Production underway for “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”

The cast of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” instructed by Jim Loos at their first rehearsal. Photo by Carl Lindberg

This semester’s theatre arts performance is “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” which is possibly DMACC’s very first musical.  It will be playing in the Black Box Theatre in October.  The musical has already been cast and production is under way. Nineteen people auditioned for six roles, which have all been filled.

This musical is the third production that Carl Lindberg has directed at DMACC. This summer, Shakespeare’s “12th Night” was performed outside of Building 5.  Lindberg hopes to perform Shakespeare every summer, the goal being to take a classic play and cut it down to 75 minutes or less and perform it outdoors. Lindberg is already planning for next summer, as well.

“Ideally people are able to bring their pop up chair and picnic and enjoy the play,” Lindberg said.

Last year DMACC students performed “FOOLS” in the fall semester, which was a play about a fictional small village in Ukraine in the early 19th century. Everyone who lived in the town was “cursed” to be stupid.

If “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” is not the first musical ever put on at DMACC, it certainly is the first one in a long time.

Lindberg does not have as much experience directing musicals as he does plays, but he is very excited to see where this musical goes. He says people in theatre must always be learning which is one of the things he loves about his job.

“Everything [each play] is different and has different rules and settings and conventions that make up that world of that play,” Lindberg said.

When asked what he was most excited about, he talked about the choreography, saying, “I’m absolutely terrified to create choreography to create the dances, absolutely gut wrenching terrified to do it. That feeling comes from the fact that I know it will be a challenge for me, I’m equally and simultaneously terrified and excited.”

He wants people to know that the musical will be fun and the music is super catchy.

“The hope is that we have this really playful, imaginative, unique production of this original version of a play,” said Lindberg.

Lindberg is hoping to incorporate some heightened theatricality and stated, “While we will meet some of the expectations that people think about a musical with Charlie Brown and Lucy and Linus and Snoopy, hopefully we are also throwing some curve balls and some surprises in there too.”

Seats for “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown” are already reserving so to make sure you get a seat at one of the performances e-mail theatre@dmacc.edu. The show dates and times are:

October 13-14 at 7:30 p.m.

October 15 at 2 p.m.

October 19-21 at 7:30 p.m.

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