BEMDIJI — Putting on a show can provide audiences with a bit of entertainment, but it’s also a chance for Bemidji State University students to show off their new skills.
They’ll have a chance with the Bemidji Opera Theater’s production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, going on Friday through Sunday, Oct. 9-11.
The Friday performance is at 7 p.m., Saturday performances are at 2:30 and 7 p.m., and Sunday’s performance is at 2:30 p.m. All performances will be in the Main Theater at the Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex on the BSU campus.
Bemidji Opera Theater has been the main source for shows on the Bemidji State University campus since the theater department was cut. They mostly do operas but have been known to do musicals as well.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a mixture of classic strips from the Peanuts comic by Charles M. Schulz. It features Peanuts characters like Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and — of course — Snoopy.
The cast features students from Bemidji State University performing the Broadway revival version of the show. Auditions began the first few days of classes.
Students have been diving deep into their characters to not just mirror what’s been done before but to add their own twists to the classic characters. This gives them a platform to showcase the musical skills they are developing.
There are two sets of cast members for the performances. The first will perform the Friday and Saturday matinee shows; the other will perform the Saturday night and Sunday matinee. Director Cory Renbarger told Area Voices on the KAXE Morning Show that he’s proud of the talent of both casts.
“They've done a lot of really good work in actually making this every bit as viable as Shakespeare when it comes to the motivations behind the characters," he said. "It's just been some very good adult work.”
The students are also excited to show their talents to the Bemidji community. Most are not from the area but know what an important role the arts play in the area. Some students said they also hope to be an inspiration to the younger generations that might go to the show to get into music or the performing arts.
Tickets for You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown are available on the Bemidji State University’s Hometown Ticketing page or at the door.
Listen to the full conversation with Renbarger and students Josh Grosvold and Jeffrey Hicks by clicking above.
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
