Some of Missoula’s favorite
performers are transforming into the beloved Peanuts Gang and bringing
the magic of the holidays to local kids as they put on a special
presentation of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
The cast
includes familiar faces from both MCT and the Fort Peck Summer Theatre.
The iconic characters are brought to life by Haley Alexa Court as Lucy,
Andy Nelson as Linus, Bridget Smith as Sally, Jay Michael Robert as
Schroeder, Sydney Hayward as Frieda, Megan Wiltshire as Snoopy and
Laramie Dean as Charlie Brown.
Andy Meyers doubles as both director and Pigpen, Charlie’s hygiene-lacking friend.
“Pigpen
has the most time off stage, so that makes it easier to direct and
choreograph,” he said, adding that his costume features clouds of dust
and details of dirt.
He said
the hardest role is Snoopy because you’re playing a dog who has to speak
through expressions and emotions rather than words. Meyers said
Wiltshire, who is the director at On Center Performing Arts in Missoula,
is perfect for the part.
“She
just sort of has an open book to do some acrobatics, she’s roller
skating at one point,” he said. “Megan is so much fun and she just goes
for it.”
The show is in the genre of “Theatre for Young Audiences,” in which adults perform for kids, Meyers said.
“‘Theatre
for Young Audiences’ is about engaging young audiences and getting them
excited about the arts,” he said. “We’re doing a piece like Charlie
Brown that actually has quite a strong message in it as opposed to just
being entertainment.”
The
cartoon classic adapted for stage follows Charlie Brown as he tries to
find the true meaning of Christmas. He eventually takes on the role of
director of his school’s Christmas pageant, a challenge from Lucy, and
attempts to restore the holiday spirit.
Despite Charlie Brown’s mopey disposition, he’s quite motivated and determined.
“Charlie
Brown is actually very helpful,” said Dean, director of theater at
Hellgate High School. “He’s trying very hard to find what Christmas
really means, and even though his friends are really mean to him and his
dog is mean to him and everyone’s mean to him, he keeps going and going
and going.”
Dean said he
hadn’t performed in a show for years until taking on the role of Charlie
Brown. He’s also a cast member in MCT’s "Seussical," running through
Dec. 22. As a theater teacher, he said it’s important to dive back into
actually doing your craft.
“It’s
good experience to practice the art that you are teaching,” he said,
adding that several of his students are coming to see him in the show.
The
adult performers are playing a group of kids, something Meyers said can
be tricky because you don’t want to just be characters.
“We have to play these kids with such honesty so they’re relatable and so their struggles and intentions are relatable to kids.”
Proceeds
from the sold-out shows go to youth programming at Fort Peck Summer
Theatre and MCT, which both Dean and Meyers said is a win-win for the
audience and organizations.
“It
feels nice to know that not only are we getting to do the show, but it
will have an immediate benefit,” Meyers said. “Even these little ripples
will fund a whole children’s program for us in the spring.”
Dean agreed, adding that people are starting to recognize the importance of theater and the arts, especially for kids.
“We
spend a lot of time talking about the validity of the arts, and it’s
really such a human thing,” Dean said. “There’s so much live theater in
Missoula, and we’re really fortunate to have that and to be able to show
kids early on.”
From
The Missoulian.
