By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-936649.mp3
Buffalo, NY – Families can get into the holiday spirit again this year with a Charlie Brown Christmas: The Music of Vince Guaraldi. Road Less Traveled Productions is bringing back their popular stage adaptation of the classic television special - with live jazz music. This year the children's chorus takes center stage to help bring the music to life.
Anybody who loves the Charlie Brown Christmas special probably has some nostalgic images in mind. But in this production, you won't see your favorite characters brought to life. Nobody's on stage dressed like Snoopy, or Charlie Brown or Lucy.
The images conjured up here come mainly from the television special's signature score by Vince Guaraldi. According to director Doug Weyand, the goal is to make the music sound as authentic as possible.
And he said that's where the kids come in. Weyand said many of them have never performed professionally before. And that's how they wanted it.
Each performance features one of four different children's choruses. There are nine kids in each chorus, with the chorus rotating between the four weeks of performances. There are 40 kids in all. They range from 11 to 13 years old. But Weyand makes working with all those kids seem easy.
Weyend is a certified teacher and he spent 15 years at Orchard Park middle school. But as a professional director at places such as RLTP and Musicalfare he usually works with adults. Weyand said directing the kids in this production is a special treat.
When you talk to the kids in this production, you quickly realize some kids come into their own remarkably early. 11-year old Jack Kloberdance unabashedly explains how he landed a spot in the chorus.
Jack said he was especially good in the simulated snowball fight. But Jack had to admit he didn't know any of the songs when he auditioned.
Weyand said the biggest challenge was making sure Jack and all the kids became familiar with Guaraldi's music.
And then he had to get across to the kids the concept of this stylized version of the television special. It uses music, mime and choreography - and no dialogue. 13-year old Janee Brown said she doesn't mind not having a speaking part.
It is actress Bonnie Jean Taylor who is responsible for making that magic happen. She creates a sort of amalgam of all the Charlie Brown characters with movement and imagination. And this year, she said the kids take part in that too.
And Taylor said that kids' world has turned out to be a pretty enjoyable one to work in.
RLTP is probably better known for its edgy, adult productions. But artistic director Scott Behrend said they just might make their Charlie Brown Christmas a yearly, family tradition.
There is a preview performance Wednesday night at RLTP's theatre in the the Market Arcade. The play opens on Friday and runs through December 19. Information about tickets and show times are available at RLTP.