The final numbers are in for Sinclair Theatre’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” play! Over four days (Dec. 15 –
18), there were nine, 45 minute performances and nearly 2,500 children and adults attended.
The audience included families of all sizes, school groups, preschoolers (including Sinclair’s Mini
University and Miami Valley Head Start), multiple adult day centers, ASL clubs, members of the Deaf
community, and Sinclair students.
At just $8 a ticket, this festive and beautifully nostalgic production had something for everyone and was able to be enjoyed by audiences from all different social groups.
For adults and college students, it was a nostalgic and fun experience as the actors and actresses did
such a wonderful job of representing this classic and beloved story in a creative way that stayed true to
the original cartoon. They creatively used roller skates as ice skates, featured appealing sets and the
classic Charlie Brown piano jazz soundtrack.
For children and parents, it was a fun and interactive experience they enjoyed together. During some
parts of the play, snow-like bubbles were released over the audience’s heads, the actors and actresses
wore colorful costumes and neat hairstyles that were true to the characters they portrayed and of
course, Snoopy the dog, a fan favorite character, was entertainingly featured. At the end of the
production, everyone joined in some jolly Christmas caroling.
All nine performances were American Sign Language shadow interpreted by Sinclair’s ASL department.
This helped many members form the Deaf community to further enjoy and be included in the festive
production.
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Liberty Horner, a student at Sinclair, attended one of the performances and shared some of her favorite
things about the experience.
“I absolutely loved the Charlie Brown Christmas play that Sinclair put on. I especially loved the ASL Shadow actors. The costumes, the set, the actors, everything was amazing, and it was a truly wonderful way to get in the Christmas spirit. I really hope they perform this annually because I will definitely go annually!” Horner said.
A special thanks is owed to the Sinclair Police and Parking for assisting theatre staff in getting all the bus,
van and car drop-offs accomplished smoothly and safely outside Blair Hall and Theater in building 2, to
Sinclair’s ASL department for providing shadow interpreters, to Gina Kleesattel for directing, and for the
stage adaptation by Eric Schaeffer by special arrangement with Arthur Whitelaw and Rudy Persson.
Heaven Diastello
Photographer