ROCKINGHAM – Shelly Walker, Director of the Richmond Community Theatre, shared her thoughts in the program for the current presentation of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown!” which opened on May 10th in Rockingham and continues this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with performances at 8:00 p.m.
“Of all the gifts that we receive by attending and participating in theatre, I believe the experience of compassion is the greatest. Seeing another human’s joy and grief, and then understanding that it is the same as our joy and grief, is the ground work for compassion. It is also the ground work for wisdom and collective healing. In the world today, I see a need for wisdom and healing. I see a need for much more compassion for each other. I see a need for theatre.”
The characters that are part of this presentation are Jason Harris as Charlie Brown; Teressa Beavers as Lucy; Amanda Moss as Sally; Matthew Thompson as Linus; James Toney as Schroeder; and Brian Perry as Snoopy.
Jason is returning to the role of Charlie Brown from a previous performance in the play “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown.” Mr. Harris promotes literacy in the Richmond County Schools as a media specialist.
Teressa is performing as Lucy for a second time, and has stage experience as Sally and also performed in “Beauty and the Beast.” She is a second grade teacher at Sandhills Classic Christian School in Aberdeen.
Amanda, in the role of Sally, has also performed in “Beauty and the Beast” as one of the three Silly Girls, and shares that her favorite things are reading and singing. She feels honored to be a part of the RCT group.
Matthew portrays Linus, and is returning to the stage after being away for 30 years. A family nurse practitioner living in Rockingham, he also enjoys traveling and ministering with the worship team Judah.
James is very proud to be cast as Schroeder, and was last seen in the “Beauty and the Beast” production as the Baker. He enjoys spending time with family, friends, at the gym, and singing. James is a pianist at Saint Peter United Methodist Church in Hamlet.
Brian is in the well-loved role of Snoopy, and was last seen as Doc in “Second Samuel.” He has experience in numerous community theatre productions all over the Tar Heel state, including “Our Town,” “Carousel,” and “The Odd Couple.”
Shelly Walker has served as the Director of the Richmond Community Theatre since 2011, now serving seven seasons. Twenty-one plays have graced the theatre with her leadership, from “Every Christmas Story Ever Told” to “Crimes of the Heart” to “Around the World in Eighty Days.”
There is also a Richmond Community Theatre Young People’s program, which involves students interested in theatre and the performing arts between the ages of 8 and 14. Some previous performances included “Stone Soup,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Alice in Wonderland.” This coming June the play is titled “Fractured Fairytale Network” and practice begins on June 18. The program will last for two weeks and will culminate in a performance on June 29. For more information on the Young People’s program, you can e-mail Shelly Walker at rctdirector@gmail.com.
Members of the production crew include Chris Tilley as accompanist, Merrie Dawkins as production assistant, Nicole Wallace on the lighting board, and Pat Herring on the sound board. Members of the set crew include Charles Turner, Lauren Turner, and Jason Turner. Valeria Lunceford and Belinda Norton are in charge of costumes and props. Running crew members are Logan Smith and Jessica Lowery, and the production team includes James Toney, Lynne Blake, and Fred Morris. Ushers that were present at the Saturday night performance included Mia Grace Franco and Tobey Lunceford.
The 2017-2018 Board of Directors includes Henry Boore as President, Merrie Dawkins as Vice-President, Lynne Blake as Treasurer, and Glynnis Hagins as Secretary. Other members are Robert Flournoy, Valeria Lunceford, Brian Perry, and Charles Turner.
RCT Director Shelly Walker also shares that she is grateful for the support of those who continue to support the theatre. She expresses her gratitude to the cast and production crew and all of the talented people in Richmond County, and her pride of the accomplishments of the theater over the years. She believes in the importance and necessity of the theatre in the community, and asks that those who share her belief spread the word about the importance of the theatre throughout Richmond County.
The Richmond Community Theatre is a 501(c)3 organization working together in conjunction with the city of Rockingham, NC. Established in 1977, it is the fifth oldest community theatre in operation in the state if North Carolina.
Make sure to keep the play “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown!” in mind as you plan events that you don’t want to miss this week! Performances are at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 111 East Washington Street in downtown Rockingham. You can contact the Box Office at (910) 997-3765.
