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[playhouseboxoffice@cp.tamu-commerce.edu]

Tickets are on sale now!

The University Playhouse’s Summer Community musical for
2010 is You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown , by John Gordon
and Clark Gesner. Performances are July 1-3, 8, 9 and 10, at
7:00 PM. There are also 3:00 PM Matinee performances July 3,
and 11.  Seating is limited to 150 per performance, so
audiences are strongly urged to make reservations early at: 
903-886-5900, or at
playhouseboxoffice at TAMU-Commerce.edu')">playhouseboxoffice at TAMU-Commerce.edu.
This classic family musical has been recently revised, and
is even more hilarious and delightful than ever.

Our production will feature several local teens and
children, ranging in age, from seven, to eighteen.

 Audiences will fall in love again with the hapless
“Charlie Brown,” played by graduate student, Jeffrey
Stirl of Mount Pleasant; “Snoopy,” played by
Commerce’s Gerald Taylor II, a second year grad;
“Lucy,” the bane of “Charlie’s” life, who is
played by Sophomore, A’Mari Rocheleau, of Wills Point;
“Schroeder,” the piano prodigy, is played by Victor
Rodriguez, a Junior from Leonard; Daniel Starks, a Commerce
HS Senior plays the philosophical “Linus,” whose beloved
“Blanket” is played by Quanah Wright, a Wolfe City 9th
grader; and “Sally,” who is played by Roni Carrasco, a
Senior in the Music Education program. Rounding out the cast
are: Zeb Wright, a Wolfe City 3rd grader, as
“Woodstock,” “The Little Red Haired Girl,” played by
graduate student, Martha Daniel Dupree, of Atlanta, Texas,
8th grader Dakota Wright , as “Violet.” Landon Willis, a
 7th grader from Wolfe City plays “Pig Pen,” Sierra
Fletcher, a Freshman from Greenville, plays “Peppermint
Patty, “Wolfe City 11th grader, Kendra Wagner plays
“Marcie,” Commerce 10th grader Rebekah Cooper plays
“Frieda,” In-coming Freshman, Ashley Conley plays
“Franklin,” Commerce 2nd grader, Meagan Jones plays
”Molly Volley,” and Commerce 3rd grader, Maria Celeste
Resendez House, plays “Eudora.” Understudying the role
of “Frieda,” is Payton Dickens, a 3rd grader at Phoenix
Charter School, of Greenville.  The play is directed by
graduate student, Kelsey Cooper, with musical direction by
Professor Darla Meek, of the Department of Music. Sound
design is by Philip Ingle, a Visiting Artist from Purdue
University.

When asked about working with so many younger, less
experienced actors, Ms. Daniel Dupree said, “It’s
exhilarating. They have so much energy, and they are so
eager to learn. They bring a magic to the mix.” Ms. Cooper
commented on the collaboration with faculty and students
from the Music department, “Everyone has been so generous
with their time and their talent. Their professionalism
makes my job as Director so much less stressful. Professor
Meek is a great mentor.”

Commerce native, Gerald Taylor II says of playing the iconic
“Snoopy,” I grew up with, and loving the character. It
was scary, at first, playing a character everybody knows

there is a set of expectations
 I saw the Broadway
production with Roger Bart in the role. I figured out pretty
quickly, though, that to make this work, I would have to
make it my own.”

Younger members of the troupe participate in seminars on
acting, dancing , stage makeup, costuming and design.
Costume designer, Donna Deverell says, “We want everybody
to help in the design of their character’s costume. That
way, they get to experience how a play gets staged, from
beginning to opening night and beyond.” Heading up these
seminars are Kelsey Cooper, Martha Daniel Dupree and Gerald
Taylor II. “We want to show these young people how fun
education can be,” said Ms. Cooper.

“Americans, and readers all over the world followed
Charles Shultz’s “Peanuts” comic strip for decades,
and John Gordon and Clark Gesner have captured that same
innocent, sometimes mischievous, always adventurous world of
childhood in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” said
Managing Director, Jim Anderson. He went on, “This is the
first time in several years that the Theatre Division and
the Music Department have fully collaborated on a big-time,
singing, dancing musical extravaganza. When you get that
much talent on one stage, they blow the roof off,” he
said. “Royalties and licensing fees for musical plays
quadrupled in just a few years,” he said. “But the
successes of Hank Williams, Lost Highway and Always
 Patsy
Cline, convinced us that our audience wanted a  return of
Musical Theatre to the University Playhouse stage.” So, by
limiting our seating and partnering with the Music
Department, we got the risk down to an acceptable level.”
“Budgets are tight, but that just brings out the
creativity.” “We are definitely going to seek more
opportunities for the two disciplines to work together,”
he said.

Tickets for You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown are on sale
now. Prices are $3.00 for students and Children $8.00 for
patrons at least 65 years old, and $10.00 for non student
adults.  Anderson also said that due to on campus
Independence Day activities, patrons should arrive early for
the 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM, July 3 performances, due to limited
parking.

Holly A. Stone
Box Office Manager
Performing Arts Center
Texas A&M University - Commerce
Office: 903-886-5900