Last Friday, the Wildcat Theatre held the opening night of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The show, a slight change from musicals chosen in the past, was a whimsical performance with a cast of only six. The creativity demonstrated by both the cast and the crew for this show created a child-like atmosphere that really added to the cartoon affect of the whole experience. Despite some bumpy rehearsals, the organization worked together to polish the show and put on a musical to entertain the whole family.
Junior Kaighly Davis, who played Sally Brown, made the audience laugh as she portrayed the young girl pondering some of life’s most melancholic dilemmas. Her hard work and dedication lended itself to the integrity of the performance, as she danced across the stage and never broke the audience’s belief that she truly was the character she was cast as.
Another actor who took their role and ran away with the audience’s hearts was Senior Andrew Morataya. His portrayal of Snoopy was both dramatic and comical. The sudden and harsh shifts between moods, the many accessories skillfully pulled from a hidden place on the roof of his dog house, and the over-exaggerated antics of the recognized character all contributed to a performance that had the audience cheering every time he appeared onstage.
The iconic main character Charlie Brown, played by ironically named Junior Charlie Giddens, brought the beloved character to life. As the audience watched Charlie continue to get berated by his peers, the sadness shined clearly through Gidden’s eyes and the slump of his shoulders. Giddens’ joy finally radiated through as the cast took their bows.
Of course none of this would’ve been possible without the student director, Makenna Culver. Culver could be seen at any given time, running around, keeping everyone calm and organized. She dedicated so much of her own time to this show, and it made such a big difference. Making sure everyone was having fun, Culver created the immersive experience the audience came to be a part of.
“You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” though not without its struggles, came together to be an incredible performance that can already be heard in the hallway, as students sing along to their favorite songs.
