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09/01/2022 12:00 AMThe musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown offers enjoyable family entertainment, even though it has some limitations that includes pre-recorded music.
Does anyone not know the Peanuts gang? While Charles Schultz stopped drawing new strips in 2000, they still run in newspapers worldwide. Plus, the classic TV specials and some newer ones turn up for major holidays.
The musical is a series of scenes, each centered around a familiar topic in the strip: Charlie Brown and his losing baseball team; Schroeder, his piano and Lucy; Linus and his blanket; Snoopy as the WWI flying ace; and more.
Dialogue sets up the scenes which include a song. In between are a series of one-liners that for some reason reminded me of the old television show, Laugh-In.
While the original musical debuted off-Broadway in 1967, this production is based on the 1999 version that played on Broadway. Most of the show was written entirely by Clark Gesner, though some thought that the original off-Broadway cast members contributed to it. The 1999 version included additional songs by Andrew Lippa as well as some rearranging and changing of some of the material. The character of Sally was added to the cast.
The highlights of this production at Legacy Theatre that runs through Saturday, Sept. 3 are the cast members, particularly Olivia Hoffman as Lucy. She gives a vibrant performance as the older sister who is crabby, demanding, and, some would say, a diva. She brings out Lucy’s bossy side without becoming obnoxious. “The Doctor Is In” number with Charlie is a gem; it is Lucy in her psychiatrist persona.
Chris Lemeux conveys Charlie Brown’s awkwardness and loneliness without overdoing it. He is the center of the show as, in many ways, he was the center of the strip. Both the staging and the execution by Lemeux of “The Kite” is terrific.
One of the fun things is that adults play all the roles, but the set is giant-sized, so the actors seem child-sized.
As in the strip, the musical shows these characters as not just stereotypes of carefree kids, but people who have and express talents, hopes, dreams, desires as well as suffering disappointments. That Charlie Brown always manages to get up and keep going despite losing all the baseball games, hanging up his kite in a tree, and yearning for the “little red-haired girl” is what makes the strip and the musical meaningful.
Each of the other performers has his or her moment. Linus, played by Clayton Matthews defends his blanket in “The Blanket and Me,” and Schroeder (a very good Cory Candelet) announces his worship of Beethoven with “Beethoven Day.” Snoopy has always been one of the most endearing characters. Here Snoopy is portrayed by Dan Frye with a goofy charm that comes across whether he is a dog chasing a rabbit or the flying ace battling the Red Baron. Sophie
Rapiejko does a good job as Sally with “My New Philosophy” though I’ve never really seen how the song fits the character.
With each of these characters, we are reminded of the uniqueness of individuals and how we so often don’t see what is below the surface.
Director Keely Baisden Knudsen adds some nice touches staging “The Kite” and making Linus’ blanket dance. The scenic and lighting designer Jamie Burnett provides the limited set with effective lighting.
If I had a major complaint, it is that the show uses pre-recorded music. The off-Broadway score was arranged for a small combo. I would think that the show could have been done with a pianist and an electronic piano which can add some other instruments. The lack of live music takes away some of the spontaneity of the show.
But this is a great show to introduce young people to theater that isn’t just children’s theater, but rather something written for adults that they will enjoy.
For tickets, visit LegacyTheatreCT.org.