You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Months of hard work and singing together culminated in amazing performances on May 18 and 19 of this year’s spring musical, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The Yvette Siegel-Herzog Performing Arts Center rang with laughter, cheers, and applause as the cast and crew brought the audience on a journey celebrating the highs and lows of childhood.

“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” brings to life the beloved characters from Charles M. Schulz’s iconic comic strip, “Peanuts.” Set in the familiar world of Charlie Brown and his friends, this heartwarming production captures the essence of childhood with humor, charm, and a touch of introspection.

The production was directed by Meredith Akins, Abby Shuppy, Brendan Stackhouse, and Michael Piedmont

Ms. Akins, Ms. Shuppy, and Mr. Stackhouse choreographed the numbers. The music directors were Mr. Piedmont and Ms. Shuppy. In addition to the students in the cast and crew, the production featured an orchestra of Gaynor faculty, staff, and friends, directed by Mr. Piedmont, who also played the keyboard and conducted.

Musical

During rehearsals, the cast was treated to a special visit from Broadway, TV, and film actor BD Wong. BD, a Gaynor alumni parent, played Linus during the musical’s Broadway run in 1999. He shared how watching the students brought back fond memories for him from his time performing in and directing the show in previous performances, and shared that his experience as Linus was what made him want to become a parent (his son was born soon after the show ended its run). He added that this emotional connection was what made him so enthusiastic to see the students perform and help them connect to the show like he did.

The students then asked BD some prepared questions, such as how he memorizes lines, what it’s like to be a professional actor, and his experiences as an Asian actor. He enthusiastically answered, giving them some tricks, tips, and advice for how they could perform their best, but also reminded them to have fun exploring their characters and being on stage.

Cast List:

Lily Beal - Lucy Part 2

Will Bertinelli - Pig Pen

Lila Bishins - Peppermint Patty

Maddy Coffey - Linus Part 2

Gillian Cohen - Floyd

Madelina Defex - Shermy

Simone Giagrande - Ethan

Ava Gillies - Sally Part 3

Zac Glassman - Schroeder Part 2

Gabby Haus - Schroeder Part 1

Grace Kansfield - Little Red Headed Girl

Rhea Kottakis - Snoopy Part 1

Tova Kozuch-Mulvaney - Marcy

Emily Lee - Lydia

Yael Levy - Poochie

Charlie Lewing - Schroeder Part 3

Bella Lieberman - Snoopy Part 2

Mili Neave - Truffles

Molly Quinn - Lucy Part 1

Elisabeth Roe - Sally Part 1

Henry Romero-Gibbs - Andy

Alexia Round - Peggy Jean

Jojo Sanborn - Sally Part 2

Blake Silverstein - Charlie Brown

Alex Sokolower - Linus Part 1

Sammy Sperber - Linus Part 3

Zoe Sweeney - Lucy Part 3

Eliza Talbot - Belle

Leah Valitt - Eudora

Stage Managers - Emily Colten, Kit Freeman, Jared Tineo