Jeff Downing (Charlie Brown) is originally from Chillicothe, Ohio, and received a BFA in Theater Design and Production from University of Cincinnati’s Conservatory of Music (CCM). Jeff is the Associate Artistic Director and Resident Designer of The Play Group Theatre in New York.  This will be his eigth summer with Grandstreet, and is happy to call Helena his summer home. Jeff directed Lucky Stiff and The Secret Garden for GST’s Conservatory, and performed in the last two summer’s faculty shows. Songs for a New World andThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Lysa Fox (Lucy Van Pelt) Lysa Fox resides in Long Beach, CA where she just received her MFA in Performance from Cal State.  This past year, she directed The Myth of Io and was featured as Olga in The Poetry of Pizza (yes, that’s really the name of a play).  Oddly enough, she just directed You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown in Colorado before arriving here in Helena to be in it.  She will be featured in The Last Five Years in Billings in August.  A giant, heart-felt thanks to her extended Grandstreet family for opening their hearts and homes for all these years.

Gabe Murphy (Linus Van Pelt) Gabe is thrilled to be back in Helena! Gabe has previously been seen at Grandstreet as Dr. Craven in The Secret Garden and a member of the ensemble in Songs for a New World. Gabe earned his BFA in Musical Theatre from the Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts. He currently resides in Minneapolis, where he has been seen in “The Seagull” and “To the Lighthouse.”  Many thanks to Marianne and my Mom and Dad!

Ross Baum (Snoopy/ Charlie Brown Understudy)Ross Baum is thrilled to be spending his summer in Montana!  A New York native, he is a Musical Theatre major at Syracuse University.  Favorite performances include: Little Women (Syracuse Stage), Room Service (SU Drama), The Flying Dutchman (Syracuse Opera), Hair, Seussical, Zanna, Don’t!, Guys and Dolls, and many others at Play Group Theatre.  He is a proud alumnus of Interlochen Arts Camp.  Thanks to Marianne and Jeff for this amazing opportunity.  Love to my family.

Kyle Branzel (Schroeder) Kyle Branzel, a native of Elyria, Ohio, is thrilled to be making his debut at Grandstreet! Favorite onstage credits include Paul (A Chorus Line), Seymour (Little Shop of Horrors), Jesus (Godspell), Jack (Into the Woods), and Schroeder (…Charlie Brown), as well as offstage credits as musical director and/or pianist for a number of other productions. Kyle currently attends the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, where he is pursuing a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre.

Krysta Dziak (Sally Brown) Krysta is thrilled to be back at Grandstreet where she first found her love of theatre. She recently graduated from the University of South Dakota with a BFA in musical theatre. Some of her favorite roles have included Judy from A Chorus Line, Meredith from Five Woman Wearing the Same Dress, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, and the Undertaker’s Woman in A Christmas Carol. Krysta would like to thank her wonderful family for being so supportive of her passion for theatre.

Nick Selting (Snoopy Understudy)is extremely happy to be joining the Grandstreet Conservatory for his third summer. Fresh out of High School, Selting has also performed at the Old Lyric Repertory Company and University of Wyoming. Past shows from Grandstreet Theatre include The Secret Garden and Grease. Starting this fall, he will be attending the University of Evansville as a Theatre Performance Major. Special thanks to his mom and dad for all the help and support!