IT'S CHRISTMAS CHARLIE BROWN! THE MUSICAL comes to life on the Wilmette Theatre stage this holiday season

Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, Sally and the rest of the gang are waiting to lighten your hearts during this holiday season with Actors Training Center (ATC) Repertory Company’s production of IT’S CHRISTMAS CHARLIE BROWN! THE MUSICAL. Opening at the Wilmette Theatre, December 5th through December 14th, 2014. Tickets are on sale now. For tickets or more information, visit: www.wilmettetheatre.com or call: at (847) 251-7424.

Join Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang as they prepare for the upcoming holiday season. Charlie Brown is feeling depressed due to the over-commercialization of Christmas; his little sister Sally has written to Santa Claus asking for cash, and Snoopy has decked out his doghouse in the hope of winning a Christmas decorations contest. Lucy recommends that Charlie Brown gets involved in some “real Christmas projects” and asks him to direct a school Christmas play, but he is both ignored and mocked by his peers after he returns with a small baby tree as a prop.

Determined not to let the commercialism ruin his Christmas, Charlie Brown decides to take his Christmas tree home and, much to his surprise, he and the whole Peanuts gang, soon learn the true meaning of Christmas.

Filled with holiday cheer, this special ATC production will warm the hearts of audience-goers and includes the classic songs such as, “Let It Snow,” “The 12 Days of Christmas,” “All I Want for Christmas,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “We Need A Little Christmas,” and “Just One Person.”

There will be a sing-a-long at the end of the show, in which the cast will go into the audience and invite the little kids onto the stage and sing Christmas Carols with them. A perfect treat for the entire family.

Claire Bigley is musical director and Jeff Award winner Janet Louer, Musical Theatre director of ATC’s Repertory Company, directs the production.

Cast includes:

Charlie Brown: Caleb Fietsam (Lake Bluff) and Seth Steinberg (Evanston)

Lucy: Colleen Dougherty (Evanston) and Julia Mates (Evanston)

Sally Brown: Megan Delaney (Western Springs) and Emma Flannery (Wilmette)

Linus: Jacob Simon (Deerfield)

Schroeder: Logan Scofield (Oak Park)

Pig Pen: Connor Carlin (Evanston)

Patty: Mackenzie Wilkin (Wilmette) and Elita Ernsteen (Deerfield)

Frieda: Jordan Pritsker (Glencoe) and Elizabeth Baker (Evanston)

Snoopy: Pheobe Rudnick (Winnetka) and Lilly Piekos (Wilmette)

Performances are: Friday, 12/5 at 6pm; Saturday, 12/6 at 10am; Sunday, 12/7 at 2pm and 4pm; Saturday, 12/13 at 10am and Sunday, 12/14 at 10am.

Tickets are $18; $12 group rate for 10 or more and can be purchased on-line, at www.wilmettetheatre.com, by phone, at (847) 251-7424 or at the theatre box office located at 1122 Central Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.

REMAINING 2014-2015 ATC REPERTORY COMPANY MUSICAL THEATRE SEASON

THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

Feb. 28 – March 15, 2015

Directed by: Janet Louer, Musical Director

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a tuneful, clever and uproarious tale that

follows the story of six over-achieving and quirky adolescents vying for a spelling championship,

overseen by equally colorful adults. Through the ups and downs of the bee they’re forced to

learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. The

comical bar is raised exponentially as four volunteer audience members get the opportunity to become part of the action as an on-stage bee contestant.

LES MISERABLES

May 2 – May 10, 2015

Directed by: Janet Louer, Musical Director

This international smash-hit may be the most popular musical in the world! Discover a nation in the grip of revolution, where convict Jean Valjean is on the run. Hunted relentlessly by the policeman Javert for breaking his parole, he must leave his past behind and keep his vow to raise the young orphaned Cosette. But with revolution in the air and Javert closing in, Jean Valjean has no choice but to fight for his life and sacrifice everything to protect the people he loves.

Times vary by performance. For complete and up-to-date information, please visit: www.actorstrainingcenter.com

About Actors Training Center (ATC):

The Actors Training Center provides professional-level, process-driven classes for children from kindergarten through 12th grade and adults. Courses in acting, improv, physical theatre, on-camera and musical theatre are offered at the school. Need-based scholarships are also available. For more information about ATC, please visit: www.actorstrainingcenter.com

About The Wilmette Theatre:

In 2014, the not-for-profit Wilmette Theatre will celebrate its 100th anniversary. This is the premiere multi-arts and performance center anchoring downtown Wilmette business district by providing vibrant entertainment, education and enrichment for the community, located just steps away from the Wilmette Metra station. www.wilmettetheatre.com

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