The River Region Drama Guild (RRDG) will present its 2023 summer musical You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown beginning on June 22 at the River Region Performing Arts and Cultural Center in Norco.
Evening 7:30 PM performances will be offered June 22 thru 24, June 29 thru 30 and a final evening performance on July 1. The RRDG will present theatergoers with a special 2 PM matinee performance on June 25.
“For fans of the Charles Schulz’s classic Peanuts cartoons and comics, River Region’s production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, directed by Madison Smith, is sure to bring a wave of childlike glee,” Darby Berthelot, 27-year RRDG member and current RRDG President, said. “For those unfamiliar with the show, it is a series of small, slice-of-life scenes, songs, and moments, just like the comic strips. For instance, Linus tries to get Snoopy to play fetch, Charlie Brown confesses a secret to Lucy, who laughs in his face, and Sally is “mad at the world” because her jump rope has become tangled.”
The production will feature local actors with varying levels of local and regional stage experience, many of whom have recently performed in other area theater productions.
“Most recently, members of the cast have been seen on stage in our Winter Workshop production of Frozen, Jr. and the local production of Wizard of Oz,” Berthelot said.
RRDG’s You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown production includes an unusual pairing of two real-life siblings – Mary and Will Reinagel – who play siblings Lucy and Linus in the musical.
“The casting of the real-life siblings wasn’t done intentionally, but it has proven to be very beneficial to the dynamic of their characters,” Berthelot said. “The actors can bring that special sibling rivalry elements to their characters.”
Tickets for You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown are $15 for adults and $10 for students. To purchase tickets online, or for more information on the upcoming musical, visit rrpa.org.
For local students between the ages of 8 and 18 interested in performing in productions like You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, the RRDG is currently offering its Broadway Bound Summer Workshop. Held at the River Region Performing Arts and Cultural Center located at 15146 River Road in Norco, the summer musical workshops will be held on June 3, 10 and 17 from 9 am to Noon.
“The RRDG has held our summer workshops for several years but most recently revised the program to provide the attendees with the opportunity to interact with actual Broadway stars,” Berthelot commented.
Each workshop will involve a Zoom call with veteran Broadway performers in collaboration with RRDG instructors on-site.
The final workshop on Saturday, June 17 will focus on auditioning with a Zoom call from Broadway star Pat Dunn. Dunn’s Broadway credits include The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables.
“Our young actors’ workshops have provided to be the first exposure or experience for our young audience that has opened the door to the world of performing arts,” Berthelot mentioned regarding the RRDG’s upcoming musical workshops. “Many of our young attendees become involved in their schools’ theatre programs or audition for local and regional theater opportunities.”
The cost for each workshop is $30. For more information visit the RRDG’s website at rrpa.org.
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