Young Players to present A Charlie Brown Christmas

The Young Players and Landers of Benton will present A Charlie Brown Christmas on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at The Royal Theatre in Benton. Members of the cast include, front row, from left, Sascha Bass as Woodstock, Olivia Kreulen as Frieda, Madison Stoltzer as Snoopy and Isaac Hutson as Franklin; and back row, Libby Golleher as Sally, Alexandra Lanier as Violet, Luke Ferguson as Charlie Brown, Meredith Medford as Lucy, Caleb Burnett as Schroeder, Tierney Earnest as Patty and Hayden Griffis as Shermy. Not shown are Jack Clay as Linus, Noah Lee as Pig Pen and Hannah Grace Fritz as Marcie.
The Young Players and Landers of Benton will present A Charlie Brown Christmas on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at The Royal Theatre in Benton. Members of the cast include, front row, from left, Sascha Bass as Woodstock, Olivia Kreulen as Frieda, Madison Stoltzer as Snoopy and Isaac Hutson as Franklin; and back row, Libby Golleher as Sally, Alexandra Lanier as Violet, Luke Ferguson as Charlie Brown, Meredith Medford as Lucy, Caleb Burnett as Schroeder, Tierney Earnest as Patty and Hayden Griffis as Shermy. Not shown are Jack Clay as Linus, Noah Lee as Pig Pen and Hannah Grace Fritz as Marcie.

BENTON — Ticket sales open today for an added matinee of A Charlie Brown Christmas, by Charles M. Schulz, at The Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St. in downtown Benton.

The Young Players and Landers of Benton will present the matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are sold out for performances scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, although some tickets may be available at the door.

A Christmas cabaret will precede each show.

“Patrons are really getting two shows in one,” said Leah Golleher of Benton, producer of the local show.

Tickets are $12 for adults; $10 for senior citizens 60 and older and members of the military; and $5 for children from age 3 to college students with an ID. Tickets are available through Ticket Leap on the website theroyalplayers.com or by calling (501) 315-5483.

A Charlie Brown Christmas is based on the television special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendleson, with stage adaptation by Eric Schaeffer. The local production is presented by special arrangement with Arthur Whitelaw and Ruby Pearson and produced by arrangement with Tams-Witmark Music Library Inc. of New York City.

Many readers may be familiar with the classic television special in which Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts Gang discover the true meaning of Christmas. When Charlie Brown complains about the overwhelming materialism he sees during the Christmas season, Lucy suggests that he become director of the school Christmas pageant. Charlie Brown accepts, but this proves to be a frustrating endeavor. When an attempt to restore the proper holiday spirit with a forlorn little Christmas fir tree fails, he needs Linus’ help to discover the real meaning of Christmas.

“This is the traditional cartoon brought to life as much as possible,” said Jeremy Clay of Sheridan, director. “I’ve never directed this show before. Even though it is a Christmas classic, I had never read the script until they asked me to direct it.

“It’s a wonderful show,” he said. “And it’s a wonderful cast. Part of the proceeds from the show will go toward the Young Players funding an educational trip to New York City this summer. I will be going, along with my entire family.”

Clay said A Charlie Brown Christmas is “a family show, absolutely.

“It is such a rare occasion as an educator that you get to share your faith,” said Clay, who teaches drama at Bryant High School.

“I believe Christ was born and died and is the Son of God. It’s a big deal for me. In rehearsal, I got to sit down and spend about 30 minutes with the cast just talking about Jesus,” Clay said.

“The play is about how Christmas is so commercialized, but when Linus gives his ‘big speech’ taken from the book of Luke about the shepherds and angels, they realize what the true meaning of Christmas is and feel really bad laughing at Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree.

“It’s about feeling misguided about Christmas and how as kids, they are spoiled by it. … That’s really solid.”

Appearing in A Charlie Brown Christmas are the following:

• Luke Ferguson of Benton, who plays Charlie Brown;

• Madison Stoltzer of Little Rock, who appears as Snoopy;

• Meredith Medford of Bryant, who plays Lucy;

• Jack Clay of Sheridan, who plays Linus;

• Noah Lee of Haskell, who appears as Pig Pen;

• Olivia Kreulen of Benton, who plays Frieda;

• Caleb Burnett of Prattsville, who plays Schroeder;

• Alexandra Lanier of Bryant, who appears as Violet;

• Libby Golleher of Benton, who plays Sally;

• Tierney Earnest of Benton, who plays Patty;

• Hayden Griffis of Bauxite, who appears as Shermy;

• Hannah Grace Fritz of Benton, who plays Marcie;

• Sascha Bass of Little Rock, who appears as Woodstock; and

• Isaac Hutson of Benton, who plays Franklin.

Golleher said an angel choir or ensemble is also part of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

“In addition, many of those in the angel choir will perform solos and duets in the Christmas cabaret,” she said. “We had such a large amount of talent that auditioned for A Charlie Brown Christmas that we wanted to include those who did not get a speaking part. We had about 50 who auditioned, and there are only 14 named characters in the play.

“We just didn’t want all of that talent to go to waste. Plus, A Charlie Brown Christmas is just a short show — about 20 to 25 minutes. By adding the cabaret, the total show is now about one to 1 1/2 hours.”

The Christmas cabaret performers, and the songs they will present, include the following:

• Alana Dunn of Benton, “Jingle Bells”;

• Shelby Ward of Benton, “Where Are You Christmas?”;

• Cadence Earles, “If It Doesn’t Snow on Christmas”;

• Izzy Hammonds, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”;

• Reagan McCartney, “Sleigh Ride”;

• Makenzie and Makaylei Taylor, both of Little Rock, “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”;

• Adelyn Eiler, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”;

• Caylie Richardson, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”;

• Morgan Jones and Gretchen Bush, “Once Upon a December”;

• Mary Grace Wells, “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas”; and

• Annie Harris, “O Holy Night.”

Also singing in the angel choir in A Charlie Brown Christmas will be Sam Duncan, Rylee Kate Horn, Hannah Kuhlmann, Addison Lumpkins, Rylee Woodard and Addie Woodard, all of Benton; Madalyn Anderson, Mia Simone Parker and Amber Thompson, all of Bryant; and Ty Wunderl of Maumelle.

Sandy Shipe of Bryant is the musical director for the production of A Charlie

Brown Christmas, and Jo Murry of White Hall directs the Christmas cabaret. Local stage management for A Charlie Brown Christmas is by Amber Threlkeld, costuming by Melissa D. Earnest and props by Misty Jezierski; all are of

Benton.

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