You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown @ Art Centre Theatre
—Jan Farrington
There are some big laughs in Art Centre Theatre’s sweet and engaging You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Mostly, though, it’s chuckles and smiles all the way—and you might be surprised how good that feels.
Director Andrea Fernandez Tom ticks a box on her bucket list with this production (though frankly, she looks too young to have a bucket list). She’s been a fan of this gentle mid-1960s musical forever, she says, and finally has it on stage. Like many theater companies right now, Art Centre has double-cast most of the roles in case of illness or…stuff. The group I saw on Sunday evening included some really fine singer/actors, and though they certainly weren’t little kids, they made me believe. (The very cute costumes helped.)
Charlie Brown premiered in the East Village of New York in 1967 with, BTW, the future Radar O’Reilly (Gary Burghoff) playing the title character. It will remind you of that era, the flower-child, hopeful Sixties. For one thing, it has a classic “blackout sketch” format, straight out of Second City and Laugh-In. The “segments” of the show can last a couple of minutes…or only a few seconds, just enough for the joke to sink in. (After all, it’s modeled on a four-panel comic strip, Charles Schulz’s super-popular Peanuts—a factoid for our 20- and 30-something readers. You thought it was just a bunch of TV specials, right?). Clark Gesner wrote the original music and lyrics way back when, and in 1999 composer Aaron Lippa (The Wild Party, The Addams Family) added some cute songs (“Beethoven Day,” “Rabbit Chasing,” and “My New Philosophy.”)
Chad Harold has just the right Charlie Brown voice, small and true—and his still, wide-eyed face shows us equal parts hope and disappointment. Lucy Van Pelt (Ana Sofia Fernandez) is all ego and id. I like a woman who knows what she wants, but honestly…she’s something, and belts her songs in the ideal Lucy voice, big and bold. As her little brother Linus (who’s got Lucy’s number but loves her anyway), Chris Thraikill is a strong singer and makes Linus a terrific blend of I.Q. and E.Q. (emotional quotient). He’s plenty brainy, but in touch with everyone’s feelings, including his own. (How many little boys would be brave enough to go back for their blankie—in front of all their friends?)
Aaron Tom is another good, crisp singer and makes a wonderful Snoopy, whether he’s the practical pooch making plans about supper, the WWI Flying Ace chasing the Red Baron (in his dreams), or an exuberant pup chasing rabbits with his partner in crime (well, playful crime), Sally Brown. Sydney Turbow’s Sally is so spot-on, sparking with determination and mad as heck about being such a tiny girl in SUCH a big world. It’s not fair—and she’s running, running, running to catch up, every minute. As pianist Schroeder, Andy Stangby fended off Lucy’s charms (she’s planning to marry a musician) with a steady side-eye—and sang his solo number “Beethoven Day” in an impressive rock/pop voice. And ballerina Amberly Santos flitted and twirled prettily as yellow bird Woodstock, Snoopy’s (sometimes) buddy.
Art Centre is tucked away in a Plano warehouse district (though it’s easy to find), and the little lobby is decked out in all blacks and whites (white antlers and chandelier, even)—like a posh room drawn by Dr. Seuss. There are church pews for seating, and just a bit or two of audience participation (nothing scary). Just to complete the IDs, Korri Romero/Deanna Santos run lights, and Leo Santos and Samantha Andrews were the busy stage crew at my performance. And the cast I didn’t get to see (and you might!) includes: Mario Estep as Charlie, Whitney Alexander as Lucy, Eddie Funtanilla as Snoopy, Debra Hayworth as Sally, and Nick Estep as Schroeder. (Chris Thraikill is in both casts as Linus.)
Charlie Brown has that clear-eyed Charles Schulz vision of childhood. There’s plenty of sweetness and light, but these are real-kid stories, with happy days and bad ones, book reports due and little red-haired girls, the scary “clutch” moment of a baseball game—but a dog who still loves you.
I’d been missing this Peanuts gang, and didn’t know it. Happiness is…seeing them all again.
WHEN: Through August 14
WHERE: The Art Centre Theatre, 1400 Summit Avenue, Unit E (around the corner), Plano
WEB: artcentretheatre.com
