A Double Dose of Holiday Cheer: SUU Celebrates A Charlie Brown Christmas with Live Play and Museum Exhibit
Published: November 17, 2025 | Author: Brooke Heath | Read Time: 2 minutes
Southern Utah University (SUU) is rolling out the red carpet and decking the halls in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the beloved holiday classic, "A Charlie Brown Christmas." The community is invited to campus for a series of free performances of the play by Charles M. Schulz presented alongside a special traveling art exhibition that details the makings of the production at the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA).
On Dec. 4 & 6, in the Randall L. Jones Theatre, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is brought to life on stage by an all-SUU alumni cast and crew from the Department of Theatre, Dance, & Arts Administration. All community members, alumni, and friends are invited to attend one of the 30-minute performances on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Admission to each event is free; general admission tickets are required and can be picked up at SUMA and the SUU Hunter Alumni Center during regular hours of operation. Seats will be held for ticket-holding guests for up to 10 minutes before the performance begins; after, seats will be open to standby guests.
"Audiences are going to love this production," says Michael Bahr (SUU alumni class of '89), the play's director and executive managing director of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. "It's full of heart and nostalgia, featuring live music and an entire alumni cast and crew."
This won't be the first time that Spencer Watson (SUU alumni class of '24), the actor who will portray Charlie Brown, has stepped into the iconic role. As a student, Watson played the character in SUU's musical production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."'
"When I was offered a chance to play him again, I knew I couldn't say no to the chance of reprising the role!" said Watson. "What excites me most about stepping into this production is knowing I'll be working with some of SUU's most amazing alumni actors. To share a stage with these performers, and hopefully share some stories of our time at SUU, is beyond a pleasure."
Community members are also invited to go behind the scenes to understand the making of the classic movie as the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) hosts, "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!" Curated by The Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research center in Santa Rosa, California, the exhibit showcases reproductions of the original Peanuts Christmas-time comic strips and reveals the history behind the beloved holiday special. Stop by SUMA to explore the making of the animated classic from Nov. 17 through Jan. 3 during regular business hours; admission to the art event is also free to the public. For more information, visit suu.edu/suma.
Tags: Tradition and History CurStu FacStaff Alumni Community College of Performing and Visual Arts
Contact Information:
Brooke Heath
435-586-5400
brookeheath1@suu.edu