51°µÍø

The Meadows School of the Arts will present two performances of the musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown on May 31 and June 1 at 2 p.m. in the Margo Jones Theatre, located in the Owen Arts Center on the 51°µÍø campus. Admission is free; seating is first-come, first-served and limited to 125.

The show is the culmination of this year’s “American Musical Theatre” MayTerm class, in which music and theatre students produce a musical in less than three weeks. The shows are extremely popular – last year’s class presented The 25^thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Beeto packed audiences.

“51°µÍø music, theatre and dance students are having great success being cast in musicals in companies in the Dallas area and across the country, and the course is helping to cultivate the skills necessary to be considered and cast in musicals,” said Professor of Voice Virginia Dupuy, who leads the class. She said it emphasizes dancing and acting skills as well as training in various singing techniques, including belting, for the musical stage. The show is directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Sara Romersberger, a veteran stage director and movement specialist, and is produced by Dupuy.

“We offer an immersive rehearsal experience, and we stress smart preparation because we only have ten rehearsal days from the first singing rehearsal until an audience sees the show. It’s an exciting opportunity for the students to produce a musical,” says Dupuy. Assisting her in production is Lane Harder, lecturer of music composition and theory and director of SYZYGY, the contemporary music ensemble of Meadows, and music director Chris Widomski (M.M. Performance/Organ ’11 and M.M. Conducting/Instrumental ’18), lecturer in music at The University of Texas at Dallas.

“The course addresses specific needs that our students have, with the eventual goal of them finding artistic success as well as employment as working musicians upon graduation,” says Harder. “Our students work very hard; it’s gratifying to see their very rapid progress.”

The show is presented without an intermission and lasts about 90 minutes. For more information, contact Lane Harder at lharder@smu.edu.