The Jena High School Drama Club brought the Peanuts gang to life during their presentation of the musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
The fourteen-member cast performed at the Jena High School auditorium on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, December 7-9, with a large attendance each night.
After undergoing ten weeks of practice, which included learning lines, dance routines and musical numbers, their hard work surely paid off as audiences were kept laughing at Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the beloved comic strip characters.
The musical was directed by JHS Drama Club Director Tracy Joy, along with Technical Director Blake Joy and Vocal Coach Reagan Franklin.
Making his debut as Charlie Brown was senior Ethan Reaves and playing his beloved puppal Snoopy was Sophomore Callie Davidson. The program also featured Junior Iris Smith as the crabby Lucy Van Pelt, Freshman Sophie Reaves as the often-overreacting Sally Brown, Freshman Dalen McDowell as the blanket-toting Linus Van Pelt and Junior Greyor Harris as the Beethoven-obsessed piano prodigy, Schroeder.
Making up the rest of the Peanuts characters was Kolton Bradford as Pig-Pen, Ava McGuffee as Peppermint Patty, Ad’Lynn Brinson as Marcie, Makayla Bradford as Woodstock, Zaylee Walker as Frieda, Lynzee Bowie as Violet, Tanner Boyett as Shermy and Natalie Parrott as the little redheaded girl.
Working behind the scenes was sound technician Arin Ashley, lighting technician Denver Green, stage manager Jillian Parker and stage crew member Nova Smith. Helping to get those dance routines just right were student choreographers Jessica Smith, Raylee Guillory, Mallory Courtney and Lily LaCroix, and students ChiChi Achilefu and Mallory Courtney assisted in hair and makeup. The set, which included the wellknown Psychiatric Help Booth the big green chair and Snoopy’s dog house, was built by Chad Girlinghouse, Blake Joy, Tracy Joy, Aaralyn Johnson and the cast.
The show would not have been possible without support from the following 2024 JHS Drama Club Sponsors: Justiss Oil Company, Cliff Williams Memorial Fund, Ace Family Hardware, Jena Band of Choctaws, Hardtner Medical Center, Universal Plant Services, Southern Heritage Bank, Homeland Bank, OfficeLinx, Gamer’s Pair-a-Dice, Womack and Sons, Billy Masters, the Family of Bliss Kendrick (the JHS Drama Club’s biggest fan!), Woodmen of the World Trout Ch. 1145, Long’s Body Shop, XTO Energy, Speedy Mac’s, LaSalle General Hospital, McCartney Oil, LaSalle Florist, Matthew and Brandy Reaves, John and Marty Joy, Renee’ Loe (in honor or Mike Adams), Barry Scott Insurance Agency (State Farm), Dorroh and Kendrick and LaSalle Parish Assessor Tom Kendrick. (See many more photos at www.thejenatimes.net which are free to view, download and share.)
