We have a very small stage but an 8 foot apron. We played the outside scenes in front of the curtain with a small bench DR.
We had a divided set behind the curtain--the kitchen at right with the bedroom at left. The bedroom had a single bed. We put concrete blocks under the head of the bed to tilt it so Anne could be seen well when she was in bed. We had a small dresser with a bowl and pitcher also in the room. Anne knelt at the edge of the 'room' (at the curtain line) when she was speaking out the window to Matt. The upstage area (kitchen and bedroom) was on a 6 inch tall platform to set it off from the DS.
The kitchen had a great old cook stove we borrowed from an antique store (we have since built on a kitchen stove on a metal stove base). We had an old tall cabinet for dishes and wash basin. It is an antique but not in good shape. We had a simple table and chairs in the kitchen, too. The door between the rooms was upstage with nothing DS.
We had a small notch in the kitchen platform an the curtain line DR. People would enter by stepping up into the kitchen, but they were facing L rather than U so they could be seen and heard as they entered.
The back flats were just made up to look like a drab room, but we really didn't have much wall space. The jelly pantry was UR in the kitchen with a cloth curtain over it.
We used the aisles for entrances and played some scenes at far stage right and left--the drowned in the river scene for example. For the school, we put a free standing black board DC in front of the curtains and had the kids sit on 2 long benches.
SIDE NOTE: During our last performance one of the child actors in a supporting role got vomiting sick during the intermission. We talked it over at intermission and the other kids divided up the sick kid's lines and actions, and I don't think the audience ever knew. Kids are amazing.
We had Matt and Anne sit on the suitcase and pretend to drive the carriage from the station to Green Gables. We have stages doors right and left and put signs on them sometimes to signify places like the station. We played the sick kid's home at far L with just a few props. (I can't remember all the scenes as it's been at least 10 years since we did the show.)
We played the funeral DS in front of the curtain. No gravestones, justs costumes to show it was a funeral.
Many Broadway shows use the apron for various places while sets are changed US behind the curtain. The audience didn't have a problem.
I saw Anne in Des Moines that had a green gable (about 4 feet across and 5 feet high) suspended above the stage to help set the stage. We did that when we did Anne of Avonlea. We made it of stereofoam and hung it with fishing line. The Des Moines production had modified stadium seating so many of their scenes were played on the floor in front of the 'kitchen' at different locations defined by a few props. I think their bedroom was on a high platform at the back but their space is MUCH taller than ours (We only have 9 feet.) They may not have had a bedroom at all, but for some reason, I thought we needed one.
Hope this helps. It was a great show because we had a wonderful Anne, Marilla, and Matthew. Even though it was sad, it worked well. I like Anne of Avonlea, also, but it's not as good as the original.
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