Playing Anne is a fun summer job
Teen also teaches vacation Bible school
By Debra Fieguth ChristianWeek staff
CAVENDISH, PEI–A grade 11 student from Charlottetown is looking forward to a repeat performance this season of what was, for her, the ideal summer job last year. For two months Christina Holloway was the fabled Anne of Green Gables, skipping through campgrounds and restaurants to the delight of tourists.
With another actress who plays Anne’s friend Diana, Christina performs skits and leads games that have to do with Anne Shirley’s sense of adventure and imagination. "It’s really fun," says Christina, a self-described people person who enjoys getting visitors involved in improvised sketches. "There is a script we follow," she says, "but sometimes a tourist surprises us."
And they’re usually pretty co-operative, she adds, "especially the Japanese tourists. They love it."
Christina has been involved in music since she was four years old, and got into drama through her voice teacher. Last year the job with the Lucy Maud Montgomery Festival opened up, she applied, and was hired. (The role is separate from the production that takes place each year in Charlottetown.)
Christina’s interest in Anne Shirley goes back to when she was five and saw the musical Anne of Green Gables for the first time. "I told my father I wanted to be Anne when I grew up," she says. "In many ways, I think we’re very alike," she adds. "She’s a dreamer, just like me, and imaginative." The role allows Christina to be inventive and put some of herself into the character.
"I love being her, just because of her imagination and how carefree she is. She’s such a people person, too."
Goes to weddings
Ever popular with Japanese tourists, "Anne" is invited to attend many Japanese wedding receptions at Park Corner museum at Silver Bush, named after the Montgomery book Pat of Silver Bush. The wedding ceremonies themselves take place at the church in which Lucy Maud was married and where her husband pastored for several years.
So what does a busy young actress do in her spare time? Since the job–a half-hour drive from Christina’s home–involves mostly afternoons and evenings, she teaches vacation Bible school in the mornings, through her church, Cornerstone United Baptist in Cornwall. The church is small, so until now, there hasn’t been a youth group. "But they will have one," and once it’s going, Christina will be there.
For an aspiring actress–Christina hopes to do a music degree and go on to study drama–one could do worse than to play Anne all summer. "It’s great. I’m hoping to be back this year."
The only thing that might stop her is if another idea she has works out. She’s also planning to audition for Emily of New Moon.
