On February 9th-11th, the West Anchorage High School Theatre Program put on the funny and quick-witted production “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” for the local community. The show was full of hilarious one-liners that left the audience close to tears.

The musical starred Harry Blair, a senior at West High, as Charlie Brown. It was Blair’s debut as a lead in a West High production, and he did well despite his lack of experience with singing. “It was one of the best cast shows I’ve ever been in. I think it we knocked it out of the park … Everyone gave 110%,” Blair says.

Though Blair did an excellent job as Charlie Brown, the stand-out performers were Grayce Paige, who played Lucy, Tessa Neeno, who played Sally, and Anthony Capala, who played Schroeder.

Capala, though a newcomer to the West Theatre scene, aced the part of Schroeder. He constantly charmed the audience with his sassiness and presence on the stage, specifically highlighted in his performance of “Beethoven Day” in this first act of the show. “I researched the character, and I really had to look at it,” Capala says. “All I had to do was be sassy, and I had to stick with it and be sassy, cuz that’s all I can ever do.” Blair also had to study to identify with his character. Blair is nearly an adult, yet Charlie Brown is a little boy. “Really the hardest part was finding the character. Like, becoming a little boy, you know. That was the biggest challenge for me… I couldn’t be high school teenager, I had to be a little 7 year old depressed kid,” Blair says.

Both Capala and Blair have a history in drama. Blair started when he was just 10 years old doing acting camps, while Capala got a later start. Capala, just a freshman, originally got hooked on drama through his participation in another school music, “School House Rock.” “Someone told me about ‘School House Rock’ and it didn’t seem like something I wanted to do, but I gave it a shot,” Capala says.

One of Capala’s peers and fellow actors, Jacob Christy, also acted in “School House Rock.” However Christy did not participate in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”. Despite his lack of participation in the play on stage, Christy did come and watch the play. “It was absolutely amazing,” Christy raves. “I think the best part of the play was the ‘Book Report’ part of the play.”

Although members of Anchorage’s public can no longer see “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” the West High School Theatre Program is putting on an adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ Blair will be playing the accompanying role of Benvolio, the friend and cousin of Romeo Montague.

‘Romeo and Juliet’ will debut on April 6th, and continue until the night of April 8th.