BWW Exclusive: Milly Shapiro Reflects on Her Sally Brown Life in YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN

By Milly Shapiro:

When life's a dizzy maze
On alternating days
I choose a different phrase!

I get to choose a different phrase on stage as Sally Brown in The York Theatre's production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Sally, like me, is a carefree, spirited girl who doesn't care what anyone thinks. She won't let anyone tell her how she should feel. Sally is confident and loves who she is. Sally is a sassy, pushy yet altogether lovable character and I am so excited to bring her to life this summer.

I started on my journey as Sally Brown in early September 2015 in a cabaret at 54 Below. Little did I know I would be doing a full blown production almost a year later. The cabaret was a great success. I had so much fun playing Sally, and feel so lucky to have the opportunity to play her again. When I step on stage and into Sally's shoes, I feel alive. Not only does she embody qualities I admire, but she also surrounds herself with fun and animated friends--like me! One of the best parts of this whole experience has been working with You're A Good Man's all kids cast.

In fact, working with an all kids cast does not feel like work at all. It has been such an energetic and eventful process; kids that started out as colleagues have turned into friends.This cast is a group of friends and I could not be happier with how fun and exciting it has been to work alongside them. As some of you may know, I love Harry Potter. I've worked my magic and turned these actors into Potterheads. On the breaks we all rush to the dressing rooms to watch the Harry Potter movies; we have gotten through the first four and are almost done with the fifth

The rehearsal process was full of fun and laughs but also full of hard work. But everyone was up for the challenge. Working with this amazing cast has made this process easy and fun. All of us rely on each other and we have all gotten so close. This show has turned out magnificently bringing Schultz's work to life in a lively, family friendly and altogether enjoyable production.

Obsessing over Harry Potter is just one of my many quirks--Sally Brown has taught me to love these quirks. She has taught me that it's okay to be yourself. In fact, there's no other way to be. Come see me and Sally be ourselves at the York Theater this month!