GetOut Magazine

‘Charlie Brown’ is safe, sound
By MAX McQUEEN
Get Out
Oct. 10, 2002

Who said Charlie Brown wouldnt outlive Charlie Schulz? He has. And how.

How do I know?

All I had to do was keep my eye on a 6-year-old in the audience during Wednesdays performance of Youre a Good Man, Charlie Brown at ASUs Evelyn Smith Music Theatre.

The boy laughed and laughed from start to finish of Dale Dreyfooss faithful stage re-creation of off-Broadways 1967 musical of Schulzs Peanuts pint-sized people. What made the joy of watching the lads enjoyment is that he sauntered into the theater with attitude to spare, like some toughened first grader from the hood.

Despite a half-century having passed since Charlie Brown first sighed in the funny papers, its safe to say his daily problems parallel many of todays children. Every boy seems to have a female nemesis such as Lucy Van Pelt. Every knowing sister such as Lucy seems to have a hapless kid brother like Linus. Every family seems to have an attention-hounding pet that really knows the scoop, just like Snoopy.

Charlie Brown unfolds more or less as a day in the life of the "Peanuts" gang. School. Lunchtime. Recess. After-school activities. Homework. Puppy love. One and all surface during writer, lyricist and composer Clark Gesners two-hour visit to Charlie Browns world.

Schulzs ability to find universal truths in the daily routine of children was largely responsible for his comic strips initial success, as well as its lasting appeal. Fans of Schulzs knee-high philosophers will find plenty to like in this Lyric Opera production, which is faithful in tone and look to Schulzs genteel comic strip. Why, even designer Gary Campbells primary-colored set seems to jump out of the Sunday funnies.

Curiously, Charlie Browns only weakness is Christopher Boggs Charlie. True, this is an ensemble piece through and through. But audiences need to relate to Charlies day of self-made crises. Boggs is fine vocally, possessing just the right tenor for a pre-teener, but hes not enough of a sad sack to generate our pity or empathy.

It doesnt take much for Lauren Chapman to all but steal the show. After all, shes Lucy, the loudest and frankest underage female this side of Dennis the Menaces Margaret. Chapman excels in all areas, including well-intentioned meanness. As she micromanages her small world, we have no trouble seeing this Alpha pre-teen as a Martha Stewart in the making. Chapman is particularly fetching on Schroeder, in which she warbles her undying devotion to a totally dismayed Schroeder (tow-headed Matt Sopha). He, of course, would rather be alone at his piano with Beethoven.

Brandi Bigley and Seth Bogner due their part as Charlies little sister and Lucys baby brother, respectively. Bigley (almost unrecognizable beneath a blond wig) holds her own as a sweet-spirited ditz who is so clueless, it would never occur to her that shes a bother to anyone. Bogner is perfectly blasé as a boy who gets along better with blankets than people.

Of course, no Charlie Brown story is complete without Snoopy, the beagle who is too smart for his britches. Ed Williams Jr. is lithe, loopy and lovable as a pampered pet who owns his masters more than theyll ever know. His Suppertime is a show stopper of the first order.

By design, Clarks songs are not particularly hummable. Theyre more like vocal expressions of the dialogue than stand-alone numbers. The lone exceptions are the aforementioned Suppertime and the finale, Happiness Is . . . both of which get apt but not overwhelming support from JoAnn Yeomans choreography and musical director Christine Rileys six musicians.

Drawing on Schulzs gentle themes, Clark marries music and lyrics into a sweet (and yes, sappy) anthem about the little things that enrich day-to-day living.

Youre a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Who: ASUs School of Music Lyric Opera Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Evelyn Smith Music Theatre, ASU Herberger College of Fine Arts School of Music Building, 40 E. Gammage Parkway, Tempe
Cost: $5-$14
Information:
Grade: B