OLDS — Due to pandemic restrictions, École Olds High School’s production of the musical You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown will be filmed and aired on YouTube, rather than performed in the TransCanada Theatre.
Originally, the musical had been scheduled to be performed several times last December.
However, when new COVID-19 restrictions were announced, it was postponed, tentatively to February. When restrictions remained, the decision was taken to put it online instead.
“We have decided we’re just going to record it and then put it out on YouTube for people to watch just because who knows when things are going to open up enough to put an audience in there again,” said principal Tom Christensen during an interview.
The cast was scheduled to hold its final dress rehearsal during the March 5 weekend. Plans call for the musical to be filmed the weekend of March 12, then aired on YouTube.
Christensen said the decision to post the play online rather than perform it in front of a live audience is disappointing.
"But that’s how so much is these days, you know. It’s not much different than the hockey players who are playing without a crowd. So we’ll perform it and it’ll be available for people to watch,” he said.
He said because a drama club is performing it, members of the cast can be there to cheer and laugh, so in a way, there will be a bit of an audience.
One positive aspect of the decision is that it will give some of the students some valuable experience recording and posting the show.
"It’s unique. We went through the grad and that was kind of a unique thing and this grad will probably be modified a bit too, you know,” he said.
“So it’s just the way it is. In the end, they went through the process of developing the play and I’m as proud of them as any other year.”
