Charlie Brown is a good man, and he gets that goodness tested an awful lot by the Peanuts gang, his own limitations, and the whole world that seems to bring him far more failures than victories. But for more than fifty years George Schultz’s comic strip and the beloved animated television specials it spawned have made us all commiserate and find comfort in the anti-hero who keeps on trying to kick that football no matter how many times Lucy pulls it away.

Peanuts also inspired a couple of stage musicals, the most famous of which is Clark Gesner’s You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. And CAPA in Livonia, Michigan recently staged a production of it featuring additional dialogue by Michael Mayer and additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. It was staged as his senior project by student director Kenny Sosnowski, his handful of assistants and choreographers, a group of six actors, plus a creatively used ensemble of three called “The Charlie Brown Trio.” Together they turn in a charming little production with clever bits of humor and strong characterizations.

Daniel Greco is Chuck, with a good Charlie Brown persona that makes you feel for him, offering both a good singing voice and nice monologues (it’s Charlie Brown, so he’s often all alone on stage). Of course, Lucy Van Pelt would never say such nice things about him. Brittany Matthews is the “super crab,” the 5-cent psychiatrist Lucy, doing so with a good humor, huge and expressive eyes, and an intimidating air. Kyle Ennis is her little brother Linus who is understandably intimidated by his older sister, but is greatly comforted by his big blue blanket. For his My Blanket and Me number, The Charlie Brown Trio personify his blanket aided by great costumes and choreography (Lauren Inglis). Jesus Murillo is the piano-playing Schroeder with a great voice, leading them all in a celebration of the all-too-often-overlooked Beethoven Day. And Kayla Medlen is a riot as Sally Brown who uses her voice (talking and singing) to great effect and has a marvelous melodramatic flair seen often, as seen when she cries and does a duck-and-cover during a pop fly at the baseball game, or when she yells at her term paper as she starts her big solo My New Philosophy.

And then, of course, there’s Snoopy. Lauren Danaj is a charming beagle. Well, okay, she’s not so charming to Lucy. She throws a wad of paper at Lucy’s head when the latter interrupts a game of catch. Lauren has a great personality and sense of humor whether she’s landing her doghouse after doing battle with the Red Baron, or contemplating the idiosyncrasies of life, or pestering Charlie Brown again and again and again about supper, or burying her face in the bowl as she sings some of the Suppertime lyrics, or in a great scene as a reluctant hunter of rabbits with Sally in tow.

Performed May 14-15, 2008.

~ Cast ~