“I read the biography of Charles M. Shultz along with his Charlie Brown comic strip a lot and carry around a Peanuts’ themed coffee mug that I fill with water to inspire myself for this production,” comments Tania Legvold, hired over the summer as director of the Cannon Falls High School Musical.  She has chosen You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown because she was very familiar with the show in the past and the clock was ticking to make a decision. “I remember it was a simple show; however I envision the cast to do each of their individual character research for externalization and internalization purposes to bring the newspaper comic strip to life.”

The audience members should be able to identify each character not only by the costumes, but through the way the actors speak their lines or even general movement. Principal parts will be led by junior Matt Lockett as Determined Charlie Brown, junior Mary Franz as Overdramatic Snoopy, junior Hannah Brummand as Loveable Lucy van Pelt, sixth grader Braxton Ulrich as Intelligent Linus van Pelt. Also, sophomore Matthew Breuer as Pianist Schroeder, senior Mary Ann McCusker as Sweet Sally Brown, eighth grader Samantha Hamann as Naive Peppermint Patty, ninth grader Melissa Franz as Imaginative Violet Gray, and ninth grader Rachel Hartman as Sociable Frieda.

Performances will be held on November 14^th, 15^th, 16^th at seven o’clock and on the 17^th at two o’clock in the CFHS Auditorium with tickets available at the doors ($6.00 for adults/$4.00 for students). Director Legvold works alongside her husband (has worked at both the Cannon Falls Elementary and High Schools for ten years) through this Charlie Brown production and Mr. Legvold says he is certain she can accomplish what she has set out to do.

Robert Siebenaler, member of the Cannon Falls School board, in an interview told me the real answer to the popular question of why directors come and go at the school. “Directing is a part time job and when new directors take teaching positions at the school their departments have to make cuts, so new directors are often first to be let go as they have the least years experienced. Directors may have to move away from Cannon Falls for personal reasons as well.” Legvold plans to direct the winter one act after completing the musical. “Ultimately, I want these kids to have fun and to have them learn about theater arts.”