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You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
by Starlight Community Theater
Lyrics and Music by
Clark Gesner, based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz,
debuted on Broadway in 1967 For more than sixty years Charles Schultz’s Peanuts
comic strip, and the beloved animated television specials it spawned, have made
us all commiserate and find comfort in the lovable loser who keeps trying to
kick that football no matter how many times Lucy pulls it away.
Clark Gesner's musical adaptation of the comic strip allows the
characters to come to life on the stage in a series of monologues, scenes, and
musical numbers that remind us just how hard it is to face the challenges of
growing up...especially if you're named Charlie Brown. THE PRODUCTION: The opening monologues begin in Starlight’s darkened
theater with a spotlight moving from one familiar Peanuts
face to another, the faces painted on large blocks that each respective but
unseen actor stands upon, the cartoon characters speaking to us until the last
opening monologue of Charlie Brown when the spotlight slowly rises to reveal the
actor. That’s just the first of countless touches by Director Christian
Graca and her group as they brilliantly bring to life the Peanuts
gang in all their comic and touching genius in this heartfelt,
shouldn’t-be-missed homage to the mind of Charles Schultz. At the heart of it all is Skyler Washburn as Charlie Brown, his humor natural, his loneliness
and Savoy Graca is a
riot as a quintessential Lucy, strong and dominating and relishing the chance to
torment Charlie Brown, in this production teaching an eager and gullible Rerun (Will
Rippenkroeger) questionable facts, and also sharing an unusually nice moment
with her little brother as getting to know herself during a crabbiness survey
hits hard. Dylan Rinehart is said
little brother Linus, delivering a terrific performance in just his second
theatrical role as he deals sensibly with a temperamental sister and deals
emotionally with a serious blanket addiction that plays out in a great My Blanket and Me Elsewhere are strong performances by Quincy Janisse and Jesse Pike
as duo Peppermint Patty and Marcie, often hanging out at their desks underneath
the silhouettes of their comic strip personas above them. Those set pieces of
character silhouettes along the back walls (Mike Rippenkroeger and Glenda
Matson on sets) work beautifully with their characters living right beneath
them. Together that cast of characters work like a team with each member of the
ensemble adding much, whether in the baseball game or an outrageous rabbit hunt
choreographed by Nathalie Velasquez
(throwing in a few over-the-top classical musical dance snippets). It all ends
on a warm, powerful note as the characters sing of the things that bring them Happiness,
each going into the audience to draw up to the stage a family member or friend
– “those who sing with you” and have brought happiness to their lives. Performed January 30 - February 14, 2015 Rob Hopper ~ Cast ~
 Linus: Dylan Rinehart
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THE
SHOW:
heartbreak
palpable, his quickness to renewed hope inspiring. A couple highlights include
his tortured lunchtime as he pines to be noticed by the Little Red-Haired Girl
(silent but delightful reactions by Allison Weston) and Charlie Brown’s rollercoaster of a kite-flying
attempt (cool kite props for the whole cast) that ends tragically in the
branches of a tree (Hanna Grossenbacher
as the “Kite-eating Tree” who grabs his kite with her branches, stares at
Charlie for a moment, and then happily, coldly crumples his kite). Brandon
Brown shines as Charlie’s lovable dog Snoopy, with Brandon bringing humor,
personality, and charisma as he melodramatically fights off the Red Baron (in a
doghouse that magically rises up into the air while his scarf streams out behind
him) and celebrates Suppertime with a
magnificent song-and-dance, always closely accompanied by his hilarious silent
comedy partner in Woodstock (Molly
Jimmerson).
scene
featuring a charming dancing blanket by Chelsea
Carll. Griffin LeBlanc is an amusing Schroeder trying his best not to lead
on Lucy, getting lost in a book report, and leading a lively celebration of Beethoven
Day. While the highly expressionable Lilly
LeBlanc is a hit as Charlie’s baby sister Sally, portraying a struggling
student artist, a groundbreaking philosopher, and a sprinkling of borderline
personality disorder.
Sally: Lilly LeBlanc