The lights start to dim and the curtains open. After months and months of rehearsal, it’s opening night and the audience is ecstatic. Packed to the brim with students, teachers and parents patiently wait to watch their friends, students and children perform.
This school’s production of Charlie Brown will run Mar. 23 through 26. A cast full of student actors committed to their roles has been rehearsing hard since Jan. 18. “A typical rehearsal day is full of faces, from ensemble members to techies. Work is always being done somewhere in the theater,” senior Hailey Ahn, who is playing Snoopy, said.
It’s a group effort when choosing what show to do for that semester. Everyone pitches in their ideas. “I chose Charlie Brown as the play with the students and our production team, it’s a collaborative effort,” head of the theater department Dr. Julian Lazarus said.
The Charlie Brown musical is based on characters from cartoonist Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip “Peanuts,” which was originally published in 1950. The comic strip was then adapted into an off-Broadway musical called “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” with music by Clark Gesner. “I’m in love with the music, each song is just so catchy,” junior and cast member Sammy Rosenzweig said.
When the cast was announced in mid-January, students were thrilled to figure out who they would be playing. “Funnily enough, I didn’t find out I got the role because I saw the cast list, I found out because someone texted me congratulations,” Ahn said. “Getting Snoopy was a very welcome surprise. Exactly what I wanted, and I knew I’d have a lot of fun.”
Rehearsals look different depending on what day of the week it is. Some days are learning songs and dance while others are learning lines and blocking. “Mondays and Fridays are blocking where we are learning where to be in the show, Tuesday is singing and learning the music, Wednesday is choreography, and then Thursdays are technical theater,” Dr. Lazarus said.
The director has many jobs to do when directing and producing a show, but one misconception is that they do it all by themselves. “The reality is the director has an idea of what should happen but then everyone on the team pitches in and brings ideas to the table,” Dr. Lazarus said.
A director’s job in a school setting can be more complicated than in a commercial or professional theater. “In commercial theater I expect you to know your craft and what you’re supposed to be doing, and if not, I have the option to fire you,” Dr. Lazarus said, “In our education setting for theater it’s my job to teach students the skills they need to be successful.”
According to the cast, the show is going well so far and they are looking forward to seeing everyone attend. “Everyone should come to see it with their friends and families on Mar. 23 through 26,” Rosenzweig said.