Community Corner
Arbor Park Student Gets Lead in Charlie Brown
Kinsey Carrera, an Oak Forest teen will play the part of Lucy during You're A Good Man Charlie Brown at Stagg Performing Arts Center.
Poised and pretty, it’s hard to believe 14-year-old Kinsey Carrera from Oak Forest transforms into the bratty and crabby Lucy Van Pelt.
The eighth grader from Arbor Park Middle School made her acting debut at the age of 5. In fact, the lead role for the annual Christmas play at Grace Fellowship Church in Oak Forest went to Kinsey.
“I’ve been onstage for a long time,” says Kinsey. “From talent shows at my school to the Christmas pagent at my church.”
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The soft-spoken Kinsey has very little in common with Lucy, except a new twist to the production: Lucy is on her cell phone as much as Kinsey.
“One of my favorite scenes in this production is with Charlie Brown,” Kinsey says. “ It’s the Psychiatric scene,” she adds. “Normally the production would do the classic one where she’s in her booth. Well they made a twist in the plot, I have a Starbucks cup, my cell phone and I’m completely ignoring him. It’s a different take on the character that the directors have never done before.”
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In scenes with Charlie Brown, played by Cody Hannig and with Schroeder played by Ryan Hayes, Kinsey makes a strong stage presence. Watching the three of them melt into the Peanuts gang, is worth getting tickets for this upbeat production.
“My character is really fun to play,“ adds Kinsey.
Tickets are available for the show.
WHEN: January 16–18, 2015
Friday, January 16 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 17 – 2 p.m.
Saturday, January 17 – 6 p.m.
Sunday, January 18 – 3 p.m.
WHERE: Stagg Performing Arts Center, 8015 W. 111th Street, Palos Hills, IL.
TICKETS: 847-516-2298 or visit www.spotlight.org
$9-$12 presale, + $2 at the door
Group, child, and senior prices available
When ordering tickets please credit Kinsey Carrera
WHO: Spotlight Youth Theater is a non-profit, educational theater arts program for students 5-18 in the Aurora, Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kenosha (WI), Lake, McHenry, Milwaukee (WI), Oak Park, Orland Park, Rockford Metro, and Shorewood areas and has approximately 6,000 students per year. Each area offers summer camps and after-school classes in dance, voice, drama and theatrical specialties, and performs three fully staged musical productions per year. Spotlight is non-discriminatory and welcomes all children. Spotlight Youth Theater also offers an inclusion program, which assists students with special needs to participate in classes and productions.
