Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Running to Places Theatre Company (R2P) continues its 2010 Season with the family favorite You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown at The State Theatre of Ithaca.  The show runs May 21-23, and final preparations are under way.

The show brings to life the familiar characters from the classic comic strip Peanuts – Charlie Brown and his kite, Linus and his blanket, Snoopy and The Red Baron, Schroeder and his piano, Lucy and her advice stand, and Sally and her New Philosophy. The iconic inhabitants of creator Charles Schultz’s world bring back vivid memories for Director Joey Steinhagen. “How else could a Sunday morning start?” recalls Steinhagen. “You roll out of bed, grab a bowl of cereal, and pull the comics out of the paper. I always saved Peanuts for last, since it was my favorite.”

Charlie Brown is a collection of vignettes and songs that bring us into the world of the timeless and instantly lovable Peanuts gang. Whether we grew up reading the genius of Schultz or are meeting them for the first time, different aspects of each character instantly connect with everyone's inner child.  Co-Artistic Director Gail Belokur recalls, “My own son was 7 when he first saw the Peanuts gang in a show I directed, and now as a 16 year old he still sings along when I play the sound track from this show.  It's great for all ages!”

The cast consists of six high school students: Galen Gibian as Charlie Brown, Kasia Sendek as Sally, Elias Spector-Zabusky as Schroeder, Marcel Merwin as Linus, Sophie Potter as Lucy, and Shauntle Barley as Snoopy. The show demands a great deal from these performers. Choreographer Todd Peterson has been confident about the cast’s ability to pull it off since the auditions. “We see over 150 of the county’s most talented and driven middle and high schoolers. We cast them all in the six shows that make up our season, and for this show – with its tight six-person cast – the competition was intense.” Peterson, with dozens of shows under his belt, knows how to get the most out of a performer’s particular abilities. Barley, who plays Snoopy, has a strong dance and acrobatic background, and Peterson put her skills to great use. “I think people’s jaws will hang open when they see some of the things Snoopy can do,” smiles Peterson.


Running to Places take pride in providing challenging experiences and learning to all of its company member, on stage and off. Students can choose to be mentored in any aspect of theatrical production. Lexi Brennan is a high school student who is stage managing the show. She has been mentored in stage management by Belokur and Ithaca College alum and professional stage manager Molly Hennighausen.

The positive experiences R2P provides young people keep company members coming back, even after they’ve moved onto college. Talia Hollander, Props Master and ASM, is back from her first year of college in Syracuse’s Le Moyne College. “R2P has not only taught me a lot about theatre and tech,” says Hollander, “but has given me real life skills: thinking on your feet, meeting deadlines, and setting realistic goals.” Katarina Andersson, R2P intern/Wardrobe Supervisor/run crew/alumna/mentor, agrees:

“I made incredible friends, had some of the best times of my life so far, did a lot of good work with a great community, and got to experience productions run as well-oiled machines and know what efficiency, quality and professionalism look like. Andersson also appreciates R2P’s policy of “no mandatory fees” for participation. “Growing up, I found theatre and arts training to be vastly inaccessible to low-income families. R2P allowed me to do what I had wanted to do for years, and the training and experiences were top-notch AND accessible.”

She has returned to work on Charlie Brown from Westminster College of the Arts of Rider University where she is a Musical Theatre major. The rest of the production team includes Costume Designer Shauna Belokur, Lighting Designer David Arsenault, Sound Designer George Belokur, Technical Director Mike Garrett, and Scenic Paint Charge Laura Krassowski.

The design team for this show has collaborated closely with each other and with Steinhagen, Peterson, Belokur, and Music Director Jon Riss to create a fresh approach to an old favorite.

"Even if you've seen You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown before,” says Belokur, “this will be a real treat!"

Ithaca College alum and Scenic Designer Alexander Woodward set out to provide a look that was clean and flexible, like the comic strip itself.

“Alexander’s design is gorgeous,” beams Steinhagen. “We set out from the beginning to create a show that would be different from a typical school production – no colorful cubes in this show!” laughs Steinhagen, referring to a common scenic element in productions of Charlie Brown.

The show incorporates sliding 20 foot tall panels covered in hand-painted reproductions of Peanuts comic strips. The panels are reconfigured for each scene to create new looks or to reveal elements such as Schroeder’s piano. “We want the show to unfold as if by magic,” explains Belokur. “The audience won’t see anyone moving things into place – they’ll just appear as needed.”

Allison Mollenkamp, a middle schooler at Boynton Middle School in Ithaca who serves as an Assistant Stage Manager for the show, sees the entire show as magical. According to Mollenkamp, “Peanuts represents real life, but in a way that some people have forgotten. Life is magical to these characters, and this show lets the audience in on the secret.”

You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown is performed at 7:00pm on Friday and Saturday and matinees at 2:00pm on Saturday and Sunday.

----
v6i18