Author: Nicole Bembridge
Found in section: Arts
Photo Courtesy by Nicaliving.com/node/14553
Charles M. Schulz’s comic series “Peanuts” is among the most popular and influential in the history of the medium. Having run for nearly half a century as both a syndicated daily and Sunday comic strip, Charlie Brown is an international household name and an enduring children’s favorite for television, books, and films.
He is a merchandise logo on his own (quite the achievement for a moping, grumbling five-year-old native to a restaurant napkin).
Given his iconic status, it is only natural that the story of Charlie and his friends made it to the drama circuit, with two shows presented this week at BC’s Stop Gap Studio Theater.
The first was “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” a musical based pretty strictly on Schulz’s comics.
Starring Philip Bolton as Charlie, Christina Gai as Patty, Marissa King as Sally, Stan Marsh as Linus, Heather Norton as Marcie, Fred Tse as Schroeder, Sam Routh as Lucy, Mindy Ray as Woodstock, and John Tembreull as Charlie’s canine companion, the accomplished cast delivered a remarkably child-like performance perfect for the subject matter of the play.
There was no distinguishable plot in this piece, but rather a long series of the Charlie Brown comic strips we are familiar with and love.
The pitifully hopeful Charlie and his gang of prepubescent friends had a lot of very impressive vocal performances for their tender age, and, accompanied by pianist Sara Hanson, received an enormous level of applause following the show.
The second play was “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” a kind of unauthorized parody of the Peanuts series.
Also using the essential characters of the original comics, this play followed the children’s lives following the onslaught of puberty and was a performance geared largely to mature audiences.
The cast was separate from the prior show, excluding Snoopy (John Tembreull), who had to make the dramatic transition from loveable canine to a morbid, sex-obsessed Matt, which, according to the actor, “really challenged me to step it up to the next level.”
However, Tembeull also said that, despite the challenge, he was “forever grateful for the chance.”
Danielle Rehm, who played the naughty Tricia in this performance, said, “My family will not totally hate me after seeing me in this role…hopefully.”
Amid the enormous change in tone between these two performances there was, in actuality, a significant common thread.
Both showed the human condition in a good light and bad, and they held a light to the fact that self-absorption and self-consciousness really shapes your experience of the world, good or bad.
The dramatic transition from playful mockery to downright bullying was tragically realistic, but mid-scenes there were always glimpses of humor and affection between the friends, reminding us that, to quote to director Bradetta Vines, “between the growing pains of childhood there is so much joy.” And ultimately, like Charlie Brown, we can choose love.
The plays run on alternating nights until May 30. For more information and tickets visit www.brownpapertickets.com
