Musical featuring familiar characters to come to Albert Lea

Familiar comic strip characters will come to life with Albert Lea Community Theatre’s next musical comedy production.

“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” will open at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Feb. 18, 19, 20 and 21. There will be a 2 p.m. matinee show on Sunday.

The show, directed by Sue Jorgensen, tells the story of a day in the life of the “Peanuts” characters and all of their problems.

The musical is set up like a series of comic strips with short scenes that are “pithy,” Jorgensen said.

Even though the characters are 5 to 6 years old, the actors are adults.

Charlie Brown is played by Dylan Kaercher, Linus is played by Jason Howland, Schroeder is played by Kyle Frank, Lucy is played by Stephanie Nelson, Sally is played by Lisa Sturtz and Snoopy is played by Michelle Neal.

Some of the actors are ACT veterans and some are new to the stage, Howland said.

“It’s a good mix,” he said.

For ACT’s 50th season, they are performing plays and musicals that the theater has performed in the past. “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” was originally performed in 2001; it is a revised version of the 1998 Broadway musical, which was a new approach to the 1967 musical, according to a press release.

Jorgensen said all of the actors were ready at Tuesday’s practice. The set is getting there, she said, and Tuesday’s practice was the first time incorporating music.

Lora Virgil is the music director and Steve Kinney is the set designer. Besides acting in the musical, Kaercher also did the choreography.

Jorgensen said the cast is wonderful and does a good job bringing their characters to life.

And the characters are familiar, Jorgensen said, to both children and adults. Even though the “Peanuts” comic strips, penned by Charles Schulz, originally ran from 1950 to 2000, reruns are still printed in newspapers and the cartoons are still shown on TV.

And the problems the children have are still relevant, such as having to write a book report or Charlie Brown’s low self-esteem.

“It will be loved by all ages,” Jorgensen said.

Howland said things are going great so far, noting that there is a lot more dancing than he is used to.

Howland got to audition for the part he wanted, and he said he picked Linus because he thought it would be fun to play an intelligent yet innocent 5 year old.

Howland also stressed the musical is fun for the whole family.

“Adults will enjoy it and kids will enjoy it,” he said.

 

Tickets, please

What: “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”

Who: Albert Lea Community Theatre

When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12-14 and 18-21, 2 p.m. Feb. 15

Where: Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N. Broadway

How much: $18 for adults, $10 for students

Where to buy: By calling 1-877-730-3144, actonbroadway.com, the box office or the Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau