December 3–26, 2026 | Isaac Studio Theatre
In This Program
- About The Play
- Company
- Flavors of the Stage
- Lobby Gallery
- Up Next on the Jewell Mainstage
- 50 years of Holiday Joy!
- Winter Acting Classes & Midwinter Break Camps
- Print Edition
- More About Taproot Theatre
Taproot Theatre
Playing in the Jewell Mainstage Theatre
About the Play
Playing in the Isaac Studio Theatre
A Charlie Brown Christmas
By Charles M. Schulz
Based on the television special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson
Stage Adaptation by Eric Schaeffer
By Special Arrangement with Arthur Whitelaw and Ruby Persson
Director
Melanie Godsey
Creative Team
Music Director
Rebecca Gelzer
Choreographer
Chloe Michele
Co-Scenic Designer
Richard Lorig
Co-Scenic & Sound Designer
Mark Lund
Costume Designer
Sarah Burch Gordon
Lighting Designer
Tucker Goodman
Stage Manager
Monique Otter-Johnson
Assistant Stage Manager
Bella Stotts
Cast
Lucy
Lizzy Bennett
Linus
Elijah Spreier
Sally
Rebecca Gelzer
Schroeder
Sage Suzerris
Snoopy
Evan Ponyah
Frieda
Tatyana Emery
Pig Pen
Kolya Gonzalez-Wiler
Charlie Brown
Darby O’Neill *
Understudies
Sally/Frieda/Lucy/Snoopy
Shannon Johnson
Charlie Brown/Linus/Schroeder/Pig Pen
Paul Abwao
Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Dramatists Play Service. www.concordtheatricals.com
Company
Cast
Lizzy Bennett
Lucy
Lizzy was last at Taproot as an understudy for the 2025 production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. She spent two years with Taproot’s Road Company and toured Taproot’s production of Innkeeper’s Christmas to local churches. Lizzy also recently appeared in Dream, Carl, Dream! with Dacha Theatre. She has worked locally with Latitude Theatre and regionally with Montana Repertory Theatre and Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. Love to MRK.
Tatyana Emery
Frieda
Tatyana is a queer, nonbinary Lakota/white theatre artist and educator on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish and Duwamish people. This is their second time at Taproot as Frieda in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Previous work includes Track 3 in You Will Get Sick (Sound Theatre), Carson in Yaga (Dacha Theatre), and Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing (Lucky Panda). Tatyana would like to thank their friends and family for their encouragement and support!
Rebecca Gelzer
Sally & Music Director
Rebecca is pleased to return to the world of Charlie Brown for her second year as Sally, and to support this kind and generous team through music directing. Other holiday projects this season include music directing Snowed In (ArtsWest). She has also had the pleasure of collaborating with Harlequin Productions, InD Theatre, Artemis Theatre Project, and others. Merry Christmas!
Kolya Gonzalez-Wiler
Pig Pen
Kolya is excited to be making his debut with Taproot as a lifetime fan of Peanuts. Kolya recently graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in theatre. You may have previously seen Kolya as Moritz Stiefel in Spring Awakening (Eastern Washington University) and as George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life (Hitchhikers Theatre).
Darby O’Neill (he/him)
Charlie Brown
Darby is overjoyed to make his Taproot debut! Recently graduated from Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Musical Theatre, Darby is excited to be finding his way in the Seattle theatre community. Select credits include Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd, Matt in The Fantasticks, and Alfred/White Rabbit in Alice by Heart. Much love to his family and all their special Christmas memories—thank you for making this show one of yours!
Evan Ponyah (he/they)
Snoopy
Evan is thrilled to be making their Taproot debut this holiday season! Recent credits include Tashtego in Moby Dick (Vashon Repertory Theatre) and Sunny in Emojiland! (SecondStory Repertory). When not performing, Evan spends his time playing whimsical instruments and teaching school-age children. He would be thrilled to thank his family and his partner, AJ, for enduring their constant musical ramblings and burnout. Enjoy the show and happy holidays!
Elijah Spreier
Linus
Elijah is ecstatic to be returning to A Charlie Brown Christmas! Some of his recent performing credits include Aviatrix (Seattle Public Theater), A Charlie Brown Christmas (Taproot Theatre) and Fixing Einstein (Shattered Glass Project). He is also a member of Taproot’s Road Company. When not performing, Elijah teaches voice and ukulele lessons. @spre_elij
Sage Suzerris
Schroeder
Sage is excited to be making his Taproot debut. He is a singer/songwriter with a degree in Musical Theatre and a minor in Music from the University of Washington. Recent credits include Pippin (Reboot Theatre), Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Seattle Children's Theatre and 2025/26 National Tour), and Spring Awakening (The 5th Avenue Theatre). Special thanks to friends and family who have been so supportive through this theatrical journey.
Understudies
Paul Abwao
u/s Charlie Brown/Linus/Schroeder/Pig Pen
Paul is so excited to make his Taproot debut with the cast of A Charlie Brown Christmas! Past credits include Harvey Johnson in Bye Bye Birdie (The 5th Avenue Theatre), u/s Vlad/Dmitry in Anastasia the Musical, Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar, and Carlos/GM Chad in Legally Blonde (Village Theatre KIDSTAGE), Pippin in Pippin (Ballyhoo Theatre), and Nick Bottom in Something Rotten (Kamiak
High School).
Shannon Johnson (they/them)
u/s Sally/Frieda/Lucy/Snoopy
Shannon is thrilled to make their Taproot stage debut! During the school year, they are a team lead for Taproot Theatre’s Road Company. When they aren’t bringing educational theatre to schools across Washington state, they can be found performing in the greater Seattle area. Their most recent credits include Ellie in The Best Damn Thing (Dacha Theatre) and Judas in Godspell (InD Theatre). Big thanks to their husband Zach, and friends & family for the never ending support!
Creative Team
Melanie Godsey
Director
Melanie is honored to return for her second year as director for this very special holiday show. Previous assistant directing credits at Taproot include Conscience and The Importance of Being Earnest. Other directing credits include Seattle Public Theatre, InD Theatre, and The Co-Conspirators, with whom she directed and produced her original play, SPONSORED BY THE VOID, for the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it received a Critic’s Choice Award. She absolutely adores her JRMs.
Tucker Goodman
Lighting Designer
Tucker is happy to return to Taproot this Christmas season for both Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Other Taproot lighting design credits include Barefoot in the Park, Till We Have Faces, The Importance of Being Earnest, Murder on the Links, and Happy Christmas, Jeeves. Tucker also designs scenery and works as a Scenic Designer with Analog Heart Creative Studio.
Sarah Burch Gordon
Costume Designer
Sarah is thrilled to be a part of the tradition of A Charlie Brown Christmas. She recently returned to Seattle after her work with The Atlanta Opera. Sarah has also recently designed Smoke on the Mountain and Till We Have Faces. Her other Taproot credits include Persuasion, Big Fish, Big River, Illyria, Jane Eyre, and Dracula. At Seattle Children’s Theatre, she designed Red Riding Hood, Balloonacy, and The Best Summer Ever.
Richard Lorig
Co-Scenic Designer
Richard is pleased to continue a long creative partnership with Taproot. Some favorite designs for Taproot include Jeeves Takes A Bow, The Spitfire Grill, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and most recently, Smoke on the Mountain. Richard is a freelance scenic designer and an Assistant Professor of Scenic Design at Utah Valley University. You can see his work at richardlorigdesign.com. Much love to Gina!
Mark Lund
Co-Scenic & Sound Designer
This is Mark's ninth year working on A Charlie Brown Christmas in the Isaac Studio Theatre after playing Snoopy in the Jewell Mainstage Theatre many years ago. Favorite recent designs include Conscience, Murder on the Links, The Book of Will, and The Hello Girls at Taproot. Other design work includes Seattle Shakespeare Company, Book-It Repertory Theatre, and multiple award-winning short films. He has voiced many regional and national projects for T-Mobile, The North Face, the NHL, FedEx, and as Falco Lombardi in Starfox and Super Smash Bros. Love to Karen, Hannah, and Jake.
Chloe Michele
Choreographer
Chloe is thrilled to return to A Charlie Brown Christmas! Having previously played Frieda, she is excited to choreograph this lovely story. She enjoys acting, singing, and, of course, dancing! Outside of the theatre world, Chloe figure skates and teaches ballroom dance. Her favorite dance styles include ballet, tap, tango, and rumba. This production fills me with so much joy and Christmas spirit, and I am so excited to share this joy with all of you!
Monique Otter-Johnson
Stage Manager
Monique is making her Taproot debut and is thrilled to work on this holiday classic! Since graduating from Pacific Lutheran University with a bachelor’s degree in Design/Technical Theatre, she has worked locally in production & stage management, props design, and acting. Recent credits include Production Assistant, Table 17 (Union Arts Center); Production Assistant, Ragtime (Village Theatre); Stage Manager, Carrie: The Musical (Lakewood Playhouse); Anna, Spring Awakening (Tacoma Little Theatre). Monique would like to thank her family & friends for their endless support and excitement for her creative pursuits. Happy holidays!
Bella Stotts
Assistant Stage Manager
Bella is so excited to make their Taproot debut as Assistant Stage Manager. They are a third-year drama student at the University of Washington. Recent stage management credits include Neha and Neel (Seattle Public Theater) and Oops! All Frogs (Latitude Theatre). Bella would like to thank their friends and family for supporting them. Enjoy the show and thank you for coming!
Authors
Author bios can be found at concordtheatricals.com.
Production Crew
Stage Management/Crew Swing – Henry Ives
Casting
Casting Director – Bretteney Beverly
Costume Staff
Dresser – Bella Stotts
Draper – Martha Mitchell
Stitcher – Scían Hayes, Veronica Dimoff
Wig Specialist – Kelly Schmidt
Wig Designer – Jaclyn Deshaye
Scenic & Lighting Staff
Master Electrician – Aiyana Stephens
Scenic Carpenters – Tim Sandland (original builder)†, Garrett Dill (install)
Light Board Operator – Aurora Asay
Sound Board Operator – Monique Otter-Johnson
Electricians – Aurora Asay, Jared Johnson, Matthew Ray
† All stage work performed by employees represented by I.A.T.S.E., Local No. 15.
Flavors of the Stage
Stop by concessions before the show to pre-order your intermission refreshments.
Taproot’s concessions menu features Pacific Northwest wine and beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and a variety of snacks, including specialty items chosen for each show.
Specials curated for Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and A Charlie Brown Christmas:
- Christmas Morning Orange Gin Fizz
Gin, orange simple syrup, lemon juice, and soda water - Merry March Martini
Vodka, elderflower liqueur, cranberry juice, and mint - Father's Hot Buttered Rum
- Marmee's Mulled Wine
- March Sisters' Spritzer
Cranberry juice, rosemary simple syrup, and soda water (non-alcoholic) - Snoopy's Snowglobe
Vanilla Italian soda with edible blue glitter (non-alcoholic) - Meg's Orange Blossom Shortbread
from Lá Liath Bakery - Jo's Cheddar & Onion Scone
from Seattle Scone Company - Christmas Sugar Cookie
from Byen Bakeri
Celebrate all season long with our 50th Anniversary Specials!
- 50th Bubbles from Browne Vineyards
- Oatmeal Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookie from Lá Liath Bakery
Lobby Gallery
Returning Home: Paintings by Gina Ariko
October 26–December 31, 2026
“I owe my lifelong love of painting to my ojichan and obaachan, who were both working artists. Growing up biracial and a second-generation American, I often felt caught in the in-between, sometimes feeling “too American to be Japanese” and other times “too Japanese to be American.” This push-and-pull shows up in my work: nostalgia, a search for belonging, and the comfort of returning home are recurring themes in my paintings.
I work primarily in oil paint, a slow-drying and multilayered process that I find calming in an increasingly fast-paced world. Lately, I’ve been drawn to floral still life and ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of floral arranging, as the subject for my paintings. I love sharing the quiet intimacy of everyday moments that might otherwise go overlooked.”
—Gina Ariko
Gina Ariko is a Japanese American artist based in Seattle. Growing up, she spent most of her summers visiting family in Kokura, Japan, where her ojichan (grandfather) and obaachan (grandmother) first taught her to paint. Despite the language and distance barriers between them, they learned to connect through a shared love of painting. Her interest in art and storytelling overlapped at Santa Clara University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in both English and studio art, as well as a minor in art history. After graduation, Gina worked in marketing, events, and community development before pursuing art full-time in 2020. Since then, she has exhibited her artwork across the US and Japan and is currently represented by Gallery 110 in Seattle. In addition to her studio practice, Gina is a freelance floral designer and art teacher.
Works in the exhibition are available for sale unless marked by a red dot. View more works by Gina Ariko at ginaariko.com where you can contact the artist to enquire about purchases.
—Gina Cavallo, Curator & Director of Development
Up Next at Taproot
FANNIE: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer
By Cheryl L. West
From humble beginnings in rural Mississippi to the forefront of the Civil Rights Movement, Fannie Lou Hamer became one of America’s most influential leaders. Through determination, faith, and a powerful voice, she fought fearlessly for voting rights in America. Her inspiring story comes to life on stage with soulful gospel music, compelling storytelling, and extraordinary historical moments.
January 20–February 20, 2027
50 years of Holiday Joy!
Celebrate with us by making a year-end gift!
Your generosity will ensure future generations can experience the same sense of wonder, belonging, and inspiration that has defined Taproot for 50 years.
Winter Acting Classes & Midwinter Break Camps
For grades K–12
This winter, Taproot is offering four weekly classes and two midwinter break camps. With options for grades K–12, there's the perfect class or camp for any student looking to explore creativity, develop storytelling skills, and meet new friends!
Print Edition
More About Taproot Theatre
Taproot Theatre
Staff and Board
Directions and Plan Your Visit
About Taproot Theatre
