Midland Players to stage "Charlie Brown" during Colorscape

NORWICH – The Midland Players, a new theater company, will give its inaugural performance at 2 and 8 p.m. on Sept. 9 and 2 p.m. Sept. 10 in the Martin W. Kappel Theater, 27 W. Main St., as part of Colorscape Chenango Arts Festival in downtown Norwich.

Directed by Norwich High School Musical Director Mark Sands, “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown” features a cast of players familiar to the NHS’ stage, including: Jon Stockton as Charlie Brown; Chris Lynk as Snoopy; Lacey Duell as Patty; Myria Smith as Lucy; Josh Manley as Schroeder and Matt Austin as Linus.

Stockton has played Harold Hill in “The Music Man,” Nathan Detroit in “Guys and Dolls” and Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Lynk is familiar to local audiences as Mr. McAfee in “Bye Bye Birdie,” The King in “Cinderella” and Barnaby in “Hello Dolly.” Duell was last seen on the NHS stage in the role of Miss Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls” and portrayed the middle daughter Hodel in “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Rounding out the production staff are sound designer, Steve Samasonik of Sunshower Productions; costume coordinator, Spring Graham; lighting design, Matt Grenier; choreographer, Derek Stratton, and props and stage manager, Sue Grenier. Sands and Samasonik have worked together on NHS musicals for the past four years.

“Originally we spoke about doing a large scale production in the Binghamton area, but we decided to start small and stay in Norwich for the time being,” Sands said of his collaboration with Samasonik. Sands said he plans to continue producing and directing musicals and perhaps branch out into non-musical plays after retirement.