The Advanced Theater Productions class this year had some singers who just couldn't get enough musical theater in their lives, so we decided to produce a second musical in the season. You're a Good Man Charlie Brown was a perfect selection for this particular group of students. The casting was effortless.
The hallway monitor slide we used to get the word out.
All of the iconic images of Charlie and Snoopy helped sell tickets
This was a show the department had done in the past on the Aud stage, but this time around we staged it in "black box". We already had a show being mounted in our actual WG Black Box Theater with the other students from this class, so we once again turned the stage of the Jerry R Knight Auditorium into a black box theater. The audience enters the space from the Theater Hallway next to the Statesmen Coffee Shop stage right.
The stage works great in the this set up, and this show really needs to have the audience close.
This is the fifth production we have done this way, and with the stage allowing audience to orientate longways on the stage, we were able to seat exactly 70 each night. Some spill over the last night went into the actual balcony of the aud for 1/2 price tickets.
The audience members were right next to the performers!!!
They wanted to achieve something that felt like a "cartoon" world.
It needed to feel like a live comic strip.
(This was taken before we added the details of the doghouse)
(This was taken before we added the details of the doghouse)
THE CAST
Parker Collier Andi Ziegler George Lemcke
(Charlie Brown) (Lucy Van Pelt) (Snoopy)
Layla Salmon Mia Willis Ellis Gibson
(Schroeder) (Sally Brown) (Linus Van Pelt)
The characters are very iconic. The cast had a duty to find a balance between the character they saw in the material, and the original interpretation of the character from Charles Schultz's comics and movies. The final product was perfect; smart, fun, sweet and playful. The story gives the audience time with each character's journey through the day/year. Charlie and the gang are just trying to find a path to happiness in their life.
The Set Design
Mr. Schaefer cut all of the individual pieces of the set out of a large donation of foam-core the department received at the beginning of the year. He used the band saw for ease and quickly brushed a wash of green on the brush and brown on the trunk.
Eva Henry used black paint and outlined all of the individual pieces. Then she arranged the tree onto a very simple wooden post Mr. Schaefer attached to our baseball bench (which was built for the first production we did over 10 years ago),and all of the pieces that made the hedge wall upstage using screws and a drill. This technique proved to be fast.
Eva Henry was a pro at composition! The set looked whimsical under the lights
George (Snoopy) singing "Suppertime"
The Dog House was detailed with foam core cut outs stapled to the side of the piano box.
This allowed George to really use the top of the dog house as needed with out worry of falling
Mr. Schaefer made the mailbox out of a soda can box and foam core.
REHEARSALS
The students in the cast/class spent most of March and April preparing. They began by worked together to create a list of all of the songs and scenes that made the final cut, and they made a rough schedule of how they planned to tackled the staging and blocking. They used 7th hour everyday to get it on its feet.
Once we got into the month of April, we brought in Teddy Woldow as a student stage manager/director. He was in yearbook that hour, but the book was mostly complete. Mrs. Reiss was awesome and allowed him to participate on the production. He was a huge help in getting it moving toward that very real audience that was right around the corner.
THE COSTUMES
Once we had our base outfits fitted, we just added some additional character details if needed
Mrs. Dickens made Sally and Lucy's dresses look so cute!
We hit Savers. It had everything we needed to make the show come to life. All of the characters have such an iconic siloette, it was easy to dress the six of them. We also chose stuff that was a little over sized. This gave everyone a little bit of that "boxy" shape they had in the comic strip. The boy characters all had black shorts and Snoopy was in all white. We kept it all very clean and simple. Each actor only has one costume for the whole show, that was refreshing.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE WIGS!!!
It was decided that Sally would have to be a blonde and Lucy would have to be a brunette in order for the characters to really align with the comic strip.
Mrs. Dicken's saves the day!
The two wigs she styled for the ladies were absolute PERFECTION!!!
LIGHTS and SOUND
Teddy (Sound/Track Op), James (Lighting Design/Op) and Parker during tech rehearsals
Luca (not pictured) was on the microphone levels and sat right next to Teddy at the table
Once the set and lights were installed in the space the cast began polishing the show and adding the tech. There are may small props in this show. They all had to be organized on tables backstage (which was out in the stairwell on one side and under the fly rail behind some curtains on the other side.
PROPS
A kite that flies, a blanket that dances, a small piano for Schroeder, supersized pencils, a red dog bowl, a hanger sculpture? Woodstock, choir robes, baseball gloves, baseball bat, and tennis balls? (and there were many more)
Parker (Charlie Brown) and George (Snoopy) in rehearsal with the kite.
There were a couple of special moments in the show that used our fly gallery one last time.
Teddy ran very productive rehearsals and really helped push the cast during those last crucial 7th hour slots. He also ran rehearsals during Ac Net and anytime a cast member needed to run a number.
The cast got along great and was very supportive of each other in all of the group work
We added projections that Teddy ran from the booth. It really helped the audience go from day to night. We used clouds on a blue sky for most of the show, but we also had stars for one scene.
Mia (Sally) and Layla (Schroeder) working on one of their scenes.
A lot of the show involved little moments between two or three of the characters
Mia and Andi off stage waiting to go on for their next scene.
The cast was good about leaning on each other, but everyone had a moment (or a few) where their character drives a part of the story...especially Charlie. They all worked very hard to get their solos ready.
A wonderfully charming ensemble of performers, each one brought something special to the stage
This is a tough piece of theater to pull off well. The music is deceptively difficult; a wonderfully complex jazz score with intelligent and heartwarming lyrics. The music really captures the feeling of that time period while also feeling very contemporary.
The set-up scene to the "Baseball Game"
The cast got to move around a lot. They used the whole space to move around and behind the audience. They played in the voms as well. There were over ten different areas the actors played scenes in, and the lighting would isolate them to tell the audience where to look. This gave the whole show a live variety show sentiment.
The stories and scenes come very fast and the audience
in the end has a whole comic strip to piece together.
We ultimately follow Charlie Brown from morning to night and into the next morning,
but we also cover many holidays and seasons.
Parker gave Charlie a very clear emotional arc.
All of the other actors really supported this effort and
the catharsis they experience at the end is very fulfilling for the audience.
(The Baseball Game)
DANCE! DANCE! DANCE!
The cast did a great job getting everything staged and once we got to opening week we realized that a few pieces needed some extra attention. The music is so fun that the dancing came easy!
A few of the songs involved real dancing and needed some real choreography to sell it,
and that is why we LOVE when Mrs. Dickens joins the crew!
She whipped several of the musical numbers into shape!
We have an amazing dance program springing out of our Theater program that has elevated all of the choreography in our productions. Mrs. Dickens had been teaching dance classes all year and several of the students in this production were in those classes. Choreography is such an essential part of musical theater and she has brought a real style and formalization to the student's work in this area.
Ellis and Mrs. Dickens worked on this number together to find a way for Linus and the blanket to have a moment together. In the end the choreography looked great. Linus was having his own little party and we got to be a fly on the wall.
MUSIC and the TRACKS
The music in this show is a character all its own. It has personality and supports a lot of the humanity in the story with its heroic ballads, musical theater romps, fast jazz tunes, ensemble choral numbers, gospel jams, and fun Vaudvillian-showstoppers; it gives the audience a circus of styles and genre's. The cast was perfect for this particular challenge. Each actor settled into the styles of their songs and delivered wonderful renditions of these numbers we know the writer's would have loved!
Layla (Schroder) sang "Beethoven Day" with a lot of soul and swagger
We used performance tracks for the music and this allowed them to rehearse anytime they could. We had to rehearse during 7th hour for the most part and tracks allowed the singers to work on their own as well. It was challenging (as always with tracks) to get everything to line up, but Teddy was a pro! It would have been impossible to use a band with this project due to it being produced during the 7th hour and not after school.
Luca Thies (Mic Op/Fly Op) ran great levels on the actor's microphones, and the cast was very easy to hear and understand. Over-all the sound was great! This is not an easy job. Luca learned about the set-up and strike of the sound equipment (it is a lot of small pieces you have to unpack and plug in). He is the WGHS Theater Intern this year, working almost every event in the space and soaking up all of the logistics he can while we are in production. Luca has also been on stage, so he really understands what the actor is going through; that helps when you are a technician supporting performers.
The cast and crew made it all seem so effortless,
like there was a band right in the room with us!
As always James provided a smooth and artistic feel to the lighting in the show. Many of the cues in this musical required the lights to change on a note in the score. James never missed a beat. Working with the follow spot, the show's lighting really made for some great stage pictures.
Sally is confused as to why she got a D on her coat hanger sculpture
James has ran board for some of the more challenging projects in the last few years. This shows let him use the ETC Express from the Aud's booth to run the show; and he got to have a bit of fun in the booth with the other techies.
Kaya Wolf (Follow Spot OP) was up in the crow's nest in the very back of the Auditorium's house. It was very far away from the action, but added so much to the look of the show. This musical requires the Spot Op to be on point. It moves so fast and there are countless cues to pick up an actor in a monologue or in a song. It also required very quick cut offs and iris shrinking to emphasize or theatricalize a moment. We were thrilled to have Kaya supporting the show in this way. She was also in the same yearbook class as Teddy so 7th hour offered some time for her to join us in rehearsals. Kaya was out for the Friday performance and Mr. Schaefer gladly filled in on spot. (It was the very first theater job he ever had, as a sophomore in High School back in 1990).
Happiness is...
The light plot for the show stayed pretty simple. It was mostly front light from the balcony, but also from the onstage 1st electric. We used RGB colored cyc lights for the backdrop that we also mixed for pinks and purples. The spot stayed white and we used a lighter amber for the other front light. The whole show felt warm and comforting. Two par cans focused across the cyclorama also added some dimension as shown in the pic above.
Lucy is giving a lesson to Linus and Charlie Brown...
The backlight was from the 2nd electric but had to be focused from the far edges of the stage to hit some of the acting areas well. The look of each song felt cohesive to the whole and we had a lot of different ways to change the stage picture for the audience.
Lucy's survey results are not looking good...
This is the last time we will be using this lighting system. It has been a lot of fun, but the new system will be installed over the next year.
**********************************************************************************
The updates are being funded by the recent passing of PROP S
(which is funding many facilities projects around the WGSD).
The new theatrical systems in the Jerry R Knight Auditorium will include an all new DMX lighting and board, new hydraulic fly gallery, new stage curtains, and a whole new sound system/cordless microphones and formalized sound booth.
This is a part of a 20 year campaign by Mr. Schaefer since he started teaching at the high school. They finally allocated the funds to replace this tech and make the space safer for the staff and students.
We couldn't be more thrilled to see these updates finally taking shape!
**********************************************************************************
PR MARKETING
The goal was to try and get a person in every seat. Originally we were going to charge $20 a ticket but realized that was a steep jump for the patrons and decided to stick with the $10. The rights and licensing are expensive for this particular piece.
Charlotte Snell helped us out by making
a great banner to hang out in the Senior Entrance
We used the slides in the hallways, the banner in Senior, morning announcements, show posters hung around the department, and Kaya's postings on Instagram to get people talking. The cast also spent time promoting the show in their own ways. It worked! The audience size each night were great.
The poster image was arranged by Mr. Schaefer
.jpg)
This was our t-shirt design for the show
Everyone who came in through Senior entrance knew we had a show going on!
It is tradition to eat a meal together while we cue the show.
Tech week and the final dress rehearsals were awesome
and the show really took shape as we worked through the final tech!
THE SHOW
Connor Long was our Box Office manager for the run
We played for three nights and had some helpers come in to assist Connor with tickets each of the nights. We would like to thank everyone who volunteered their time to assist with the show. Especially to help run box or usher for this show.
Emmitt Kaufman helped with box office, and got to hang out wit Ellis backstage
Zodiac and Cami hanging with the cast in the dressing room as they get themselves ready
Parker, Andi, Mia and George preparing their hair and make-up.
Many of the cast did their own make-up, some didn't wear any,
and Mrs. Dickens assisted when they needed help.
Each night the cast and crew circled up for warm-ups, an "all fired up",
and a final hands in the middle
BREAK LEGS!!!
Snoopy is always wanting to be fed
Lucy sings to Schroeder but all he can think about is Beethoven
Andi (Lucy) and Layla (Schroeder) had great comic timing
Mr. Schaefer made the tiny piano out of foam core, hot glue and wig pins.
FULL CIRCLE / FUN FACT:
The fire hydrant in this pic was built for the very first musical
Mr. Schaefer produced at Webster; a musical called Guys and Dolls
Charlie just wants the red headed girl to look at him...
or maybe not look at him
The shows was full of various philosophies...
Every character bestowed upon the audience their advice
Lucy was the most industrious in her advice giving...
She made a business out of it
Sally gets what she wants...
she learns that a little grease can go a long way.
Charlie Brown and Snoopy flying the kite is a really fun moment in the show.
Parker sang all of Charlie's songs like they were written for him.
The whole gang tries their best to beat the other team, but alas this is Charlie Brown and "sportsball" may not exactly be their thing.
They all try their best though.
Charlie is always wanted the name "Flash"
"Just come down and eat your supper,
you don't have to make a big production out of it!"
"Suppertime" was George's big number... ...with a gospel choir to boot!
Lucy doesn't always know how to deal with conflict
Lucy is coming to terms with who she is,
and Linus is a good little brother who listens.
Andi (Left) and Ellis (Right) really captured the complexity of this sibling relationship
The Red Headed girl bites her pencil...
she is a real person
The Cast of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" (Spring Musical 2024)
(From left to right: George, Mia, Ellis, Layla, Andi and ParkerSPECIAL THANKS
To all of the theater patrons who have supported our work this year and helped bring the shows to the stage with volunteer hours and/or financial assistance in tickets purchased, Mrs. Elaine Hartman, Mrs. Kim Edwards, and Teresa Addams for their help in promoting our productions, the WGHS Admin team for their continued support of the FA students, or staff and our facilities, the parents who have contributing hours during production weeks feeding the children, the Makerspace for the use of their heat press to make our shirts for each show, the custodial staff who tirelessly keep our space clean and our trash disposed of, the ushers who help at every show, and Brian Claussen for being an amazing IT helper. We appreciate all of you and hope to continue making art for years to come!
MR. SCHAEFER SAYS,
"GO SEE A MUSICAL!!!"
No comments:
Post a Comment