Contacts:

Paula Joines, Director

336-927-4446

Dudley Carpenter, Producer

336-372-7901

For Immediate Release
ACT Readers Theatre To Perform
“Anne of Green Gables” November 26 and 29

Alleghany Community Theatre’s next ACT Readers Theatre will be “Anne of Green Gables” scheduled for Monday, November 26 at the Historic 1908 Courthouse in Independence, VA, and Thursday, November 29 in the Alleghany County Library, 122 North Main Street in Sparta. Both performances will be at 7:00 pm.

Featuring several young actors, “Anne of Green Gables” is the story of the delightfully feisty and imaginative orphan girl, Anne Shirley. Based upon the classic piece of literature by L.M. Montgomery, the story has Anne finding a friend in Diana Barry, a boy named Gilbert Blythe, and encountering the town busy body, Mrs. Rachel Lynde plus many or interesting characters. Set in the early 1900’s, it is a timeless story with appeal for young and old alike.

Directed by Paula Joines, this Readers Theatre production has 17 cast members including four members of the Lindberg family.

Bryanna Lindberg plays the title role of Anne Shirley. Lindberg is a twelve year old home schooled student. She appeared in two other ACT productions: “Dairy Queen Days” and “Inherit the Wind.”

Day Lindberg plays Minnie May Barry. She is six years old and home schooled. This is her first ACT production. Day loves being read to, playing with her siblings, and playing dress-up.

Elijah Lindberg portrays Moody MacPherson and Jimmy Glover. He is a nine year old home schooled student. This is his first ACT production. His hobbies include playing war, collecting Yu-Gi-Oh and playing chess. He plays classical guitar hopes to be a carpenter when he grows up.

Tori Lindberg, mother to the other Lindberg actors, plays Mrs. Barry. She is performing in her first ACT production. Her hobbies include raising children, cooking, folding laundry and sleeping. She and her family live in Galax, VA.

Amber Lyall will play Josie Pye. "Anne of Green Gables" is Lyall’s first ACT production. She has acted in the Sparta Elementary School production of "A Day in the Life of a Bully". Amber, a 13 year old eighth grader, is a member of the Beta Club and the Student Council and plays volleyball and basketball. She and her family live in Sparta.

Amy Huysman will play Rachel Lynde. A newcomer to the Sparta area, she loves the story of "Anne of Green Gables" so much, she decided to let ACT's Reader's Theatre production be her first acting experience. Along with reading to her children, she loves to hike, cook, and take care of a menagerie of animals.

Ben Huysman will portray Charlie Sloane and Jimmy Glover. Huysman, 11 years old, is making his ACT Reader's Theatre debut. He is home-schooled and, when not occupied with chores, likes to read, play guitar and spend time in his workshop. Ben and his family live in Sparta.

Bob Bamberg will be a Stationmaster, Mr. Phillips, Jerry Buote, and Reverend Allan. Bamberg, an ACT regular, has played a dyslexic preacher, a love-sick dullard and an actor who wore a clothes basket for a hat. He lives in Twin Oaks with his wife Ruth and two unruly dogs.

Brandon Edwards plays Gilbert Blythe. Edwards was previously in "On Golden Pond." He has also played in a school production, "Of Widows and Vegetables." Brandon swims with the Alleghany swim team. He lives with his grandmother on the outskirts of Sparta.

Cecelia Mathis will be Marilla Cuthbert. Mathis is a retired teacher from the public schools of North Carolina, having worked mostly with gifted students in writing, dramatic speaking, and language arts. She was one of the wives chorus members in the play The King and I, presented in Keppel Auditorium in Salisbury, NC, "many" years ago as a community theatre production.

Jim Williams will be Matthew Cuthbert. Williams has become a regular participant of ACT. Before moving to Alleghany County he had roles in “Camelot,” “Peter Pan,” “A Streetcar named Desire,” “Harvey” and “The Glass Menagerie.” His roles in ACT Reader's Theatre productions include “Dairy Queen Days” and “Inherit the Wind.” Jim recently got his Wilkes Playmakers acting debut as Cicero in the staged production of “Dairy Queen Days”. He recently directed the ACT Reader's Theater production of Neil Simon's “The Sunshine Boys.” He also enjoys backstage and technical work. Jim is retired from the US Air Force and lives just outside of Sparta NC.

Katelyn Hearl plays Jane Andrews and Carrie Sloane. Hearl is 12 and is home schooled. She has had acting experience in several church plays. "Anne of Green Gables", one of her favorite stories, is her first ACT production. She is crazy about horses and rides all the time. She lives in Ennice, NC.

Lena Hawks plays Miss Blewett, Miss Stacy, Aunt Josephine, Miss Rogerson, and Mrs. Allan.

Marcy Garcia plays Diana Barry. Garcia is a 13 year old eighth grader at the Sparta Elementary School. While "Anne of Green Gables" is her first production with ACT, she has been in several school plays including "A Day in the Life of a Bully". At school, Marcy is a member of the Beta Club and enjoys sports including volleyball, basketball and track.

Lydia Garcia plays Ruby Gillis and Bessie Wright. A 12 year old sixth grader, Garcia is making her acting debut in "Anne of Green Gables". She likes sports and is on the basketball team at the Sparta Elementary School. Lydia lives with her family in Sparta. Carolyn Sprinkle will narrate.

Director, Paula Joines has been part of ACT since the beginning. She has directed several ACT's reader's theatre productions including "The Scarlett O'Hara Complex” and “Dairy Queen Days.” “This may be our first Readers Theatre show specifically designed for the whole family,” she explained. “We’re excited to have so many new, young actors in it. I think young people will enjoy this show.”

Now living in North Wilkesboro, Joines continues to work with Wilkes Playmakers.

ACT Readers Theatre productions are staged in the Alleghany County Library meeting room every other and at the Historic 1908 Courthouse in Independence, VA. ACT Readers Theatre is organized in cooperation with the Alleghany County Library. To find out more about ACT Readers Theatre, check the ACT webpage at www.sparta-nc.com/ACT or contact Producer, Dudley Carpenter at 336-372-7901.