at the websites for the Globe and Mail and the Charlottetown Guardian.

James Adams’s article on the Anne centenary appears in today’s Globe and Mail. Also, CBC Radio 1 will air a short piece on Anne of Green Gables at 6:00 PM Eastern, featuring interviews with Yuka Kajihara, Budge Wilson, and Irene Gammel.

From The Journal Pioneer: Cavendish to get new Anne anniversary theatre—Darlene Shea.

CAVENDISH — To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of “Anne of Green Gables”, a new theatre will be opening this summer in Cavendish. The Montgomery Theatre will provide a venue to present plays from the life and times of the book’s author, Lucy M. Montgomery. The idea of the theatre was hatched in the summer of 2007 when a group of tourism operators from the Cavendish area met to plan a community commemoration project to mark the centennial.The group also met with internationally acclaimed artistic director Duncan McIntosh, to come up with plans for the theatre.

This new cultural initiative will be launched on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Avonlea Church in Avonlea Village, Cavendish.

The Guardian has a nice article on LMM and Anne: “Anne’s Evergreen Gables: Lucy Maud Montgomery’s irrepressible creation remains her fascination a century on” that references Yuka’s Anne of Green Gables in Japan FAQ.

The 6 August 2007 issue of Maclean’s includes Katie Engelhart’s article titled “Will the real Anne please stand up? In celebration of the 100th anniversary of ‘Anne of Green Gables’: duelling prequels.”

Also, Bertrand Russell had a few choice things to say about the Penguin prequel in his “Burn the Prequel” (14 Dec. 2006) entry on his blog.

Thanks to Beth C. for alerting us to the Maclean’s article.

From CBC website:

Elaine Campbell, a co-creator of the longest running musical in Canadian history, Anne of Green Gables, died Friday in Charlottetown.

Campbell was one of the lyricists for the musical and part of the team — consisting of her husband, Norman Campbell, Don Harron, Mavor Moore and Alan Lund — that brought the internationally famous L.M. Montgomery book to Charlottetown’s Confederation Centre of the Arts in the 1960s. The show is now in its 43rd year.

Harron, the only surviving member of the creative team, said Elaine Campbell shaped the character of Anne.

“She brought a sensitivity. Norman and I were showoffs and Elaine was not. And she brought a real sense of the inner Anne,” he said. “She doesn’t get enough credit for what she did.”

Campbell, who was born in northern Ontario in 1925, spent her summers in Prince Edward Island and her winters in Toronto.

She wrote lyrics for three other musicals and contributed to specials for CBC Television, Rideau Hall and two Royal galas. She also established an endowment fund to the Confederation Centre in her husband’s name.

Her connection with Prince Edward Island, and the festival, was maintained for over 40 years.

“She’s never missed an opening that I know of in terms of the opening of the summer festival,” said Wayne Hambly, chair of the board of the Confederation Centre.

“Every year she comes down from Toronto to stay at their summer home. She brings to the centre a great level of excitement and a great level of pride in the accomplishments of the cast and crew.”

Campbell is best-known as a writer for the theatre and patron of the arts.

However, she also served with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War, spent time on the board of the National Ballet of Canada and was a Jane Austin scholar.

She was an avid traveller. Her final trip, in the last year of her life, was to Libya.

Campbell leaves five children and one grandchild. There will be a private celebration of her life held on P.E.I. A public event will take place later in Toronto.

Finally, it looks like Cavendish is broadening its range of tourist attractions, although probably not in ways that Montgomery would have predicted.  Click here to find out what I’m talking about.