Peanuts performance coming to SecondStory Rep

SecondStory Repertory, the professional theater at Redmond Town Center, presents its summer teen program, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," July 10-12 at the theater, 16587 NE 74th St.

Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, July 10; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 11; and 7 p.m. Sunday, July 12. Tickets are $10.

Selections from the show will also be performed at a free, outdoor Arts in the Park event at 7 p.m. Friday, July 17 outside of Redmond City Hall, 15670 NE 85th St.

Based on the classic comic strip "Peanuts" by Charles M. Schulz, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" features 22 teen actors in two separate casts.

From Redmond are Jake Love, Zachary Barr, Peter Castro, Kaitlin Puryear, Rosie Smith, Kyle Love, Taylor Stutz, Laura McFarland, Olivia Ochoa and Sarah Lavender.

Castro, who's playing Schroeder, has been a drama nut since seventh grade and is now heading into his sophomore year at Redmond High School. He's typical of a large number of Redmond students who are passionate about the performing arts.

"I came into the auditions knowing all the characters and I already knew that I wanted to be Schroeder," he explained. "He loves music more than anything and Beethoven more than that. I see Schroeder as the kind of person that isn't truly happy unless he is doing what he loves most, sitting at his piano, playing music by his beloved Beethoven."

Castro added, "His little relationship with Lucy is my favorite part of Schroeder. It's really fun to act all disgusted and awkward when someone has a crush on you and is lying on your piano. Being a music lover myself and being in band helped a lot with Schroeder because I could really get into the music and I already knew how to conduct. My counterpart, Kyle Love, plays Schroeder differently than I. His Schroeder is more calm and smooth and is more interested in his piano than anything else around him. Because the show has two casts, it's fun to see such familiar characters being played out so differently."

RHS junior Lavender feels that her character, Violet, doesn't bear much resemblance to her own personality.

"Violet is sort of the bratty, mean girl," she remarked. "So it was hard for me to be the mean girl, but at the same time, it is a whole lot of fun."

While Castro expects that most audience members for "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" will be younger children and their parents, he noted, "Peanuts has always been a kid favorite, but it has some great lessons and it can still be funny even to teenagers."

And even though the Peanuts gang goes back several decades, Lavender said, "This show is relevant for today's children because children have not really changed. It shows all the different personalities that can clash, but also can come together and all be friends."

SecondStory Repertory's "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" is directed by Kelly Willis, with music direction by Lyndee White, stage management by Laura Solum, sound design by Danny Miller, costume design by Laurie Roberts and lighting design by Rob Falk.

For more information, call (425) 881-6777.

Contact Redmond Reporter Reporter Mary Stevens Decker at mdecker@redmond-reporter.com or (425) 867-0353, ext. 5052.

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