Local Theatre Offerings
NEWS FROM THE ROGUE PLAYHOUSE
‘You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown’
Musical Opens December 5
Fast approaching is Ellensburg Theater’s holiday musical production of ‘You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown’ by Clark Gesner. Based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz, this joyful journey back to a time when we were 5 or 6 allows us to see the world through a child’s eyes, even while we view the adults portraying them with their loud primary colors and their loud displays of emotion. You’ll want to root for Charlie Brown in these vignettes about never giving up. Enjoy the portrayals of Linus, Lucy, Sally and Schroeder as they interact with Charlie Brown and each other. Don’t forget Snoopy, who’s on top of the situation as much as he’s on top of his dog house.
Thrill to the exuberant voices of childhood as they sing their hearts out (like I once heard Pastor Brueckner say, “We may not be good, but we’re loud”). Well, guess what, they’re good. Thrill to Lucy as she croons to Schroeder, and belts it out to Charlie Brown (for a fee. That’ll be 5 cents, please). And Snoopy who carries a tune as well as he (she, actually) carries his dog dish. And Linus, who does a soft shoe as well as sing out. And Sally, who has a new philosophy. Look out, Broadway. And Schroeder, who sings divine, and plays a really small grand piano. And Charlie Brown who sings his heart out, with the same heart he puts into everything, no matter what.
Enter Whit Mather
Every production has its special needs, thrills and worries. A piano player would not appear, but others did. David Godino of Brookings supplied the musical accompaniment. And then like Manna from Heaven (as Sarah calls it), Whit Mather appeared. A phone call, a meeting over coffee and we had our Sound Man, that 7th cast member, really, who is as much a part of the play as the actors. What a fortuitous event.
Whit and Jean, are residing at Turtle Rock RV where he’s performing marketing services for several months. They became full-time RVer’s 8 ½ years ago when they sold their home in Lake Oroville, CA; and are now among the “Upwardly Mobile Homeless”, where the home is considered ‘wheel estate’ instead of ‘real estate’.
Whit has retired twice already; the first time at 42 after twenty some years selling, writing, directing &/or producing live corporate events (Shaklee, Apple Computer, Travelodge), TV commercials, live ABC broadcasts, documentaries and sponsored films from NY to Chicago, LA and San Francisco, while rising to VP/Executive Producer, working with million dollar budgets. He retired a second time at 56, after twelve years building a wholesale livestock feed and hardware business in rural northern California.
With a Boston University BA in Radio/TV/Film Communications, Whit is a task-oriented individual, looking for challenging situations, and here we are. There are many challenges to mounting a community production of this nature…people’s lives, work, travel and H1N1, but the show must go on, as they say; and any minute now we expect to experience that moment of PFM (pure, felicitous magic) as we approach Hell week and opening night. You’re in for a treat, Gold Beach. Don’t miss ‘play’ dates, December 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18 and 19.
Whit spoke of Viola Spolin, the grandmother of improve theater, whose classes influenced the comedy of SNL and 2nd City in Chicago, which her son Paul Sills co-founded. Sue Walden of ImprovWorks developed games to inspire creativity, using play to unlock creative self-expression. She facilitated play events for adults, business groups, schools and corporations, coaching people in communication skills. As a result of that training, Whit performed at San Francisco’s North Beach dinner club, the Old Spaghetti Factory for over three years. ETC hopes to have his training skills put to good use in classes to be offered at the Playhouse.
See you at the Playhouse.
