You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown: Behind the Scenes with Buddy Todd

Photo by Pierce Provonost

As we approach the debut of the upcoming Edmonds CC musical, ‘You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,’ May 16-19, we want to give folks an inside look at the cast and crew who are making this production possible.

In our first ‘Behind the Scenes’ installment we interviewed Buddy Todd; Buddy is the choreographer and playing the famous Charlie Brown in our spring musical, he’s also the ArtsNow/uLearn Programming Assistant for the Edmonds Conference Center and the Acting Basics Instructor for ArtsNow/uLearn.  Sounds like a jack of all trades!

Want to learn more about Buddy? We did too. Here’s what we found out: 

What song always makes you happy when you hear it?

"Send Me on My Way" by Rusted Root and "Psycho Killer" by The Talking Heads. What can I say? I'm a little twisted.

Who's the funniest person you know?

One of my best friends, Angela Snyder. However, it's usually unintentional-but I get a kick out of her. She is also really good at getting me to laugh at myself.

Who do you admire and why?

This sounds cheesy, but I truly admire the "Charlie Browns" in the world. Life isn't always fair; life isn't always kind. As nice as it would be to have some great cosmic equalizer to make life easier, I really admire those who take another shot at kicking the football...because...one day..."Lucy" won't move it away fast enough, and, MAN, that thing is going to soar! 

What actor/actress/performer past or present do you wish you could interview and why?

Robert Downey Jr.: He has an amazing body of work and has managed to resurrect his career multiple times. I feel that, despite his current commercial success, he is still underrated as the emotional, soulful, performer that he is. 

Who was the last person you hugged?

Um...some stranger that liked a karaoke song I sang last night. 

What makes you unique?

I can see humor in virtually any situation. I am the world's easiest laugh-er.

What are 3 things you cannot live without?

Honestly? Food, water, and a clean place to go to the bathroom. 

What 1 thing would you take with you on a deserted island?

A boat. Unless it has to be something I can carry, which would either be a map of the island or instructions on how to build a boat from things you'd find on a deserted island.

What did you wanna be when you were a kid?

An actor. I've always been hardwired for this. Although, there was a phase when I was three and I wanted to be God, which is why I like to direct too.

Why did you decided to audition for Charlie Brown?

My decision to work on the show was based on my desire to perform in the gorgeous Black Box space and to collaborate with Jennifer Matthews.

What are most looking forward to about the show?

I absolutely love the rehearsal process - especially when there is a strong ensemble of actors who bring interesting and bold character choices with them. I can't wait to develop on-and-offstage relationships and mold them into a fun and compelling story for our audiences. 

What do you hope to learn from this process?

 I don't have a specific educational goal with this particular production. However, being a part of the cast, as well as the creative team, I anticipate a lot of learning and growing. 

Tickets for ‘You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown' are now on sale! 

Tickets:

$15 General Admission

$10 Students, Youth (17 and under) and Seniors (65+)

Performances:

May 16-19, 2013

Thur., Fri., Sat.: 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Sun.: 2:00 p.m.

* For questions, to purchase tickets over the phone or to inquire about group sales, please call the Box Office (425) 640-1448. Advance reservations are strongly recommended as seating is limited and some shows will sell out.